Date: Tue, 22 Sep 1998 14:04:59 +1000 From: Sue Blake <sue@welearn.com.au> To: Chris Dillon <cdillon@wolves.k12.mo.us> Cc: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Dag-Erling_C=2E_Sm=F8rgrav?= <dag-erli@ifi.uio.no>, chat@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Network Computers Message-ID: <19980922140459.61177@welearn.com.au> In-Reply-To: <Pine.BSF.4.02A.9809212120380.1975-100000@duey.hs.wolves.k12.mo.us>; from Chris Dillon on Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 09:33:25PM -0500 References: <xzp7lyxb24o.fsf@hrotti.ifi.uio.no> <Pine.BSF.4.02A.9809212120380.1975-100000@duey.hs.wolves.k12.mo.us>
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On Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 09:33:25PM -0500, Chris Dillon wrote:
> On 21 Sep 1998, Dag-Erling C. [iso-8859-1] Smørgrav wrote:
>
> > Chris Dillon <cdillon@wolves.k12.mo.us> writes:
> > > I could do something very similar if I were using FreeBSD or Linux
> > > workstations here (which I would _really_ love, but alas, most people
> > > here say "Duh, What's Unix?" or "But, it doesn't run MS Word". Ugh.).
> >
> > To which you answer, 'but it does run StarOffice and ApplixWare'.
> >
> > FU set to -advocacy :)
>
> And I get the reply "Yeah, but we're standardizing on MS Word".
> Double-ugh. Unfortunately the person before me got that started, and
> IMHO, it was a very bad move. Inertia has its way, though. It isn't so
> much a matter of wether StarOffice or ApplixWare can read/write Word
> stuff either, its the look&feel they want to keep too.
Too? I'd bet that's all they're looking for. They find its look and
feeel acceptable, they're used to it, and they've decided to
standardise on it.
They wouldn't give two hoots what OS is under it, or even what word
processor it is, so long as it's the same look and feel. That's all
they know, the whole sum total of what computers are to them. They have
never been granted access to anything else, much less control.
To do so would require enormous sums spent on full (not just token)
training, support, and work time to play with the system to get to know
it and fix it afterwards. Of course that's not on, too expensive,
risky, and we just want them to be able to type!
> I deal with the type of people that if one little icon moves on the
> screen, they get all upset because its "different now".
Typical reaction of someone who is required to be productive in an
environment which they neither understand nor can control. They barely
hang in there by gaining familiarity with the parts they touch. That's
all they have. Change must be tremendously threatening to anyone in
that situation.
> I may try setting up a FreeBSD box
> with a neat window manager and StarOffice or ApplixWare and have someone
> who has never seen Unix sit in front of it and use it for a while.
They would love it if they judged it by our criteria. They certainly
won't, and they certainly won't.
On the other hand, if it looked simiar and responded identically to
every mouse click, mouse movement, and key combination, and all the
dialog boxes had the same content, I predict they would accept it.
If, for example, a mail merge had to be done <100 names at a time,
they could adapt. But that print button must be third from the left!!
Please don't think I'm trying to defend or put down either side.
I think some of us, including you, are genuinely interested in finding
ways to bring sanity to the world. The prerequisite is to fully
understand and have empathy with those who would oppose us.
Otherwise, no matter how carefully we formulate our arguments why
should they even bother listening? We're asking them to let go, but
we've got a hell of a lot of letting go to do ourselves first.
The context here is word processing, but the principles can apply
to all types of interaction where different conclusions are drawn
from different world views.
--
Regards,
-*Sue*-
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