I did read it - all of it - before I posted. Despite the exasperated comments, which would be found in any large piece of software, the writer praises the developers.
By this point, I think every IE6 user who wants to upgrade and is able to has done so.
There are two reasons why they might not be able to: they are still running Windows 2000 and/or they are in a corporate environment with locked down software. In either case, they will only change if their IT managers allow a switch to Firefox/Chrome (or Opera/Safari, but how likely is that?). These people should be the target of the ongoing campaign against IE6. It seems the security message has not been enough to sway them. But if enough sites only offer a degraded experience for IE6 and say so on the site pressure from users will eventually force a change of policy
I dream of the day every website gets only 10% IE6 traffic. But if this graph is at all accurate (I'm skeptical), it may happen this year.
But we're over the "hump"; now there needs to be a general push among developers to refuse to support IE6, or at least put it in the 'graceful degradation' category with a notice on the site - easy to add using conditional comments - that the user is getting a below-par experience.
Actually, I do think Windows is a bit better in terms of usability than Ubuntu, though it's hard to know for sure as I am a born tinkerer and have been tinkering with Windows for a decade. In many ways OS X has usability licked, but IMO at the expense of power users - I have just started working in a mac shop and find that many things I take for granted on Windows simply do not exist in OS X (the most perverse example would be the inability to resize windows by dragging any edge; in OS X you have just the bottom right corner, which of course may not even be on the screen).
But I think the dream of 'it just works' is part of the problem: computers are complex beasties and while it's great that so many people are using them, inevitably everyone will at some time or another encounter a problem without an obvious solution. At this point, they will either fiddle around, search forums, etc until they solve it - and learn a bit more about their system in the process - or throw up their hands in horror (and get on the phone to someone in the first category). These people - like the woman in TFA - will never learn to fix their own problems so inevitably their fear of computers gets compounded.
One could reasonably ask "why should she learn a whole system, all she wants to do is a bit of reading and writing?" To which I suppose the answer might be: a general purpose computer is overkill for her needs - a dumb terminal would be a better fit. But that's not the culture we're in.
Personally I like the fact that everyman has this amazing tool at their disposal, and in a generation or two these problems are going to go away because everyone will be completely comfortable with computer systems.
Hm, interesting that who of you had the same thought. Logically, though, if my friends were idiots (and I'm not saying they're not), they would be right at home on an idiot-friendly OS. Would it be an insult to Windows to call it a smart person-friendly OS?
I sympathise, but... new laptop? Good luck with the drivers.
I thought I was going to have to do the same, but in stark contrast to my last laptop, I haven't had any performance issues. 1.83GHz Core Duo and 3GB of RAM, in case you were wondering.
Actually, although having to buy plugins was a bit of a swizz, the main problem with the Archos is frequent crashing and occasional unresponsiveness.
I agree with what you say about the screen - wouldn't want a bigger one on a handheld device, particularly as I mainly use it as an MP3 player. But the Touch is a solid state device - that means no moving parts to go wrong, more resilient if dropped, lighter and - most importantly of all - longer battery life.
I understand the motivation behind Apple's lock-in mentality, and annoyingly it's working for them. I doubt they're bothered that it's preventing a few of us more clueful people from buying their products.
Indeed. Has it been decreed somewhere that your music collection mustn't exceed a certain size?
I have an Archos 605 Wifi which has all the storage (160GB) and interoperability I require (it plays AVIs for example) but the firmware is pretty ropey. I would consider an iPod Touch for its replacement, despite the lock-in, if it could hold all my MP3s. I really hoped, when I saw "Larger iPod Touch" in the headline, that we were going to see something with the same form factor as the current Touch with, let's say, 128GB? A solid state device that can - currently - hold all my music? That would get my attention. But this..? I already have a very nice laptop.
I'm glad she didn't use the regular $85 toilet paper. But outside of paper-folding experiments, who actually uses this? Does it really feel so much better?
You misunderstand what this and the "extreme pornography" legislation are designed to achieve: get people used to the idea that the state should control what they see and read online. No outcry: mission accomplished. And no, setting up a facebook group doesn't count.
I had to scan the whole page before I found that button, which of course is starting you in the face in the middle of the page. I just thought it was a logo.
Slashdot Mirror
I did read it - all of it - before I posted. Despite the exasperated comments, which would be found in any large piece of software, the writer praises the developers.
Oddly enough, nobody did when some of their W2k code was leaked.
By this point, I think every IE6 user who wants to upgrade and is able to has done so.
There are two reasons why they might not be able to: they are still running Windows 2000 and/or they are in a corporate environment with locked down software. In either case, they will only change if their IT managers allow a switch to Firefox/Chrome (or Opera/Safari, but how likely is that?). These people should be the target of the ongoing campaign against IE6. It seems the security message has not been enough to sway them. But if enough sites only offer a degraded experience for IE6 and say so on the site pressure from users will eventually force a change of policy
No. IE7 fixed that.
I dream of the day every website gets only 10% IE6 traffic. But if this graph is at all accurate (I'm skeptical), it may happen this year.
But we're over the "hump"; now there needs to be a general push among developers to refuse to support IE6, or at least put it in the 'graceful degradation' category with a notice on the site - easy to add using conditional comments - that the user is getting a below-par experience.
I also really dig that I can run KDE (including Plasma) on Windows.
I had severe doubts about your sanity when I read that, but it turns out you're right! I have to try that...
Nice idea, but let's try it on an asteroid that's heading somewhere interesting, rather than one that's in the same orbit as the Earth.
Actually, I do think Windows is a bit better in terms of usability than Ubuntu, though it's hard to know for sure as I am a born tinkerer and have been tinkering with Windows for a decade. In many ways OS X has usability licked, but IMO at the expense of power users - I have just started working in a mac shop and find that many things I take for granted on Windows simply do not exist in OS X (the most perverse example would be the inability to resize windows by dragging any edge; in OS X you have just the bottom right corner, which of course may not even be on the screen).
But I think the dream of 'it just works' is part of the problem: computers are complex beasties and while it's great that so many people are using them, inevitably everyone will at some time or another encounter a problem without an obvious solution. At this point, they will either fiddle around, search forums, etc until they solve it - and learn a bit more about their system in the process - or throw up their hands in horror (and get on the phone to someone in the first category). These people - like the woman in TFA - will never learn to fix their own problems so inevitably their fear of computers gets compounded.
One could reasonably ask "why should she learn a whole system, all she wants to do is a bit of reading and writing?" To which I suppose the answer might be: a general purpose computer is overkill for her needs - a dumb terminal would be a better fit. But that's not the culture we're in.
Personally I like the fact that everyman has this amazing tool at their disposal, and in a generation or two these problems are going to go away because everyone will be completely comfortable with computer systems.
Hm, interesting that who of you had the same thought. Logically, though, if my friends were idiots (and I'm not saying they're not), they would be right at home on an idiot-friendly OS. Would it be an insult to Windows to call it a smart person-friendly OS?
Although it's much better than it was even a few years ago, it's still not an idiot-friendly OS where things 'just work'
Judging by the number of support calls I get from friends, nor is Windows.
So there is! Thank you.
For me it's the gmail notifier, which I miss now I am using iChat on OS X.
Actually, if we get far enough away, we'll get a better view of the whole thing.
I sympathise, but... new laptop? Good luck with the drivers.
I thought I was going to have to do the same, but in stark contrast to my last laptop, I haven't had any performance issues. 1.83GHz Core Duo and 3GB of RAM, in case you were wondering.
It was for just that reason that I had my computer excommunicated.
I find my Vista laptop with SP2 pre-beta generally a lot more stable. May be worth a shot..?
Actually, although having to buy plugins was a bit of a swizz, the main problem with the Archos is frequent crashing and occasional unresponsiveness.
I agree with what you say about the screen - wouldn't want a bigger one on a handheld device, particularly as I mainly use it as an MP3 player. But the Touch is a solid state device - that means no moving parts to go wrong, more resilient if dropped, lighter and - most importantly of all - longer battery life.
I understand the motivation behind Apple's lock-in mentality, and annoyingly it's working for them. I doubt they're bothered that it's preventing a few of us more clueful people from buying their products.
Silly. Black is the new white.
Indeed. Has it been decreed somewhere that your music collection mustn't exceed a certain size?
I have an Archos 605 Wifi which has all the storage (160GB) and interoperability I require (it plays AVIs for example) but the firmware is pretty ropey. I would consider an iPod Touch for its replacement, despite the lock-in, if it could hold all my MP3s. I really hoped, when I saw "Larger iPod Touch" in the headline, that we were going to see something with the same form factor as the current Touch with, let's say, 128GB? A solid state device that can - currently - hold all my music? That would get my attention. But this..? I already have a very nice laptop.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4786351a1860.html
Discussed on Slasdot:http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/12/08/1515211
First time a moderation has caused me to laugh out loud. "Informative"! You rock.
The Incredibles made up half a dozen new superheroes and they all seemed familiar even so.
You do get that that film was a parody, don't you?
"A special kind of $85 toilet paper"
I'm glad she didn't use the regular $85 toilet paper. But outside of paper-folding experiments, who actually uses this? Does it really feel so much better?
You misunderstand what this and the "extreme pornography" legislation are designed to achieve: get people used to the idea that the state should control what they see and read online. No outcry: mission accomplished. And no, setting up a facebook group doesn't count.
I had to scan the whole page before I found that button, which of course is starting you in the face in the middle of the page. I just thought it was a logo.