Alex OS aims to make computers easy

There is a Unix / Linux utility called yacc (yet another compiler compiler). Perhaps we need a new acronym such as YAULD (Yet another unecessary linux distro).
A recent survey http://bit.ly/bDIJ6R states that Linux has 1.02% desktop market share and over 300 distributions, so another distro could increase market share by .0034% (note the importance of working to at least 4 decimal places when discussing Linux!)

By milliganp on 19 Feb 2010

Which mail application have you been using?

"Why do I have to press a paperclip to send a document?"
Er, you don't, you use it to attach a document. You know, like...a paperclip does!

"Why don’t I just press Send?"
Ok, in GMail, Outlook and Thunderbird the paperclip is used to attach a document and the Send button is used to send the email. Too difficult?

This guy appears to be one of the "24% that just don't get it". I applaud his efforts to make PCs, or rather the OS, easier to use, but perhaps a bit of training or education would have helped him. After all, there is no shortage of people who could have shown him, surely.

I would suggest that he (and others) have a look at a Mac, not because I am a fanboy (I don't use one at all) but the interface seems to be simpler to use. This Alex interface seems a bit 1990s.

However, once again, I applaud his effort.

PS. Editor: The People screenshot is the same as the documents one.

By mviracca on 19 Feb 2010

Oh dear

For starters the desktop appears to have been hit with the biggest ugly-stick available. Couldn't they have paid a few quid to get a proper designer to work on it?

Secondly, they appear to have fallen down the same hole that they are trying to fill. Look down in the bottom right hand corner and there's an icon that says 'play'. A computer novice would find that quite ambiguous. Play a CD? Play a game? Play a movie?

Don't get me wrong - I think the intentions here are laudable. It's just that - at least from those screen-shots - this attempt seems a bit half baked.

By PaulOckenden on 19 Feb 2010

Screenshot

@mviracca Thanks for pointing out the problem with the People screenshot, this has been updated.

@Paul If I can get time I'm going to do a blog post about this so I can go into more details. All I'll say is don't rush into judgement too quickly: I've seen a few attempts to make computers easy to use, and this is the best so far!

By TimDanton on 19 Feb 2010

“We’re not in this to beat Apple or beat Gates,” says Drnec. “But we need new people online, and they’re never going to get online with Microsoft.”
Sounds like he's one of those that would have written Microsoft as m$ and whats Gates got to do with it, doesn't he know Balmer is the man at Microsoft's helm.

“12.2 million people don’t have a PC and 24% [of the UK population] have a computer and they just don’t get it," Maybe that's because 12.2million have identified that they have no need for a computer and that 24% of the population have been SOLD something they don't need.

And who wants to outlay £400 on a laptop (overpriced) plus a £10pm contract for a system that only works when the Broadband Company's servers are online.

By chapelgarth on 19 Feb 2010

@TimDanton
I've watched their video on youtube and it does seem to offer a solution similar to an Internet Appliance. Do you know if they have taken apps like OpenOffice and provided an alternate UI or are the apps proprietary?

By milliganp on 19 Feb 2010

The older generation, the tots and other kids will actually like this - I can see how it will work - its a wonder other OS's don't have an easy mode

By nicomo on 19 Feb 2010

@nicomo

"The older generation, the tots and other kids will actually like this "

Patronising, who moi?

Er yes, I think so!

By rjp2000 on 19 Feb 2010

Patronising - a variable term!

One could suggest that telling peple who don't get the sheer complexity of Windows 7 that don't deverve an alternate is also patronising.

By milliganp on 19 Feb 2010

Yes, a lot of comments quick to write this off, but if it makes computers more accessible to those who have most difficulty with them, it can only be a good thing, surely?

Look forward to the blog post to see whether its claims hold up.

By pbryanw on 19 Feb 2010

Whats the point?

What is the point, you have companies out that like Simplicity Computers who offer exactly the same thing.

Flogging a dead horse in my opinion, also the GUI looks like it was inspired by windows for workgroups.

By brighty on 19 Feb 2010

Surprised there are no Silver Surfers mentioned

We need Much MORE Patronising...

By JohnGray7581 on 19 Feb 2010

Patronising - a word with a defined meaning

milliganp: "One could suggest that telling peple who don't get the sheer complexity of Windows 7 that don't deverve an alternate is also patronising."

Actually, that's not patronising at all.

By steviesteveo on 19 Feb 2010

yes it's ugly and late

I looked at g OS over a year ago with the view of installing it on an old lap top and maybe a set top box. problem was I am far to lazy and once I was unable to run it successfully in a vm on my main machine within 2hrs I gave up.

any ways UI looks nicer and is available as a download. http://www.thinkgos.com/

since I looked at it it seams they have built a browser based OS as well.

Might look at this again later.

By SimonCorlett on 22 Feb 2010

Nice idea, terrible execution.. iPad anyone?

I will be getting my parents an iPad. This is the easy to use computer that "even my parents" can use.

By Brother_DeeJ on 22 Feb 2010