De-Programming Windows Refugees

You nailed it. All these silly people who have been told over and over and over that they shouldn't have to think or learn in order to use technology. *sigh*

Consistency could be used instead of intuitive. A rational approach and a consistent design can make computers "intuitive" to use.

Have you seen the Simpson's episode where Homer buys a computer? The salesman convinces him he should buy the $5,000 computer because the other ones are obsolete already. It seems like a good idea to Homer to drag it from the bumper rather than put it in the trunk of the car when he brings it home. And the first "intuitive" thing he does is pick up the mouse as if it's a microphone and say "Computer, kill Flanders!". Ten minutes later the computer is in the garbage can and Lisa rescues it. The rest of the episode has Homer discovering the Internet.

Isn't that the "any key" episode?

Someone a lot smarter than me said...and I paraphrase...

"those who don't understand technology will be controlled by those who do."

Today's average home computer (and many workforce computer users) are not users...they are limited task-set mouse clickers. If only they knew the power at their literal fingertips.

j

Quoting:Today's average home computer (and many workforce computer users) are not users...they are limited task-set mouse clickers.

Agreed. I think part of the problem is that most users "learn" Windows. This combined with the relative power of a regular user account in Windows means that a normal user really can break things easily. More than once I've helped end users who have rendered their computer virtually useless simply by accidentally having their mouse button down while moving it's cursor. Basically this caused important system files to be moved from their intended folder to a different place causing no end of harm.

It's really too bad that most current users "learned" a system with such shoddy file protection measures instead of a proper system. Personally, I'm enough of a klutz that it's nice knowing that I can't accidentally nuke my system. It's also nice knowing that a simple file copy of my home directory is sufficient to overcome any problem that might come along.



* I use quotes around "learn" and "learned", since it's really a matter of memorizing mouse clicks and key strokes rather than actual learning.

> "those who don't understand technology will be controlled by those who do." Sadly, those who don't understand technology are usually upper management.

Quoting:Sadly, those who don't understand technology are usually upper management.

LOL.

And who also sadly don't seem to be controlled by anyone. :)

Sadly, those who are in charge of technology go to lunch with Microsoft sales reps.

Quoting:Sadly, those who are in charge of technology go to lunch with^W^W^W^WARE Microsoft sales reps.

Fixed.

@bigg & @gus3 It isn't the lunches where the deals are usually made, it is usually the golf course and the country club bar...

I thought hooter bars were where the real dealing takes place.

> I thought hooter bars were where the real dealing takes place.

For some reason, Ballmer looks like the kind of guy who would do deals in that setting.

TC, that's Japanese style business.

"I thought hooter bars were where the real dealing takes place."

I've never seen them there...

h

> I've never seen them there...

Look up around eye level, might see more.