Most don't care. Try asking them if they know what is "Internet Explorer" - you'll get a blank stare.
"Oh you mean that thing you use to go on the web? Oh yeah I have one, I use it every day."
You know, the same things can be said about fanatical Mac/Linux criers versus Windows lemmings. You never meet people as excited and willing to "spread" Windows as you do those who wish to do the same with the Mac or Linux. Surely the significance of this is not lost on anyone here.
Yes, and lemmings who don't know and don't care. >>32 speaks the truth. Most of the people I meet in IRL give me a blank stare even if I start talking about Windows. They have "XP" or "98" at home. They've apparently never heard of "Windows". I imagine it's pretty hard to be vocal about something you don't know exists.
What bugs me is that they are content to remain ignorant. Complain complain complain about viruses, slowdowns and crashes, but they'll be damned if they care enough to spend 5 minutes installing something that'll get everything working the way it should.
I realy have never met any one that didn't know what windows was, so you are either exagerating or you need to find some smater people to hang around with.
and the IE users I have noticed don't even know what the internet realy is, sadly when I tell my mom to switch from firefox to IE she resoponds "but IE is the internet, I won't be able to use the internet anymore" then refusing to listen to me when I try to explain it
>>38
>>37 is not exaggerating. Take a job or internship at your local ISP or computer repair shop. Too many people think they have things no one's ever heard of, or think they don't have things they clearly must. They have "the desktop," "the Internet," and "the email;" heaven forbid they should have Windows, Internet Explorer, and Outlook Express. And quite naturally, those are to a great extent the only ones who have problems bonkers enough to drive tech support to the funny farm. Please pardon me now, I just got off work at my ISP and have to pay a visit to Dr. Scratchansniff. (BTW, "but IE is the Internet" is right on.)
For two years in college, I helped supervise the on-campus computer labs, and I too attest that >>37 and >>32 speak the truth.
>>41: I won't retract it. To willfully chose Windows over the alternatives is lunacy. It's lunacy that 95% of the population keeps repeating over and over, but it's lunacy just the same.
Lunacy is such a harsh word. Less polemics plz.
For most people a computer is only a tool. They don't care as long as it works (and this is the way it should be). As such, three problems face us: first, they're not going to install their own OS. Second, they want a familiar interface. Third, they want off-the-shelf software (and whatever legacy as well) to run.
Geeks can jerk off to the apparent superiority of the software they use, but that only indicates their method of evaluation is different. The others aren't wrong, they simply have other priorities. E.g.: how much do you know about the law?
As for ignorance? Well, computers aren't their domain, just like cars aren't mine. How many people replace their carburators? How many people care? Is it relevant to them? And what exactly keeps car mechanics employed?
>Second, they want a familiar interface. Third, they want off-the-shelf software (and whatever legacy as well) to run.
Those points lead into a situation where many people only upgrade their software when it's crammed down their throats by a hardware upgrade (OS, CD burning apps, DVD movie players, etc.) or a service bundle (switching ISPs, repair shop technician getting liberal, etc.). They'll put up with changes in interface and perceived backward incompatibility only because they think there's no choice.
There is no such thing as an upgrade that isn't both crippling and terrifying. That being the case, their suffering might as well result in a change for the better, not a change for the worse--or worse yet, no real change at all. The companies and people responsible for cramming upgrades down the throats of the ignorant masses don't appear to subscribe to this logic.
> or worse yet, no real change at all.
That's some strange reasoning you have there.
> don't appear to subscribe to this logic
What logic?
> upgrade that isn't both crippling and terrifying
Yes, but some upgrades are worse than others.
That said, I read though >>49 three times, and I'm still not certain what you're trying to say. Could you summarize it in one sentence?
>Could you summarize it in one sentence?
"If people are only going to learn something new when they're forced to do it, then what they're learning might as well be worth their while." How's that?
>>or worse yet, no real change at all.
>That's some strange reasoning you have there.
Rebranding, minor reorganisation of UI elements (such as Firefox's preferences menu being under Tools instead of Edit on Windows), inconsistent terminology between versions ("directory" versus "folder"), that kind of thing.