Examination of a Linux Gui, w/color commentary

[Derek Martin]

On Fri, Feb 27, 2004 at 04:54:48PM -0500, Dana S. Tellier wrote:
>     But as for general users, I completely disagree that computer folk
> should have a sort of high-minded "well, I took the time to learn, so should
> you" attitude.  For one thing, that's just plain arrogant.  Secondly, these
> people already have skills in other areas, as Derek so concisely pointed
> out, and they shouldn't have to learn another skill set just to use a tool
> for their job.

I will say this though:  In today's world, the computer is an
essential tool which is used by virtually all job functions for a
variety of tasks.  It has become a basic essential skill.  If we are
not teaching computer skills to our children along with reading,
writing, and math, then that is a failure of our society.

Moreover, I do not expect computer users in businesses to become
computer experts; but this does not excuse them from learning
computer-related skills which are essential to their job.  No business
user should need to know how to configure a printer or configure
network shares to do his or her job; that's what the sysadmins are
for.  But they should learn the basics of manipulating the filesystem,
and whatever skills are relevant to their job.  If working with
spreadsheets is a big part of their job, but they don't know how to
use one, they should learn.  Many users refuse to even do that, which
is IMO just wrong.  If they were my employees, I'd replace them.

Ideally, this should not be the role of the tech support organization.
That's user training, which is different.  The skillset needed to
troubleshoot computer problems is a very different one than that
needed to teach people (anything).  For the techies, communicating
with low level users is quite difficult, because such users typically
don't know the difference between a CD-ROM drive and an ethernet card
(or a cup holder ;) )...  For all intents and purposes, the low-level
user and the techie don't speak the same language.  This is guaranteed
to lead to frustration on both sides.

So, you have a user with a problem, which makes them angry, because it
is preventing them from doing their job (or listening to tunes).  As
often as not, they caused their problem themselves, out of ignorance.
The techies recognize this, and it makes them frustrated and angry,
especially when they need to give a 3-hour training session that
they're quite possibly not equipt to give, to a user who doesn't even
know what the basic components of their computer system are,  just so
they can get around to the 30-second explanation of the problem that
the user caused themselves.

How can this situation NOT lead to ill will?  

As for the comment about tech support jokes, I like them; they help
relieve tension.  BUT, we must also remember that the people we're
making jokes about are real people, with problems that we're being
paid to solve for them.  This is where a lot of us go wrong...

-- 
Derek D. Martin
http://www.pizzashack.org/
GPG Key ID: 0xDFBEAD02
-=-=-=-=-
This message is posted from an invalid address.
Replying to it will result in undeliverable mail.
Sorry for the inconvenience.  Thank the spammers.

-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 189 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/private/gnhlug-discuss/attachments/20040228/0359b259/attachment.bin