Beeb

[Jason Hayes]

On Monday 08 January 2007 3:27 pm, Dan Lund wrote:
> That even happens when the non-MS item in question looks/feels/is
> identical in function to the MS item in question.
> Firefox is a great example
<<snipped>>

That happens even when a M$ item is used. With the big switch coming - for 
most M$ users - to IE 7 and Vista, I am already hearing people around the 
office complain loudly and often about how different IE 7 is from IE 6. They 
can't find anything and hate the way the buttons have 'disappeared.' They 
have just gotten used to using one thing and don't want to change.

Another post noted that Linux doesn't cover the middle well because 
the "average" user is not able to do the fiddling, but is too far advanced 
for using nothing more than the very basic - OOo, Firefox, and k-mail - 
applications.

I sold computers and did support/training work as a large chunk of my 
consulting business in Canada. I taught an intro computing course while in 
grad school and I can say without hesitation that the "average" user is 
grossly ignorant of the most basic aspects of their computer. If they are 
using their system for anything more than the two or three software packages 
that they use regularly (typically Word, Excel, Outlook), most users are 
completely lost.

Forget about installing drivers and upgrading software, and most people would 
be more comfortable with the idea of rebuilding their transmission than they 
would installing an OS.

Almost every computer that I have touched (with a Windows OS) that is over a 8 
months old, has been plugged with trojans, viruses (viri?), or gigantic 
browser caches and cookie files, etc.

Additionally, those people that are somewhat competent at using the standard 
three M$ offerings only use 10 - 15% of them. If they have to do anything 
more than highlight, cut & paste, bold, make a table, etc. they are lost.

Only a very few, curious people or die-hard techie types actually move much 
beyond the newbie stage. And I have only ever heard the "average" user 
describe the Mac OS as easy to figure out.

Jason