Gary Schnabl wrote:
But you brought up the point of the "majority." What skill level does
the mainstream or typical user have at this point in a computerized
society? Do they need to use screen captures to learn how open a file
today versus ten years ago? I doubt learning that is needed anymore.
[Just stating the menu command to use to open a file should suffice.]
Especially when computers are introduced to kids in kindergarten. I
Skill level depends very much on the age group and occupation (or
former occupation), among lots of other factors. Vast hordes of people
who use computers only know by rote how to do the things they do every
day, and seem unable to generalise from their particular program to
any other program. My partner and I deal with many local small
businesses, as well as personal friends, who are intelligent and
well-educated but need an amazing amount of hand-holding. We consider
them mainstream or typical. (Of course, we also include amongst our
friends quite a few people at the other end of the scale -- those who
helped invent the hardware and software -- and others in between, at
about my level -- competent in limited areas.)
Example: I know a lot of professional writers and editors (not
technical writers/editors), many of whom were dragged kicking and
screaming off their typewriters not many years ago. They still regard
the computer as a sort of glorified typewriter and are often totally
flummoxed by anything new. Even though they are "words people" in one
sense, I find that usually they'll "get" something from a picture (or
from in-person pointing to the screen) when they don't get it from an
explanation in words.
Re your specific example in this note: yes, some of the graphics can
probably go. OTOH, yes, some people do need to be told how to open a
file (or at least, start the program). Not just some Windows users;
some Mac users have a lot of trouble, too. And now that a lot of
former Windows users are moving to Linux, a percentage of them are
clueless as well; one can no longer assume that Linux users are geeks.
--Jean
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