Convince me...

[bogan]

Most of the time the problem really is PEBKAC.

Which most of the time is a symptom of bad software, bad design, or bad install/setup.

[SMOKEU]

Which most of the time is a symptom of bad software, bad design, or bad install/setup.

The number of people I've seen who can't even open a web browser and do a Google search or do a simple virus scan suggests that many people are just plain old incompetent with these things, particularly older people (although I have met quite a few older people who are really onto it with these things). There's only a certain amount that software can be "dumbed down" to before it loses all functionality. People are also getting so lazy and stupid that they need third party software just to copy pictures from a camera onto their hard drive. Just look at the Trademe message boards in the computing section.

[bogan]

The number of people I've seen who can't even open a web browser and do a Google search or do a simple virus scan suggests that many people are just plain old incompetent with these things, particularly older people (although I have met quite a few older people who are really onto it with these things). There's only a certain amount that software can be "dumbed down" to before it loses all functionality. People are also getting so lazy and stupid that they need third party software just to copy pictures from a camera onto their hard drive. Just look at the Trademe message boards in the computing section.

I'm not talking about people who don't know how to use a computer, obviously there need to be some base knowledge. But a lot of software is nowhere near as intuitive to use or setup as it should be. Getting compatibility between devices is often a difficult task, which it shouldn't be. Sure in both cases IT guys can suss it out easily and call it PEBKAC, but ultimately it is a problem that only exists because others half-assed the job.

I use third party software for the above, I just don't see any point repeating the same task every time I take some pictures when the computer can do it for me; isn't half the point of computers to make things easier?

[Brian d marge]

I can tell you from a design point of view if you have to think about its use the design is wrong ,,period ( just think of a pencil , all ok until you have to sharpen it , the one fundamental flaw in a pencil )

Stephen