Exactly. I’ve tried to get a number of friends to connect on Diaspora and every time I hear back, “Too complicated. I’ll stick with fB.”
There needs to be a quick entrance and spool up for users to get connected to freinds/family/etc.
Sure, have an Advanced button for users who want to be complicated, but the default should be EASY.
Users should be able to have a pod randomly (with in certain parameters that can be programmatically used to filter (currrent sw rev, high uptime, good rating for privacy, low latency to end user, etc.)) selected for them if they desire (or be specific with an Advanced button). This should all happen from a common splash screen. The info input should then create their ID/etc on the pod. An email should be sent confirming their ID and pod hostname for their future reference.
For continued use, there should be a single entry point (i.e. diaspora.com/org/net/etc) - Simple spalsh screen, Login with user name… ok, that’s easy enough, now we have to get creative -
being a distributed system is where this gets a little more complicated - having users remember which pod hostname to log into is too complicated for the average user (yes, I know, let’s not judge)… So why not have a directory service assist in the background? In this case, the end user types in their userid, they click a “login” button where upon their ID is looked up and they are ported to their pod, the user ID is forwarded to the correct pod, and they are prompted for passwd. Two step log in process, just like for many other services today.
There’s no reason Diapsora can’t be distributed on the back end and look and act homogenous on the front… Being complicated just for complicated’s sake is no way to design a system for the average user.
If Diaspora is trying to provide a solution that embodies freedom and privacy for the masses, then the Diaspora community needs to design for the masses, not for the few CompSci graduates.
I’m one of those non-technical users. I invite my friends to join my pod, that way they can connect to me and to each other instantly. Once they do, then I can “tutor” them on Diaspora stuff.
Joining a pod that has alot of users has some advantages too. Some of the smaller ones are too quiet, with next to nothing in the Stream.
The best way to do it is with examples. Perhaps someone could know a web designer whom would be able to do a mockup and show it to the core team?.
For now, this is the most successful attempt I could find on Floss networks.
@Jeremy,
First, congratulations on realizing why diaspora, as it exists now, is no threat to Facebook. Facebook’s recent sins got me looking for an easy to use alternative, not because I need it, but because the people I want to friend (like my age 20-something kids) need it.
Second, I hope you are never named as a co-defendant on an age discrimination lawsuit. Your comments here will cause any judge to rule for the plaintiff. Do you realize the people who invented the Internet are all old enough to be great-grandparents now? TBL, RMS, Linus? Old enough to be Grandparents. Your assumption that people that age can’t know about code and networks is pretty insulting to those of us that do.
Sorry to reply after 10 long months, but geez…
So, did you seriously create an account just to post this? While the original wording can, indeed, be improved, there is no reason to drag this discussion into this level of attacks. Please don’t.
It is very true that diaspora* (and the whole federated network world, to be honest) has some hard edges for less-technical people to get cut on. It’s good to have a discussion on those issues, and maybe eventually come up with a solution. So let’s keep this discussion on the topic, and not on how the topic was phrased.
I created an account (before I saw this thread) because I’m interested in a distributed social network and I have some time to help with code. I think it’s constructive, and not not negative or an attack, to point out the issues with a post that will insult many people and could have legal consequences. In a professional environment a subject line lumping grandparents with non-technical people could easily get the OP written up by HR. It should not be acceptable here.