'Georgy Papantoniou'
Experienced Member
What is the best for my aunt? She never had any contact with computers or technology in general. She is smart, what is the best type of computer that would be easy to get used to?
Not when you're 65 it isn't.reading is the least of the problems...
http://www.snotr.com/video/8965/So_papa__how_do_you_like_the_iPad_we_got_youBite the bullet and get her an Apple iPad.
Not when you're 65 it isn't.
Bite the bullet and get her an Apple iPad.
If George's aunt hasn't wanted a computer until now, has she asked for it now or is George attempting to convert her?
We tend to forget how concepts like hierarchical menus, file directories and mouse clicks can be challenging for new users.
The desktop analogy has done more harm to people's (especially older people's) understanding of computing than most people imagine. It was cute at first, but has evolved to the point where the abstraction is absurd. Explaining things with faulty analogies is bad. Integrating faulty analogies in the interface is worse.
This is like the Irishman, when asked the way to Tipperary, saying "Well if I was going to Tipperary, I wouldn't be starting from here"
I can't think of a single visual element of a GUI that isn't a metaphor of some kind - windows, buttons, menus, mouse, files, folders, tiles... a "cursor" is a proper term, but pre-dates GUI.
An underlying hierarchical file system is now universal, and better than a single vast flat system - but still very hard to visualize once you depart from vendor defaults.
OJ is right that every attempt to simplify it seems to add another layer of abstraction and obfuscation. I know I have completely failed to master the icon-oriented layered menus on my elementary 2G cell phone.
Georgy's apparently simple OP raises some very fundamental issues about human interface to screen-based technology. Idealists say "let's standardize", vendors say "let's compete", users say "@#$%^&*".
Does anyone have a master plan?