Desktop Linux (fwd)

[Jeff Kinz]

Derek, Travis, and Bruce

Mike is obviously going to stand here and say that the slightest
difference means the user is learning "a new application". (And he's
accusing Derek of being pedantic. :-) )

The rest of the world clearly thinks that learning a new
application means a significant amount of knowledge gained and
some significant amount of effort expanded to gain that knowledge.

Also the rest of the world perceives that, as we all contend, 
switching between two identical applications doesn't require any
significant effort or learning.

Mike is never going to accept that position, at least not during this
discussion.  I don't know if this is because of reasons of face or if
he's just having fun with us.

Anyway I think you guys all made your points (better than I did),
and I'm dropping out of this, now clearly non-profitable thread.

I think it got pulled quite far afield from Maddog's original query. and
that's too bad.  He was looking at something pretty important. (as usual)

I can't blame Mike too much.  I've defended some ludicrous
position when I didn't even know how I got there.


On Thu, Feb 26, 2004 at 11:25:11AM -0800, Michael Costolo wrote:
> --- Derek Martin <invalid at pizzashack.org> wrote:
> > That's complete nonsense.
I agree.
> 
> I disagree.
>  
> > learn v. tr.  gain knowledge of or skill in by study, experience, or
> > by being taught.  --OEAD
> > 
> > So, if they have no experience with OO, and spent no time studying or
> > being taught about OO, then they clearly have not learned it.  Q.E.D.
> 
> How pedantic do you want to get here?  Using the definition you provided, if they
> spent an *instant* of time making an observation about a difference in the way the
> two programs function, they they learned.  Is this really where you want to go?  
> 
> > What they learned was Microsoft Office.  
> 
> And if they paid any attention, they learned that Open Office is similar.  Oh my.
But they didn't learn a new application. :-)  (last dig)

-- 
Jeff Kinz, Open-PC, Emergent Research,  Hudson, MA.  
"jkinz at kinz.org" is copyright 2003.  
Use is restricted. Any use is an acceptance of the offer at
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