[Scribus] Why do?

[Christoph Schäfer]

Am Sonntag, 23. Juli 2006 21:22 schrieb BandiPat:

>
> I don't recall screaming or shouting at any point, but let's not beat a
> dead horse.  On your last paragraph, I completely disagree with you!
> The learning curve for a new user will be steep in learning *all* the
> features a DTP program has to offer, but, shouldn't it be possible to
> use it productively the moment it opens on the screen? 

What is productive use at such a low level that can't be done in word 
processor?

> Yes and without 
> reading reams of paper or internet wiki sites!  You have apparently not
> used such programs, so seem to have a lack of understanding where I'm
> coming from on this, but they do exist and Scribus should be one of
> them.  I do expect users to be able to use a piece of software without
> reading a single piece of documentation!  It's not unrealistic at all,

It is. It's the same as expecting someone to use a software development kit 
without ever having written a single line of code.

> I've experienced it as you'll find some here have also.  It's not an
> impossible task.  If a user is vaguely familar with the OS, several
> programs, including a word processor, then they should be able to use a
> DTP program from the get go.

Why use a DTP program then?

> Not access the many features it offers, 
> that would be unrealistic, I agree, without reading a bit, but use it
> productively, yes, sure!
>
> You've gotten lost somewhere in the complexity of Unix, Linux or Windows
> sometime and I think lack the experience or insight into "easy"
> programs. 

You don't know where I'm coming from, but I can certainly tell you that I 
never "got lost" on Unix complexity. Actually I don't like computers that 
much, I use them to get my work done. This means using my brain before 
switching them on, and the complexity of DTP and DTP software exists already 
before the computer is on. If one has understood the principles, the rest is 
not too difficult. It's important to know what to do and why and then to ask 
how. If a DTP software provided an easy "how" without expecting the user to 
know why, it would be useless, just as the software development kit would be 
for non-programmers.

> They're not impossible nor non-existent, really! 
>
> regards,
> Pat

Cheers,

Christoph