Choice of accounting/budget system (was Re: [Hudlug] linux accessability)

[Ben Fowler]

On 2/27/06, Anne Wilson <cannewilson at tiscali.co.uk> wrote:
> On Monday 27 February 2006 13:03, Ben Fowler wrote:
> > On 2/27/06, Anne Wilson <cannewilson at tiscali.co.uk> wrote:
> >
> > [ snip ]
> >
> > Howver, it is Michael's call, and Michael, if GNUcash is important to
> > you and/or is your choice; then that is application whose interface
> > to Gnopernicus we will establish, and whose accessibility we will review.
> >
> I did not mean that I was unwilling to help with GnuCash, but merely that if
> it is helpful to Michael to look at options I'm willing to help.  I do know
> something of GnuCash already, so reviewing KMyMoney for comparison shouldn't
> be too difficult.  Unless there are already reasons for sticking with GC I
> would certainly recommend comparison.  I'd be happy to go along either line.
>
> [snip ]
>
> > (For ordinary home use and budgeting, a spreadsheet will do just
> > fine)!
> >
> Again, if help setting up accounting spreadsheets is the better solution, I
> could help there.

We are heading into an area of mission creep here - which is fine by me - though
if we want to be goal orientated, then we need to keep the goal(s) in mind.

I am not sure whether Gnopernicus works with KDE, but there is a project
with a name like Kassist for KDE, though it may be less ambitious than
Gnopernicus.
Neither do I know whether in general people with a visual handicap prefer
Gnome, KDE, some other window manager (rat poision??) or even a terminal
with no GUI. Maybe we have to investigate and/or test this as well!
In general, one can indeed run KDE programs under Gnome and vice versa.


IIRC correctly, we are hoping to end up with a configuration for Gnopernicus
that will enable Michael to use GNUcash independently.

This may not be readily achievable, and I think that Michael has in mind the
long term (but not indefinite) assistance of either myself or another
sighted companion that
he has in mind. (This is why I keep harping on about privacy).

This - using GNUcash independently - might be challenge to a sighted person, and
it makes a lot of sense to check that a proper choice of application has been
made, and we haven't simply leapt onto a bandwaggon of some kind. In particular,
we ought to review usability, HCI factors in general, and polish of:

1) GNUcash
2) KMyMoney
3) Ad hoc spreadsheet solution

before getting too deeply attached to one solution. Personally, I
think that it is very
fair to say to that if a given application/method of working presents
difficulty for
a sighted person then it is probably foolish to make it the first
choice for someone
with a visual handicap.

It now seems that it is very desirable to do several pilot studies to
verify that the proposed
solutions are actually capable of doing the job.

Maybe we need Michael to tell us a few use cases.

I do occasionally get told off for offering to do things (as opposed
to giving instructions
to someone how to do something), but it is often necessary as part of training
to keep 'the show on the road', and in this case I really would recommend
fairly strongly that we before we bite off a task we check that it is chewable.

(Also giving instructions is a bit of an art in itself. MArk lives to
be given instructions,
but I wonder whether he is aware of how unusual that makes him ...). I
am fully aware
that if you see that someone does something, it is a vote of confidence, but if
you do it for them it, it is a best an implication that they are not
good enough. The trouble
is, that with computing systems, even linux, it is too easy to get
onself into a mess
that one cannot get out of).

(It is like, Mr. X. of Redmond, delivering a Word Processor that is
capable of constructing
a docment that is too complex for the same program to open and edit...).

I short, learn how to use these packages as sighted people, chose one to
configure with Gnopernicus and train you, Michael in its use. Personally, I
am quite happy to act as amanuensis/assistant indefinitely, if this is what
makes the difference between your being able to use Linux/Ubuntu for
your activities versus your not being able to do so (this is what I mean by
keeping the show on the road), and it may depend on making things very,
very simple in operation; but I would imagine that eventually you would
be able to memorize the critical steps and be fully independent.
that given time.

I hope that I am on the right lines, and I am very willing to accept guidance
on this, and suggest that to pull in another proverb, it may be a case
of more haste, less speed.

Ben.