Re: [LUG] My Own Observations Of Course

["Julian Hall" <linux@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tom Brough" <tombrough@xxxxxxx>
To: <list@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, September 27, 2004 11:48 PM
Subject: Re: [LUG] My Own Observations Of Course


> I find that strange to believe for a country that throws away > 1
> million computers a year and yet has no end of retail outlets pushing
> more and more computers. Perhaps what you mean is that people don't like
> to admit they need a computer, or are unwilling to enter the maze of
> computer ownership because they get treated like idiots when they don't
> know the basics. At least you have presented them with a choice, they
> can no longer say "we bought M****soft because its the only thing we
> knew about".

I think a large part of the problem is that people don't know the whole
range of uses a computer can be put to.  From the new Shuttle style cases
being used in the living room as Entertainment Centres, to Mrs Ordinary
writing an email to her MP, or Mr Usual discussing his stamp collection with
M'sieur Ordinaire etc etc etc.  If a person doesn't have a computer, the
first thing to do is ask them what hobbies and pastimes they have.  Then
show them Usenet or a web browser and stand back as they attack it like a
starved chihuahua on a pork chop.  Even someone whose pastime is Hiking
could use it to buy maps of the area they want to walk in from the Ordinance
Survey website or look up hostels or pubs to stay in along the way.

> I can even stand people who deliberately buy M****soft ( I have to Im
> related to some of them). But what I cant stand is this attitude of sit
> back and let them come to us. Yes ok Neil is right, to do this cost
> money, time and effort and is painful and sometimes un-rewarding but at
> least we can say that we tried. It seems that this group is made up of
> some very skilled programmers and technicians (which is a good thing
> BTW), why is it so hard to find advocates, promoters and ordinary "salt
> of the earth" users ?

The effort required to attract new users depends on the size of the
demographic section targeted.  I know I'm sounding like a stuck record now
:)  However gamers are a HUGE single section.  Get them on board and they
will drag the others along with them.  Akin to one of my favourite lines
from Babylon 5, it will be a case of "The avalanche has already begun, it is
too late for the pebbles to vote".  Therefore in one move you have a large
number of coverts instead of tackling individual localised groups piecemeal.
Then the move is self-sufficient and needs little or no further input.  I'm
going for broke with another quote now ;)  This one from Peter Gabriel
"Biko": "Once the flame begins to catch the wind will blow it higher."

> perhaps one way to change would be to say "heres a list of 101 thinks
> you can check if X goes wrong, rather than pounding the keyboard say
> "here its fixed" and leaving them non the wiser as to how you did it ...
> thus making them reliant on coming back to you when the same problem
> occurs again.

That assumes that the user has any interest in how the problem was fixed.
Although I admit a small minority do want to know, a large majority are of
the "Who cares, it's working again now" fraternity.  The same crowd won't
bother to read the list so painstakingly created.  On the website for the
ISP I work for we have such a list, but the customers choose to pay 50p a
minute to be told verbally what they couldn't take the effort to read for
themselves.

> If we dont advocate protectionism, but we do behave in such a way that
> does not encourage new membership in a pro-active way, and are impatient
> with those that ask the same question more than once, then we might as
> well be protectionists for all the good we are doing !

Perhaps one way to steer clear of that particular reef would be to suggest
that new entrants to the LUG check the archives first before posing their
queries?  Thus they a) get gently prodded into the habit of researching
answers for themselves, b) don't have to wait for the answer and c) don't
run the risk of the inevitable "Um that was answered last week" type of
response.  HERE I must point out that in all my time on this LUG that I have
never encountered C and I congratulate you all on your restraint ;)

Kind regards,

Julian


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