[ Quoting Jack Stein to Keith Douglas ] 
 JS> When there are many choices, one does not have to make or even know
 JS> them all.  When their are no choices, your sunk if you wish to make
 JS> one different from one selected for you.  This is never a hinderence
 JS> unless you are ignorant. This is a common reason DOS/WIN people are
 JS> considered ignorant, or stupid.
I think you have your wires crossed. Since when did OS2 ever have more of
an application choice than Windows? 
 JS> UNIX is a prime example of (almost) total flexability.
Flexibility is NOT choices.
 JS> If you still like DOS/WIN after two months, you are a user, not a
 JS> power user, not a hobbiest, just a user not interested in computing.
Now that         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ is funny. Hobbiests are interested in ALL
aspects of their hobby. A hobbiest would most likely be running Win95, AS
WELL AS another one more OS'. Win95 would be the MOST obvious choice for
a hobbiest as it provides the biggest range of software and hardware to
tinker with.
This is different from a user/power user. These people use their system to
accompish tasks, whatever that may be. I am a hobbiest, I use my computer
because I like using it. Not because I need to use it.
 JS> The people I work with, all computer illiterates, are buying computers
 JS> now, and of course all have DOS/WIN95, a good choice because it comes
 JS> installed.
They are simply users. They have to write a report, maybe use it for
entertainment etc. But they don't use it becuase they like computers.
 JS> it up, I'd have to talk to them about it.  Now, I just say I don't
 JS> know nuthin about WIN95, call your service rep.
And you wonder why MS didn't release Win95B to the public as a separate
upgrade. I can just guess:
Manual: "To install FAT32 support for large HDDs, you must FORMAT yo..."
[user doesn't bother finishing]
User: "FORMAT /C/U/S" "Y"
User: "Tech Support! I lost all my FILES!"
 JS> The problems with WIN95 are unbelievable... out of memory on 16 meg
 JS> machines
My machine is 16meg, and I have never had a memory error. Looks like someone
thought it'd be fun to disable virtual memory.
 JS> video is screwed up
Reduce acceleration
 JS> out of disk space on a new 1.2 gig HD,
Win95 takes less than 120 meg fully installed.
 JS> cursor won't move
Plug in the mouse? :)
 JS> app ran yesterday, now it won't do anything...
Lets all delete the INI files or compress that big DLL to save space. No
joke, people have done this.
 JS> KNOW WIN95 is a piece of junk, but really, even it can't be all that
Win95 just presents it's guts to the user far too easily. If policies aren't
installed (they limit access by user) then anyone can change major options
and do some serious damage just my using the mouse. The dialogs only say
"Not Recommended" to major options. They should say "if you do this, you're
screwed!".
 JS> bad, these people are NOT computer people, and are in way over their
 JS> head, even with something as INFLEXABLE and un"arcane" as DOS/WIN.
What would happen if these illiterates were let loose with something even
more flexible, with even more options to stuff up?
 JS> Perhaps what is needed is just a funky terminal hooked up to a server
 JS> somewhere that these folks can't screw up, can make few choices and so
You mean like a JavaStation? 
 JS> on. In fact, I'm sure thats the only answer for most in a world of
 JS> complexity and logic. Jack 
I think that's the whole idea of this network PC. Minimal local resources,
the user pays to use the resources of a central system. How crap is that?
Regards,
 - Scott
[ admin@cyberia.asstdc.com.au | www.asstdc.com.au/~cyberia ]
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