From the ‘Improving Linux Desktop’ files:
One of the reasons why I’ve personally long enjoyed using Red Hat Linux and now Fedora is because of ease of installation (mostly Anaconda). It’s an experience that is set to get even better in the upcoming Fedora 18 ‘Spherical Cow’ release later this year.
One of the major new features that is set for inclusion in Fedora 18 is something called ‘Initial Experience.’ The basic idea is to enable new users to have a fully functional desktop out of the box in a very seamless manner. This new Initial Experience will also give users a tour of GNOME 3 so they will know what’s what.
“We will provide an improved and smoother initial experience for new users of the Fedora desktop, and let them configure relevant parts of GNOME so that they end up on a fully functional desktop after going through the initial setup,” Fedora’s feature wiki states. “In addition, the install experience of the desktop spin may be improved.”
A great idea and one that is proof positive that Red Hat’s Fedora community still cares very much about new users and about the desktop experience as a whole. Going a step further, since many new users don’t understand that there are lots of desktop choices (and I personally think GNOME 3 is less than ideal for new users. As such, it might be an even better idea to have some kind of desktop sampler spin where Fedora’s new users can try out and sample the best desktop experience.
That idea aside, it’s important that Fedora 18 has this new initial user experience. Windows 8’s new user ramp up is pretty slick (I tried it out on Virtual Box running on Fedora 17), and it is in Fedora’s interest to kick up the Linux initial experience a notch or two as well.
Sean Michael Kerner is a senior editor at InternetNews.com, the news service of the IT Business Edge Network, the network for technology professionals Follow him on Twitter @TechJournalist.