ccornell - OpenOffice.org wrote: >>> Most casual computer users especially MS windows users would rather >>> just ask a question and be given the answer rather than do any >>> research to find what they want to know and then ask for some help >>> if they can't find the answer. >>> >>> Just look at how many times in one the day every day the same simple >>> easy to find questions are asked on this mailling list. People are >>> lazy. >>> >>> >> You have to wonder how many of these people (who I assume are bright >> enough to hold down a job) actually survive in real life. I'm >> presuming, for instance, that they don't need to take driving lessons >> again each and every time they buy a new car. > > To continue your analogy, how many people know how to change a tire? > or even check the oil? While some have no problem with these "simple" > tasks, the vast majority of people (in any country) don't know how to > do these things. When something goes wrong, they call a > professional... otherwise they get in the car and drive it until it > breaks. > One would assume, though, that if somebody learned to change a tire, then they could change a Firewood tire or another off brand without having their brains freeze up. While in several cases the terminology would change, for the most part, the tasks are still the same. Saving a file is saving a file in Microsoft Word is the same as saving a file in OpenOffice Writer. But maybe the terminology is what is throwing some people off, but then again, I don't refer to all cars as Subarus.
> The same concept applies to the world of computers. It's puzzling to > those of us who are used to installing software because we're used to > it... we know how to do it and we can click on an exe, or do rpm -ivh > in our sleep. We don't get baffled when we run a self extracting > executable because we have done it many times, and know that inside > that self extracting zip is the real install program. You throw the > same at an end user who only knows computers on a basic level, and > they are lost. They buy a computer with everything already installed > and ready to go. All they need to do is turn it on. There is never > any need to learn any more about what is happening until it breaks or > they want to change something (like install OpenOffice.org). > I don't mind that people don't know. What I mind is that people learned how to find help in an independent manner. Maybe that's the key: maybe instead of directly giving them the answer we should point them towards the three or four steps that will take them to the answer. > I understand the frustration... I read this list every day and ask > myself the same questions. I just hope that our continued patience in > answering those same questions helps a few new users venturing out of > the box are encouraged to keep going... I do see a lot of replies from > the people who were lost, thanking those that helped for pointing them > in the right direction. So we must be doing something right :-) > > C. > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
