Comments on: Writing a Grandma-Friendly Opera browser tutorial

By: Ben Buchanan

Ben Buchanan — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 06:41:15 +0000

I’ve long felt that Opera’s default toolbar options was just too far away from the items I would have considered “standard”. I think this one particuar issue is a key problem for getting new users to stick with Opera for more than thirty seconds (I actually posted a configuration guide a while back, not that it’s “grandma friendly”).

Ultimately we can’t guess what to put into a grandma-friendly tutorial unless someone is able to get some feedback from net-using grandmas!

By: amen

amen — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 09:10:37 +0000

Oh, I must add, actually I have a pretty strong feeling that Opera under Windows can hardly be adapted or configured for a dumbuser because of the glitches with the multimedia and office apps. Firefox and Thunderbird click better for dumbusers under Windows, there’s no denying that.

Under Linux, on the other hand, Opera is a very good choice for a primary Internet GUI application for dumb and power users alike, particularly when not using KDE.

(Sorry Mac-fans, I last saw your OS ten years ago so I can’t comment)

By: amen

amen — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 08:54:57 +0000

I think the tutorial on Opera’s web site is a good thing to start with. Just drop the advanced stuff and rearrange the rest a little and granny should be able to swallow it.

By: Joey A. Tyson

Joey A. Tyson — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 14:40:08 +0000

I just want to say that I think you’re dead-on in asking for a user-friendly intro to Opera. I installed Opera on my Dad’s new computer, and my Mom has come to hate it. Part of her dislike comes from some weird issues Opera has had with Windows Media Player, but in general it’s just hard for her to adjust. So many end users are so used to IE and often don’t even like the learning curve of Firefox. (I purposefully setup Firefox’s toolbars to look like IE’s when I’m setting it up for a new user.) I don’t want Opera to be more like IE, but we need a way to give your average end user a smoother transition.

By: PhakE**

PhakE** — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 19:58:43 +0000

“This has nothing to do with seniors or grandmothers, it’s for **non-tech-savvy** users — regardless of age.”

Well, I’m certain of that age is a pretty big factor here. I think the younger audience would like some tips and explaining, and some flash… As said before seniors just want it to work, they don’t care how and are not intressted in advanced features.

But we also need to understand how such a tutorial would work. As I said in my first comment I think it definitely should be printable, and that’s not so doable with flash. My mom is new to computers and she writes down everything she does so she could remember it later.

I’ve put rogether a little quick scetch of how such a chart could look like. I didn’t know which shortcuts to include and didn’t got so much time, so there’s some more work to be done.

But yet again, you must define the targetgroup, non-tech-savvy is a pretty big one.

By: Stahn

Stahn — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 13:17:43 +0000

I think a major rewrite in Opera’s functions are needed for Opera to be “casual user” friendly. Firefox is “casual user” friendly. Opera… isn’t, but isn’t too far from there.

Using videos in Flash or lots of images are a must.

By: Mark Schenk

Mark Schenk — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 12:02:51 +0000

Writing a grandma-proof Opera tutorial is a tricky job! As mentioned by others, one thing I would definitely suggest is using plenty of screenshots, or Flash Tutorials. My personal preferred method of writing a tutorial is task-based: what do you want to do, what steps do you take, and what can Opera do to make those things easier for you.

For example: If you like a site, and want to return there later, use a bookmark! Followed by an explanation of how the bookmarks work, and how things become easy with nicknames.

I tried that approach with my Opera 8 introduction tutorial, which is definitely not granny-proof, but shows you what I mean.

Good luck with the tutorial!

By: blah

blah — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 12:00:11 +0000

I’d like to see a tutorial, where one gets the simplest possible information with a link at the end: “Opera has lots more to offer. Do you want to learn something new?” or “Opera can make your browsing easier. Do you want to learn something new?” And each page should cover more and more complicated things. Such a tutorial should start with something like plain old “button” browsing. Using tabs maybe. The Wand. And then maybe some mousegestures, some notes, some widgets and such.

By: non-troppo

non-troppo — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 10:51:58 +0000

Don’t forget security!!! See http://nontroppo.org/-/media/fake_email.htm as an example

Animated tutorials are incredibly user friendly. For the Visual Tutorials I used the freely available Wink.

http://www.debugmode.com/wink/

By: breun

breun — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 09:02:38 +0000

I’m sorry, but if grandma is not going to use all of the advanced features of Opera and is familiar with IE I’d just give her Firefox. I’m an Opera fanboy myself, but that doesn’t mean Opera is a good idea for every user out there, especially grandmas.

If Opera wants to be a grandma-friendly browser some serious work needs to be done. However, maybe a browser for both grandma and power users is just too much to ask for? The power user will want all of the power-options available and grandma will just get confused.

Maybe a poweruser/grandma switch should be added? The installer could explain the differences between power/grandma-mode and you could always switch later.

By: Arve

Arve — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 08:39:53 +0000

I would encourage you to look at the Opera Visual Tutorials.

By: Thomas Hofmann

Thomas Hofmann — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 07:36:58 +0000

Hello everybody,

I have been working in a hotline of a friendly society some time. (membership corporation or registered association) Grandmas do from a browser just expect to browse with him.
My opinion is the Grandma-Tutorial should be for “only browsing”.
This means also “no keyboard shortcuts”. They are too difficult
to learn for Grandma.

Daniel named the items:
- how to use tabs,
- bookmarks,
- wand (Password Manager)

I would add:
- search field
- reload
- find in page (Ctrl-F)
- adress field (of course)
- back button, forward button (no fast forward, back)

Should there be a other skin like the “likeie-0_732″?
The (large) main toolbar is sure better than the Window toolbar.

best greetings, Thomas

By: edwin

edwin — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 07:22:38 +0000

should ask the grandmas themselves. maybe ask them what they want to do with it??

go for the basic stuffs.. must-have options are the Zoom thing, using Tabs (since they’re from IE), find on page(the new create search thing)

maybe have some options at the beginning of the Tutorial like

1. A Grandma’s Tutorial- a really simple guide like the basic stuffs.
2. average user- who wants to use simple opera features like the mouse gestures, widgets
3. advanced user- editing page …

and at the end of the tutorial put something like:

Learn more about Widgets..->go to a new page
How to get Feeds-> go to a new page

make the layout Super Simple and Grandma Friendly with lots of Pictures and a little description like the Nero Startsmart thing. Just make it simple.

By: Vladas

Vladas — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 05:32:57 +0000

Oh, my God. If you do not want Opera’s advantages, use Explorer, please. Because of every neighbour would help you. Mouse gestures, notes (Ctrl-Shift-C), accessibility mode (Shift-F11, and so on are essential features for a grandpa.

I cannot quite catch, what a basic tutorial could you get – for a novice user or for a common dummy, still using Explorer? Bookmarks, contacts, history, chat, shortcuts are basic, common tools. BTW, Opera has a standard multi-window interface (with cascading, linking, tiling, and so on, like MS Works), not tabs like in Firefox.

By: IceArdor's Blog

IceArdor's Blog — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 02:30:17 +0000

Grandma-Friendly Browsing…

Foreword: For more info, see Writing a Grandma-Friendly Opera browser tutorial at OperaWatch.com[ ……