On 10/22/2013 10:16 AM, Lou Losee wrote:
Is it truly required for *everyone* to be computer literate? In the early
days computers were not so widespread the few that used them were those
that understood them and how they worked. This was necessary as the
systems themselves were crude with regard to interfaces and services
provided. Now that the computer has become more of an appliance why should
users need to understand it anymore than they need to understand how a
phone or a car transmission (manual or automatic) works in order to use it.
True, every one does not need to be computer literate. End users
need only be 'application literate' for the applications they
use.
Still, I believe some understanding of: drives, directories (excuse
me: folders) and files; how to distinguish between a file and a
program; and a feel for how to organize files can make the experience
much better.
If you want to spread technology to the masses, you need to remove the
complexity and the need for intimate understanding. Everyone does not have
the time, knowledge or possibly the intellect for understanding complex
systems that are in common use.
Lou
Lately I've been thinking it was a mistake to try to make IT
'cool'. People who just want to be cool tend not to want to
take the time to think things through: quick and dirty.
Perhaps we should make apps cool, but reserve application
development for unashamed intellectuals, nerds, and thoughtful
people.
-Steve
--
Artificial Intelligence is no match for Natural Stupidity
- Unknown
On Tue, Oct 22, 2013 at 9:46 AM, Gerhard Adam <gada...@charter.net> wrote:
Fair enough, but let's forget about users in this regard. In my
experience,
the business environment has become unnecessarily restrictive regarding
risk, so that even supposed "sandbox" systems may have significant limits
on
what an individual can do. When this is coupled with there being zero
benefit to taking on such a risk, it becomes easier to see why individuals
shy away from it.
What's the point in trying to learn something when the only time you get
attention is when you make a mistake.
So while it was certainly true that there were PLMs and training more
readily available in the past, it is equally true that many techies learned
because of mistakes and errors, whereas today there is little praise and
much blame for those taking on those tasks.
Adam
Good question. For professional training (which costs $$$$$$), it is
likely
the business environment. But I've also had users refuse to take free,
internal, courses because they: (1) don't have the time; (2) already know
all that stuff; and (3) don't want to bother because software should be
"intuitive" (i.e. should do what I want/need, not what I tell it to).
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