I'd agree, this is a potential huge problem.
The reason that I say potential is this: I'm not sure that I'm qualified to judge this. I find the command line to be the most usable, reliable way to do things with my computer. I'm the kinda guy who types 'firefox &' into an xterm, downloads something, then types 'mv ~/Desktop/whatever ~/Documents/whatever'. Yakuake is amazing.
But that's the problem. I personally consider Mac OS X to be quite usable. I've been using Macs since the Plus, and I've used a ][ before. I conisder Windows to be reasonably useable, but I've been using it since 3.1.1. I find Linux to be extremely usable, but I've been using that for years, as well.
So how can I judge what is correct? I'm tainted from what is truely usable by all of the learning I've been doing. And that's the root of the problem. My generation (I'm almost 21, to give you frame of reference) has grown up with all of this stuff, and even if it's not truely usable, we're used to it. We can use it anyway. So we keep making more bad interfaces from the shitty ones we're used to.
How do we get around this? Once all of the GUI designers have grown up using computers, and don't know what it's like to not use one, how do we get that perspective? I'm sure there are some people who will rarely use computers in the future, but they won't get jobs as GUI designers.
I'm not sure what the answer is to this problem.
Every computer still needs an operating system. Microsoft has huge amounts of mindshare and vendor lock-in going on with plenty of companies, and that's where the real money is.
See, that's the problem with the previous generation: they wanted to look things up in books. I don't trust 'em. I look things up in my gut. My gut tells me that Wikipedia is right; I don't need some book-y encyclopedia like Britannica to give me facts to interfere with the truth.
I know that I personally handed out about 50 Ubuntu CDs with a small printed 'newbie's guide' that my club and I made up at the freshman activities fair last week. 50 is only a teeny tiny portion of the total students, but that's a possible 50 more on 'our' side.
I wasn't too pumped when I first heard about Ubuntu, but now I love it. I've used it (well, Kubuntu, tecnhically) to get two people to wipe thier HDs and run only Linux on thier computers. After two days, one of them's never using a Microsoft product again.
The only time I find myself having a hard time using chopsticks is when everyone at the table grabs the one on thier right, and I can't get a hold of a second one...
It's all speculation and personal experiences, but I have a friend who won't buy any non-iPod mp3 player because when his new iPod Video broke, they took about 15 minutes to wait on him at the genius bar, 15 minutes of analyzing it, and then said, "This one's fucked. Go grab a new one off the shelf, have a nice day." The second one's worked perfectly ever since.
quashing any previous hang-ups I almost certainly had about the people who played Warhammer
Hangups? What, people who play Warhammer are too nerdy for the slashdot crowd?
Yeah, I play 4 different GW games, I'm sure that they will be much better than any Warhammer computer game, at least until Age of Reckoning comes out...
To answer you and the person above you, my girlfriend can do what she wants. I sat down for my own reasons, and she could have gone in with the others (they're her friends too...), but she wanted to both razz me about not going in, as well as talk about something else that doesn't pertain to this discussion.
I don't go inside because I hate dealing with the 'associates.' Maybe it's just my local Best Buy, but even when I say, "no thanks, I'm just looking" they follow me around and harass me. For some reason, it bothers the hell out of me.
I understand that they don't have the right to, but the fact that they make the attempt makes me want to take my dollar somewhere else. There's nothing there that I can't get elsewhere.
well, thats just how it is nowadays, you'll be back.
What's sad is how true this is nowadays. I'm 20, and so is my girlfriend. After getting shitty service at Best Buy, (and getting my bags searched every time I leave the place) I said, "This is enough. I'm never going back." And I haven't. If my friends want to get something there, I sit on the curb until they're done. Fuck Best Buy.
Anyway, my point: The other day I was sitting on said curb with my girlfriend while my friends went inside. She says, "I don't understand why you can't just even go inside. I'm done trying to figure you out." I replied, "What's so hard to figure out about not shopping at a place that sucks? Good companies get my dollar. Bad ones don't. That's how this is supposed to work." and she says, "Why do you have to be so political all the time?"
I'd like to think that most of America is like myself, and not like my girlfriend, but I have the feeling that most of my generation are idiots.
Check out Warhammer: Age of Reckoning. Mythic is making this game, it's going to be another realm vs realm game, where you can complete the game either entirely PvP or PvE.
For the millionth time, you do get free updates from Apple. 10.4 is a completely different OS than 10.3. You get the 10.x.y updates for free, which are the equivalent of Service Packs.
Oh, and Windows XP is just Windows NT 5.1, so Microsoft does that too. They just don't make it as obvious.
Slashdot Mirror
I'd agree, this is a potential huge problem. The reason that I say potential is this: I'm not sure that I'm qualified to judge this. I find the command line to be the most usable, reliable way to do things with my computer. I'm the kinda guy who types 'firefox &' into an xterm, downloads something, then types 'mv ~/Desktop/whatever ~/Documents/whatever'. Yakuake is amazing. But that's the problem. I personally consider Mac OS X to be quite usable. I've been using Macs since the Plus, and I've used a ][ before. I conisder Windows to be reasonably useable, but I've been using it since 3.1.1. I find Linux to be extremely usable, but I've been using that for years, as well. So how can I judge what is correct? I'm tainted from what is truely usable by all of the learning I've been doing. And that's the root of the problem. My generation (I'm almost 21, to give you frame of reference) has grown up with all of this stuff, and even if it's not truely usable, we're used to it. We can use it anyway. So we keep making more bad interfaces from the shitty ones we're used to. How do we get around this? Once all of the GUI designers have grown up using computers, and don't know what it's like to not use one, how do we get that perspective? I'm sure there are some people who will rarely use computers in the future, but they won't get jobs as GUI designers. I'm not sure what the answer is to this problem.
I use control + w, myself...both Windows and Linux.
Your company is one of the few that has made open source into a legitimate business model. What has made you succeed where others have failed?
Children can buy or own the game. Game ratings are a reccomendation, not enforced by law.
Mod parent up. This is exactly what I want out of a browser. Make it secure, make it 100% compliant, and then work on speed.
Yeah, pick two, I know...
Every computer still needs an operating system. Microsoft has huge amounts of mindshare and vendor lock-in going on with plenty of companies, and that's where the real money is.
And I was using Desk Accessories even before that.
(almost) Every idea works off of previous ones.
I personally just need to hear two words: Adult Swim.
See, that's the problem with the previous generation: they wanted to look things up in books. I don't trust 'em. I look things up in my gut. My gut tells me that Wikipedia is right; I don't need some book-y encyclopedia like Britannica to give me facts to interfere with the truth.
Answer: Star Wars LEGOs.
They're even in the same universe...
Now if we could figure out how the two are related...
I know that I personally handed out about 50 Ubuntu CDs with a small printed 'newbie's guide' that my club and I made up at the freshman activities fair last week. 50 is only a teeny tiny portion of the total students, but that's a possible 50 more on 'our' side.
I wasn't too pumped when I first heard about Ubuntu, but now I love it. I've used it (well, Kubuntu, tecnhically) to get two people to wipe thier HDs and run only Linux on thier computers. After two days, one of them's never using a Microsoft product again.
http://www.warhammeronline.com/english/home/index. php
The only time I find myself having a hard time using chopsticks is when everyone at the table grabs the one on thier right, and I can't get a hold of a second one...
It's all speculation and personal experiences, but I have a friend who won't buy any non-iPod mp3 player because when his new iPod Video broke, they took about 15 minutes to wait on him at the genius bar, 15 minutes of analyzing it, and then said, "This one's fucked. Go grab a new one off the shelf, have a nice day." The second one's worked perfectly ever since.
Nope, it's a voluntary system, just like video games.
Same thing for spray paint...
Hangups? What, people who play Warhammer are too nerdy for the slashdot crowd?
Yeah, I play 4 different GW games, I'm sure that they will be much better than any Warhammer computer game, at least until Age of Reckoning comes out...
To answer you and the person above you, my girlfriend can do what she wants. I sat down for my own reasons, and she could have gone in with the others (they're her friends too...), but she wanted to both razz me about not going in, as well as talk about something else that doesn't pertain to this discussion.
I don't go inside because I hate dealing with the 'associates.' Maybe it's just my local Best Buy, but even when I say, "no thanks, I'm just looking" they follow me around and harass me. For some reason, it bothers the hell out of me.
Just to clarify, I'm not leading protests against Best Buy or anything. I just take my dollars elsewhere when I have to buy a movie or television.
I understand that they don't have the right to, but the fact that they make the attempt makes me want to take my dollar somewhere else. There's nothing there that I can't get elsewhere.
I was waiting for this reply. :).
Yeah, I did, and when it comes to things like this, she is. Doesn't mean I don't love her, because everyone has their faults...
And no, she doesn't read slashdot.
What's sad is how true this is nowadays. I'm 20, and so is my girlfriend. After getting shitty service at Best Buy, (and getting my bags searched every time I leave the place) I said, "This is enough. I'm never going back." And I haven't. If my friends want to get something there, I sit on the curb until they're done. Fuck Best Buy.
Anyway, my point: The other day I was sitting on said curb with my girlfriend while my friends went inside. She says, "I don't understand why you can't just even go inside. I'm done trying to figure you out." I replied, "What's so hard to figure out about not shopping at a place that sucks? Good companies get my dollar. Bad ones don't. That's how this is supposed to work." and she says, "Why do you have to be so political all the time?"
I'd like to think that most of America is like myself, and not like my girlfriend, but I have the feeling that most of my generation are idiots.
Check out Warhammer: Age of Reckoning. Mythic is making this game, it's going to be another realm vs realm game, where you can complete the game either entirely PvP or PvE.
For the millionth time, you do get free updates from Apple. 10.4 is a completely different OS than 10.3. You get the 10.x.y updates for free, which are the equivalent of Service Packs.
Oh, and Windows XP is just Windows NT 5.1, so Microsoft does that too. They just don't make it as obvious.