From: Anders Sandberg (asa@nada.kth.se)
Date: Mon Oct 21 2002 - 13:02:07 MDT
On Mon, Oct 21, 2002 at 12:36:57PM -0400, Artillo5@cs.com wrote:
>
> I don't know about the rest of you, but I would LOVE a computer that acts
> just like a toaster. That is, it does it's job as soon as it's switched on,
> no waiting for boot-up etc. I think that upgrading computers should be as
> easy as plugging in a new "card", cassette or whatever (Atari 2600 anyone?
> LOL). Users should NEVER have to open a case, configure software, or "plug &
> pray". I just don't understand why hardware/software developers insist on
> making things difficult for the end user. I want my PC to be as easy to use
> as any other appliance or power tool out there. I spend inordinate amounts of
> time cleaning up my PC, configuring, re-configuring etc. If they could
> improve that part of the process and make everything a seamless whole, then I
> would be a much happier camper!
I think the fundamental problem is that the computer has a far more
complex function than a toaster or a car. It is a general purpose
information transmission, storage and processing machine, and hence it
needs a lot of degrees of freedom.
That is of course no excuse for making interfaces confusing or too
complicated. If you don't need the general purpose part the computer can
(and should?) be "dumbed down" to only run the relevant programs and act
within a convenient behavioral space. This is not unlike many existing
systems for office work.
-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Anders Sandberg Towards Ascension! asa@nada.kth.se http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/ GCS/M/S/O d++ -p+ c++++ !l u+ e++ m++ s+/+ n--- h+/* f+ g+ w++ t+ r+ !y
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