Wednesday, November 03, 1999, 3:52:51 PM, Kevin wrote:
> No, not as valid a reason as "I don't want to work in two different
> word processors, I want to be able to transfer stuff from work to
> home", etc. So it's not as valid a reason as any others.
Those are no more valid at all when you start working with formats that
are open and free instead of being locked into proprietary formats. Gee,
using something more efficient at home, what a concept!
>> No, all it takes is a little common sense.
> You really believe that? You really believe all those years of
> experience mean nothing when it comes to being able to figure out why
> things are happening? You think common sense alone will make someone
> that is not technically oriented, be able to understand all that
> technically oriented stuff? OK. :-\
Yes, I do. My years of experience with computers doesn't help me
understand how my car works, or does it? Understanding how my car works
doesn't help me understand how electricity in my house works, or does it?
Understanding how my house works doesn't help me understand basic economic
theory, or does it?
The one commonality to them all are the four things I described.
1: Observation
2: Reasoning
3: Memorization
4: Logic
AKA, common sense. Computers are easy because not because I've worked
with them for years and years and YEARS... They were easy when I first
started! They were easy when I was *9* and my parents bought their first
computer. They are as easy as understanding my car; understanding
electricity; understanding basic economic theory (imagine following a dollar
some day). It is that basic level of understanding that most people *refuse*
to get to.
I'm not saying that everyone needs to be able to whip out perl code off
the top of their head to have a basic understanding. I do think, though, that
they should know that a RMB click is different than a LMB and that a RMB will,
most likely, bring up a menu whereas a LMB will perform some operation. Why?
Because a RMB click did it on that object over there, and that one up there,
and that one down there, so chances are it will do something *HERE*. Most
people, though, need to be told to do that instead of doing it to see what
happens.
They fail to recognize, through common sense, that a RMB does something
pretty damned consistent. So the vast majority, when faced with a new
program, will muddle along instead of a simple *click* "Hey, that works!"
Amazing, though, that the same people can sit down in a new car and will
set out to see what does what on a fairly consistent interface. HRMMMMMMMM.
> I call it reality. You're not going to change the users. They don't
> care what you expect of them and they are paying the bills.
They're not paying the bills. They're causing the problems.
> A little intelligence and judgement goes into what actually ends up
> going in.
Well, so far no-one has gotten it right who has tried to cater to the
lowest common denominator.
>> This isn't just M$, it is M$ and Mac and, as you pointed out,
>> yourself.
> I don't think I pointed that out at all.
Yes, you did. The people wanted more hits, then they wanted less. Think
it over for a moment and remember what I said about 35,000 hits.
> This is YOUR opinion and is typically the case for a lot of power
> users, not for occasional users. Most users are the latter. Again,
> they don't care if the support guy expects them to read up on things.
> There's nothing that's going to make them.
No, that is fact. It is the people who use certain software all the time
that I listen to, not the occasional user for they don't do squat.
> Bashing NT has nothing to do with this mailing list or what this
> thread started out about (though about 90% of your messages seem to
> end up going in that direction).
It wasn't bashing NT. It was pointing out a very *VALID* argument that is
circulating around. It would be bashing NT if it weren't true. The point is
that IT managers love NT because they think it is simple yet the IT
professionals roll their eyes and hate it every step of the way because it is
*NOT*. Why? Because it was designed for idiots and newbies. We were all
newbies at one time. Everything is "hard" at first. The real difference is
what makes our jobs and lives easier when we're not newbies.
News flash, a lot of what is catered to newbies doesn't make my job or my
life easier. Nor does it anyone else who uses a little common sense.
> If they add a new feature, convenience or not, doesn't mean The Bat! will
> all of a sudden turn into NT, or Oriffice, or anything else M$ as long as
> they do it right.
So far people who listen to "the market" and the newbies haven't done it
right. Not a one. It has been the people who have stuck to their guns and
didn't listen to every whim and fancy that got it right and that means
ignoring a grand majority of the people making "suggestions."
> That's just it. They don't HAVE to, so they probably never will. The
> idiots rule.
They have to.
--
Steve C. Lamb | I'm your priest, I'm your shrink, I'm your
ICQ: 5107343 | main connection to the switchboard of souls.
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