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Jan. 3, 2005 So I put together a computer for my sister-in-law and brother over the Christmas holidays and I realized how far and user friendly putting together computers have come. I still remember many moons ago when I would try and figure out what plugged into where (with the computer illiteracy I had at the time, it didn’t really help the situation) and crossing my fingers in hope that the computer would turn on. At that time, there were no color coordination of matching pieces to fit plugs and parts into their proper connections. Now even the most computer illiterate of them all can do the job—as long as they’re not color blind. But it still scares people in this computer illiterate group—this deadly deed of piecing a computer together. Can we wonder, then, whether computer manufacturers have gone far enough to make this task user-friendly? Do they really have to make it user friendly? One side is that people who are computer illiterate can get around this whole situation; that’s where I come in and my husband who’s the ADSL whiz. We seem to bypass this need for my side of the family. The other side is that people who don’t have the luck I’ve mentioned previously and need more handholding—those are the ones that need the extra attention. I won’t talk about the in-betweens because they fall within the computer-manufacturers’ “average user” pile. Let’s look at the ones that are statistical outliers. I saw a nice 11” x 17” piece of paper with a bunch of diagrams and illustrations which showed the user the steps they needed to do in order to put the computer together. That’s wonderful, but still daunting to new users with no experience. That’s my understanding of the people I’ve had to put these computers together for, time and time again. Maybe the new user needs something more interactive, like a DVD or video showing them physically piece everything together. I’ve even had that mentioned to me a couple of times by users that they would have an easier time watching someone else physically doing the piecing together, because they are a “doer” instead of a “reader and then do”. What I also know is that this instruction sheet that I saw was so physically daunting for my sister-in-law that she didn’t want to even look at it. Maybe tasks such as these, for other people, have to be visually directed for the instructions to be useful. Sure, you’ll say, but some people will think it a pain to go watch the video or DVD, and I say, sure, you are correct, just like some people would rather throw away the instruction sheet, and get someone else to put it together, and never learn anything. Those are the people whom computer technicians love so that they can be called in again and again at and charge them through the nose for their service fees. There are always more points than an article can really cover, and I’m sure that throughout my future articles, I will touch on these outstanding points. Yes, and adding a DVD or video into the shipping box of the computer adds a cost to the product, though minor, but if Black and Decker can do it for their bread maker, I’m sure that a computer manufacturer can spare the few cents for the video or DVD also just to make life easier for the end user. So as we begin this New Year 2005, think of the poor souls that just purchased or received a new computer over the Christmas holidays, and have to read the dreaded instruction sheet. Yes, some of them will, some of them won’t, some will get it without the instruction sheet, and some will just give up and call the computer doctor. Happy New Year to you all and till next time. ------------ About the author: Barbara has been writing short stories for the enjoyment of friends and family for years. In the Collection she has decided to share some of these stories and insights with others. Barbara lives in Calgary, Alberta and enjoys writing, reading and tending to her other field: accounting. Website: http://www.authorsden.com/barbaraannamarjanovic Email: blueswan28@yahoo.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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