HELP WINDOWS XP

[Bart Silverstrim]

Doug Pollard wrote:
> Chris Jeffries wrote:
>> I suspect many of us are like those early pioneers. The computer
>> fascinates us. We want to add new bits to it, we want to study how it
>> works and we want to work on the computer rather than the problem. 
>>
>> Most of the population is not like us. They don't work on the computer,
>> they work on research, or a letter, or a budget, or listen to music or
>> watch a film. The fact they use a computer to do it is incidental. As
>> far as possible, the computer should be invisible to them. It is only a
>> tool.
>>
>> And in reply to those who say an approachable system should just be a
>> starting point, I would just say --- I drive a car. I don't take it
>> apart every weekend and enjoy examining the engine, and however long I
>> own and drive it, I am never going to want to. 
>>
>>
>>
>>   
>     I laughed out loud when I read your post. You must know me as you 
> were talking about me. I do some video and rent them out to yacht clubs 
> for viewing. Really really small time! I am an amateur but apparently 
> have a knack  for doing this.  I have to keep reminding myself that I 
> need to use the computers as a tool only. I keep getting the cart before 
> the horse. 

Very true. It also won't take long for the car metaphor to start 
becoming the argument itself soon...but I would point out this:
Ignitions, injectors, etc. the average user doesn't want to deal with 
knowing about, and grudgingly pays a mechanic to deal with instead. 
However, they do need to know the details of operating the 
highbeam/lowbeam, AC system, wipers, and increasingly complex features 
(lockouts for windows, GPS, bluetooth) of their cars and the skills they 
are often illegally using (cellphones with or without handsfree while 
driving).

Knowing enough about the filesystem to know the answer to, "Where did 
you save the file?", and, "Did you save a backup somewhere?" should not 
be outside your skill level when using the computer as it is a situation 
  an average user will run into.

I think this is a key difference between people who place a heavier 
emphasis on personal responsibility vs. people who want the appliance 
mentality for users. This is my opinion, but I also think that the 
appliance mentality encourages people to rely on others and enforces a 
sense of learned helplessness. There are things they shouldn't need to 
know about "under the hood", like the machinations behind multitasking 
or 32 bit vs. 64 bit or even how boot loaders work. I'm simply raising 
certain items like knowing where you're placing your created files to a 
level of knowing how to work your car stereo in relation to the car 
metaphor. Without defining these distinctions you're going to keep 
having disagreement on the subject...

>     I think 99 percent of those that fail to stay with Linux is do to 
> trying to use the terminal to fix a problem or make a change. 
>     I think for the most part installation is not the problem. Now I 
> will go read your tutorial.                                             

In my experiences most of the people who "fail" using Linux are people 
who continue to complain that it isn't like Windows or isn't like Amiga 
or wasn't like MacOS...they want a better Windows than Windows rather 
than learn a new paradigm and it trips them up.

You have to be careful with what people say versus what they mean, which 
is extremely frustrating for those of us with Asberger's symptoms. It 
doesn't take long when working with users to figure out how many of them 
will ask for help with something when in reality they just want you to 
do the task for them, as you'll eventually see a remarkably similar 
trouble ticket come your way from the same person later on.

In essence...the "tech guy" is part of the computer package meant to get 
some set of tasks done, similar to the mechanic is automatically what 
comes to mind for the average driver when "maintenance time" comes 
around for changing sparkplugs or oil (although to be fair, there are 
now cars where it's almost required that you take it to a mechanic to 
change sparkplugs. I don't know if it changed but I believe the Kia 
Sedona needs half the engine disassembled to get to the plugs...ARGH!) 
although the tech guy is in a position where he doesn't get directly 
paid for the services in many cases (think support department in a 
company) compared to a mechanic's relationship to his or her customer.