A more powerful machine doesn't necessarily mean a machine that's more
complicated to operate. While it's true that new programs may
require a
bit of time to learn, it seems that many, especially those designed
for the
average user, aren't that difficult to figure out, especially if you've
used earlier versions of the same or similar programs. Granted, for
some
programs and for some people, taking a class or reading a well
written book
may be helpful.
As for compatibility, I've solved that problem. I keep an older
machine in
running condition, plus, when I get a new machine, I add slots or older
media. The latest machine here takes the old 3.5 floppy disks, but
also
has a CD player and burner and a DVD player and burner, as well as
USB and
Firewire ports. I'm still using WordPerfect 6.1 and Lotus 2.01 as
well as
the latest version of Photoshop.
Compatibility is available for those who seek it. However, one cannot
blindly go into CompUSA or some such and buy a computer "off the shelf"
without doing their homework. People go to Consumer's Reports and read
about refrigerators and toasters, buy car magazines to learn about
the new
cars they are considering, and in general do their homework to some
degree.
Buying a computer is no different in that regard.
Shel
[Original Message]
From: Malcolm Smith
For once, my sympathies lie with the public. Operating systems over
the
years have made it become simpler and simpler to operate computers
and yet
to keep up with technology, you need a more powerful machine, which
folk
know less and less about. As folk update hardware, their need to 'know
how'
to work it becomes more unnecessary, along with the fact that the
storage
methods used on previous machines aren't brought forward or are
superseded
on the new. I know lots of people with floppy discs, zip discs or
CDs with
their pictures stored on them, which their new machines can't
access. How
do
you expect the non-technical average user to buy into a new system and
method of storage, when every few years it's been superseded and
been made
obsolete? You used to take film pictures and put the results in the
drawer.
Now you have much more convenience on taking and sharing those
images, but
for most people long term storage is an unknown - even when they try.
