CompuServe Messages

Bill: >>Maybe the "Butterfly Effect" *IS* true; my Config.sys file certainly proves that.<< God, but I _do_ love physics humor. There're so few good non-linear dynamics jokes going around these days! <g> I grew up in mainframes, managed mainframe and large mini installations and was overjoyed when Apples and pc's became available. I used to spend many an enjoyable week trying to get from the on/off switch to a real application. A few years ago, I realized I was spending much more time figuring how to use the tool, than using the tool to do work. I had put off dealing with Mac for a long time because I had bought into the idea that it was merely a toy. The old Puritan idea of "if it ain't hard, it can't be worth doing." The most systems work I have done since about 1989 is installing a DA into the system file, or a font. I just don't think all that much about computing per se, I spend my time writing, publishing and doing things I (try to) get paid for. My experience in working with users, clients, trainees et al, is that is what most people are really looking for. It's this orientation that makes me such a pain to CDROM software developers. I keep trying to get them to focus on the content and the purpose of the disc, rather than complex searching schemes and other typical software stuff. I am convinced that ease of use of both systems and application/productions is the next great frontier of computing, rather than speeds of processors, advanced memory usage and all the rest. It keeps sticking in my head that about 67% of Americans don't even _use_ a computer today. We'll fix this problem once the computer itself slips below the threshold of consciousness. End of sermon. Best — Rich Bowers