What Should People Understand About Computers?

counterexample asks: "It seems to me that there aren't very many good books out there that explain to the layman what is really going on with computers. My mother cannot go to the bookstore and pick up a book that will make her understand the strange language that we IT people speak, or why her computer would be susceptible to a virus. So, I intend to write such a book. I have a fair idea of what should be in it (history of the Internet, how computers talk to each other, what a hard drive does, etc.), but I'm interested to see what you all have to say. What do you wish your users knew? What kind of questions are you so sick of answering because you hear them every week? What does the general public think they understand, but really don't?"

Comments

forget it

[cobbaut]

People should know nothing about computers,
just like most know nothing about a phone/TV/car/radio/battery etc...

The computer should work and be secure by design.

But i do admire the intend to write a book for 'the people'.
(Make sure they know that a virus is just another application,
written in a programminglanguage by a real person.)

cheers,
pol :)

Re:More like where do you draw the line?

[prgrmr]

Like you said, people aren't dumb and they're naturally inquisitive.

Where is this planet, and how do I get there?

Many people I deal with are not only as dumb as a box of rocks, they have no patience and no willingness to listen to anyone who even remotely sounds like they know what they are talking about unless the instruction list for getting from broken to back browsing is three steps or less.

Most people want what they want when they want it, and don't give a damn about anything or anyone else.