Jerry J. Haumberger wrote:
> A lot of children hate learning how to read, too, but how many parents
> give in to their children's whining by offering them crayons and paper
> instead?
The problem is not that they "hate to learn".
The problem is that a "home computer" is being spread as a utility
that is functioning like a multi-practical toaster. You dont have
to learn complex commands and a new interface to operate a toaster.
You put in the bread, wait for a few moments, there it is, all ready
and toasted. A user that want to use a "machine" to do his home-work
in a easier way and finish a spread sheat for tomorow's office
meeting wouldnt want to learn new commands to use these things.
He would prefer if it will be all manageable under one simple to
use interface, that doesnt require almost any learning but the most
basic explanation. That was the reason why he/she bought the computer.
Unfortunatly, the home PC is much more then that, and unfortunatly,
I cannot think of any "easy way" to access the more complex features.
Luckly, most users do not concider these features. Those who do,
will have to learn.
SurvPCs are no exceptions. They are computers as well, and they
can also do more then just being a typing-machine and spread-sheat
calculators. However, again, the user prefer to have a simple
interface even then. These users exist, they are a mass, and they
cant be ignored. So if one would like to offer a SurvPC to such
a user, one will have to manage a simple to use interface, usually
a GUI, for that user to run.
This is why I think that discussing DOS based GUIs is quite
relevant and even quite imporant. Because unless SurvPCs
will also have away to "appeal the masses", these things will continue
to be concidered as "weird stuff" and "things that only geeks use".
Or Botton
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- "Truth is stranger than fiction, because fiction has to make sense."
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