Was it just the UI that did the trick?
A few weeks past I wrote about why some open source projects, especially consumer-oriented technology, were not gaining the type of traction in the marketplace that is seen by infrastructure open source projects such as Linux. I initially focused on the disconnect between the consumer and the developer on these open source projects and the failure to deliver a solution that consumers want. I have thought more on this explanation and am now thinking that another factor is at play, the User Interface. At a cloud computing event at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, TX I spoke with many Mac users about why they gave up on Linux and switched to a Mac. The discussions ultimately led to the realization that it was the User Interface for Mac OS X that changed the game for Apple against Microsoft. Instead of trying to put the same interface on something different underneath, Apple created a new way of organizing the applications and files on their OS, which proved superior as Windows 7 looks a lot like OS X to me. Now, compare this to the various User Interfaces for Linux: Gnome and KDE as well as the UI for Open Office. All the great technology underneath is unique for these products vs. Microsoft; however, the UI concepts are not only similar to Windows solutions but are really just a poor imitation. Instead of revolutionizing the user interface, the open source developers attempted to copy what everyone already knew and gain competitive edge on what was running underneath. I believe this was a mistake and is what has caused Linux to lose in the desktop marketplace and Open Office to fail in its attempt to stop the Microsoft Office juggernaut. Another example to highlight this concept – look at how the Mozilla browser changed the game with its first release with the unique UI tab feature. This simple concept was a game changer for many and forced Microsoft to imitate an open source project. In comparison, the Gimp open source solution looks a lot like the Adobe Photoshop product that may be one reason that it hasn’t taken off. The message to me is clear – it is not enough to innovative a solution internally; you must also change the game in the way a consumer interacts via the user interface. Please add some examples in the comments below of open source projects that you believe have changed the way we interact with technology. They are most likely winners.
