On Sat, 2001-11-10 at 03:21, Bob Tanner wrote: > One of the problem with computers (but Linux and Windows, heck all other OSs) is > that they are simple things that people can "just plug in" and it works. I blame > MS for this. And frankly, it's not true. I agree 100%. > I like to use the car analogy. It's pretty "simple". Almost everyone has one. > But how many people work on their cars? Not many. Heck, I don't even change my > own oil. I take it to a _professional_ and they do it right, they do it in 20 > mins or less and it cost me $21.95. > > I'm not a car mechanic; a car repair professional, so I take my car to a > professional. The time and effort it would take me to chain my own oil would > cost me for more then $21.95. > > Why should you do any less for your computer? If you aren't an admin (car > mechanic) take your computer (car) to a professional (Real Time) for service. Again, right-on. Not only that, but people take special training classes to learn how to drive their car, and must be licensed according to the laws in their state to prove they are qualified to do so (though some might argue that the ability to pass a test does not make either a safe or a responsible driver, but I digress...). But people, for some reason, think they can just but a PC at Best Buy, take it home, plug in a couple of cables, and be ready to use their PC without any prior training or experience. The fact is, to use a PC well -- to maximize its usefulness -- everyone should at least read a book or two (Windows for Dummies, assuming they are using a preinstalled Windows system, and maybe a medium-skill-level book as they progress), and for those who expect to use PCs on a daily basis for their work, they should take classes on both Windows, and the major applications they will be using. Of course, getting companies to send their employees to software training classes can be like pulling teeth, especially in the current market -- why is it always the training budget that is first to be cut when money is tight? > I'm I the only one that see the market like this? Nope :-) But in my experience, most people want their PC to be like their VCR. They may or may not get around to figuring out how to set the clock, and they really don't care that much about it, as long as it plays, records, and the remote works like they expect it to. In other words, they want their PC to be a low- to medium-complexity electronic appliance that always works, requires little to no maintenance, and has a user interface that is so simple a child can figure it out -- at least for the basic functions. How many of the buttons on your VCR remote do you actually use on a regular basis? How many other buttons are there, where you know what they do, but just never need the functionality? How many would you need to look up in the User Guide to figure out what they do, because you virtually never use them? This is what most of the users I work with are looking for in a PC. To summarize my ramblings, I think we need to change the current thinking of most consumers and businesses, and show them that proper computer/software training is not only a valuable asset, but in fact is absolutely necessary for maximized benefit of PC use, both in the home and at the office. Dave -- You will stop at nothing to reach your objective, but only because your brakes are defective. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: application/pgp-signature Size: 232 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://shadowknight.real-time.com/pipermail/tclug-list/attachments/20011110/c57c9547/attachment.pgp