Date: Wed, 04 Jan 2006 18:40:35 -0500
From: Ted White <twhite8 at cox.net>
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Crash, thud
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>

Mike B. wrote:

[...]
>
>  Yep. Always hammering with a screwdriver because that's what they
>  happen to have in their hand, or buying crap because they don't know
>  any better...not even enough to know who to listen to for advice.
>  Windows would have had little or no penetration into corporate
>  America if the MBAs had listened to the BSCS folks rather than the
>  liberal arts majors who copied the MS press releases into articles in
>  BOTASMs (Back Of The Airplane Seat Magazines), and if the makers of
>  better OSs had been willing to consider a different business model
>  (volume and low cost per copy rather than low volume and high cost
>  with restrictive licensing).
>
>  Open Source is our only hope now...

Y'know, I think those of who are deep into computer geekdom have lost
sight of the forest here.   From a *consumer*'s point of view, computers
need to run on standardized platforms for just one reason:  software
compatibility.  People want to be able to run software they buy (whether
it's games, tax programs, or whatever) on their computer without
worrying about compatibility problems.  From both the consumers' point
of view and that of the software vendors, it helps to have one
universally accepted OS -- no matter what it is, or how flawed it is.
Once Windows crossed a certain threshhold (probably via business use),
it became the default OS.

It's no good complaining about Windows' flaws (both real and
imaginary).  For most people Windows is the only game in town.

Most consumers want their PCs to function like a good appliance -- to
run without problems on a day to day basis.  Computer geeks do not
approach computers in this fashion, and have a wildly differing view of
what a computer really is.  This causes communication problems, of
course, and deeper perceptual problems.  Like the nine blind men, we are
all talking aboiut different parts of the elephant.

I regard my PC as a handy tool to do a variety of things, among them the
editing of music and creation of CDs (packaging and all).  I don't want
to need to understand the inner workings and philosophy of my PC in
order to use it as a tool.  It's enough to understand the inner workings
of a piece of music I'm editing, or how to design inserts and labels for
CDs.  But that's just me.  Your mileage undoubtedly varies.

--Ted White