Is Windows just TOO easy ?

[polm]

I have been a computer geek for as long as I can remember. When I was little I used to dismantle anyhting electronic and try to put it together again. I got my first PC when I was 9, and I loved figuring out all the things I could do with it. Most of my discovery came from trial and error. I noticed that spending alot of time with difficult CLI Operating Systems like BSD and even DOS, was really increasing my skills. I could spend night after night trying to make things work, at the same time breaking other things. I am still a *NIX fanatic, but I am also a Sys Admin for a very large telecom company, and of course I deal with Win9x, WinNT 4.0, and Win2k on a large basis as well. My question is more directed to the 9x and ME packages. Do ytou think these OS's are so easy, so 'baby-stepped' throughout that they are not as educational ? I like the discovery process, but it seems like Microsoft has cut that part out. I know that this is a great solution for the less computer savvy, but I want to ask you 'self=proclaimed' geeks what you think. Are those of you running windows just because it works and it takes lees effort ? And if so, why ? For me Windows takes the geeky fun out of computing in a lot of ways.

 

[Angrymarshmello]

People pay morons at Best Buy $50 to come program their new VCR. W9X/WME is targeted towards a large consumer base filled with those morons. The less you have the ability to break, the better. (These are the same people who call up their neighbors at 1 am in the morning because they changed their resolution from 800x600 to 640x480 and don't know how to change it back)

 

[JohnnyKnoxville]

For me, Windows makes it easier to leave my room and enjoy a life

 

[spamboy]

People don't use Windows because they want to learn about computers. They use it to get desktop work done, something which no other operating system does nearly as well. And yes, it doesn't have the geeky fun of other OS's, but unlike geeky OS's, I can actaully be productive using Windows.

 

[kag]

Polm... for a lot of people, having and running a computer isn't about knowledge, but about productivity... so it's obvious that they choose the easiest one so they will be more productive in the least amount of time

good question though

my 2 cents

 

[polm]

"Polm... for a lot of people, having and running a computer isn't about knowledge, but about productivity... so it's obvious that they choose the easiest one so they will be more productive in the least amount of time"

Good point!

 

[littleprince]

NOPE!

if it was hard to use, we would all use linux by now...
ease of use is a selling feature.

theres enough to learn. why do you like solving only os problems/!? why not create some problems of your own in a programing language and create something usefull?

perhaps you'll write some program that'll be the next big thing!

 

[Ameesh]

windows can be as easy or hard as you want it to be, try playing with python to do fun and interesting things, playing with os is just the en dof the begging, l;earn to program you'll find a new love which is infinetly times more fun.

 

[SSP]

I have other so called "Morons" using this computer, and they would know how to boot in to Linux. I play around with Linux for fun, but always on my 486 (which is pretty limited).

 

[y2kc]

I say make them easier to use, I spend half of my day explaining to folks how to right click and the difference between a backslash and a fowardslash, I dread having to try to get them to mount a drive. Most people "just want the thing to work" and I don't blame them, god forbid they should miss a deadline or delete a file of some importance due to the complexity of the OS. I play around with linux from time to time and I'll be (attempting) to install Sun Solaris in a few days so I can learn it for work purposes otherwise I probably wouldn't touch it, I guess I'm lazy like that. Heck, keeping Windows (pick yer flavor) running smoothly is chore enough. Keep America working, Dumb down our OSs!!!