🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <40tqon$dpd@sundog.tiac.net>, Jim Williams <williams@tiac.net> wrote:

> miguel@step.polymtl.ca (Francois Labreque) wrote:
> >
> >Have you ever gone outinto the real world where users don't understand 
> >what the box doing between the tv and the typewriter?
> >
> 
> When I started the users didn't have a box between their tv and typewriter --
> but they did have modems.  I've worked in providing international email
> services since before the word email was invented, and I have watched the
> changes in public perception over those years.  I don't think it's a good
> idea to dummy down the user -- besides, I only want the users who want to
> smarten up.  Unfortunately I'm having to put up with a lot of bozos during
> my search.


I haven't had the advantage reading the beginning of this discussion,
but I'd like to offer my input anyway...

It seems to me that your job, as a provider of technology, should simply be
to provide a technology that does a simple task (or a complex task) simply.

It's not your customer's job to understand how that technology works--he's
got to worry about manufacturing all those widgets (or selling them, or
designing them, etc.).  Ideally, his computer should be as easy to use
(or easier) as a pencil and paper, or a handheld calculator, or a telephone.
When you get around to selling an electronic communications system that
is that easy to use, you'll find that there won't be nearly as many "bozos"
out there to deal with.  By offering a system that anybody could use, with
little or no practical knowledge about *how* it works or *why*, you're 
offering the user a *choice*.  They can choose to increase their technical
knowledge, or if they are not inclined to do so, they may choose not to.
If they choose not to, they still won't know the difference between an ISDN
line and a hole in the wall, but then again, they shouldn't have to know
that in order to use e-mail.

Besides, if every user was as savvy as you, you'd be out of a job, wouldn't
you?  ;-)


> (Just my 2¢...)
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