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The BBC has an article about how technical jargon confuses people. I didn't give it much thought until I was bored and read the Slashdot commentary. There are a lot of good points either way and it got me thinking.
So, the question is: is it right to expect people to learn technical details? My natural instinct is to say yes, but I have trouble defending that position to myself.
On one hand, I have no trouble saying that if you use a highly technical device without knowing about it, you deserve no sympathy when things go wrong. On the other hand, I certainly don't know that much about cars, yet I drive (more than I would like to) and occasionally put myself in situations where a car failure would be an extremely inconvenient and/or dangerous situation.
I think most of the problems come from the disparity between the reality of computers and how they are marketed. They are not appliances. They are not as simple to use as a toaster, or a sewing machine, or a car. Second only to other people, they are the most complicated, varied, mutable things you will ever deal with. When people find out that they're not a magical appliance but instead an amazingly complicated, amazingly powerful tool they get all huffy about it. This is what really incurs my scorn, because I just can't fathom this response. You're handed the freaking universe on a titanium platter, and you're whining about having to do some work to learn how to use it? Boo fucking hoo.
Thoughts? Am I an hypocritical, elitist technocrat, or am I just surrounded by drones who should stick to throwing beer cans at their TV?
So, the question is: is it right to expect people to learn technical details? My natural instinct is to say yes, but I have trouble defending that position to myself.
On one hand, I have no trouble saying that if you use a highly technical device without knowing about it, you deserve no sympathy when things go wrong. On the other hand, I certainly don't know that much about cars, yet I drive (more than I would like to) and occasionally put myself in situations where a car failure would be an extremely inconvenient and/or dangerous situation.
I think most of the problems come from the disparity between the reality of computers and how they are marketed. They are not appliances. They are not as simple to use as a toaster, or a sewing machine, or a car. Second only to other people, they are the most complicated, varied, mutable things you will ever deal with. When people find out that they're not a magical appliance but instead an amazingly complicated, amazingly powerful tool they get all huffy about it. This is what really incurs my scorn, because I just can't fathom this response. You're handed the freaking universe on a titanium platter, and you're whining about having to do some work to learn how to use it? Boo fucking hoo.
Thoughts? Am I an hypocritical, elitist technocrat, or am I just surrounded by drones who should stick to throwing beer cans at their TV?
no subject
If you want an appliance, buy a webtv.