Re: [libreoffice-users] LibreOffice and OpenOffice

Good morning, Gordon,

On Fri, Feb 4, 2011 at 4:46 AM, Gordon Burgess-Parker <gbplinux@gmail.com>wrote:

> On 03/02/2011 20:44, Ken Springer wrote:
>
> > Hi  , Tom,
> >
> > Likewise, I used to encourage the use of open source software also.  And
> > on
> > a personal level, I always try to find an open source program for my use.
> >
> > And my issue is not with the software itself.  Even though my impression
> > is
> > the software is sometimes slightly buggier, the problems seem to be when
> > using advanced functions.  And a function I don't think the average user
> > is
> > likely to attempt.
> But that applies to ALL applications, whether FOSS or proprietary. In my
> personal experience in large corporations, 75% of MS Office users only use
> 25% (or less) of the functionality...


I absolutely agree with your comment about MS Office users.  But in my
experience, I would say your observation of "75% of MS Office users only use
25% (or less) of the functionality..." might be a bit high.  :-)

It's a bit off topic, but I see many users who, for whatever reason, use MS
Office for whatever it is they want to do.  And for a lot of people, it's
totally overkill.  :-( Sort off like using a Mack truck with a 40' flatbed
trailer, to take your household trash cans to the local landfill.


>  It's user support where things fall flat on it's face.  I only have one
> > person in my family and friends who would even have a clue as to how to
> > utilize a mailing list.  It's way too cumbersome and clunky for the people
> > I
> > know.  Even I had trouble figuring this one out!  LOL
>
> So sending an email for support is beyond most people? I don't think so!


It can be.  It depends entirely on the user's knowledge.  Obviously, those
that post here know how to use an email.  However, just because a user can
send an email, that does not guarantee they understand how this system uses
email for support.

I'm merely saying, that if you wish to expand the user base to a wider
variety of people, a support system that is easier to use and understand by
a wider variety of people is needed.




 There are a lot of users out there, I believe, that could make use of open
> source software, but these people usually don't even understand
> directories/folders, partitioning, the very basics of using a computer.
> When I start to talk to them about disk cleanup and defragging (Windows),
> you should see the blank faces I encounter.  :-)
And with ALL modern OS's and apps - there's no NEED to "understand"
> directories/folders and PARTITIONING? Where does that come in in USING
> softeware?

I have to politely disagree totally with you here.  Do you just put your
paperwork in a file drawer or box, helter skelter, with no organization to
make the paperwork easier to find?  If you don't know how to organize the
data on your hard drive using directories/folders, how is it going to be
easier to find related data two years from now on that two terabyte drive?

As for partitioning, knowledge of that is not that much different than basic
knowledge of the car you own, is my belief.  If you don't know how the
basics of how an engine works, how will you know your mechanic is lying to
you when he/she says they had to replace the piston and rings to fix the
rough running, and charged you for that work, when all that was done was a
new sparkplug and plug wire?

I maintain that knowing about partitioning and it's advantages, as well as
other basics, is an asset to a computer user.  Like the automotive example
above, the user doesn't need to know how to do it, aka a car owner doesn't
need to know how to put a new piston in the engine, but if the user knows
the basics of his/her computer, the user has a better chance of knowing when
their computer repair shop is charging for unnecessary repairs.

I've seen people who use Windows, and probably other OS's as well, that save
their data virtually anywhere and everywhere on the hard drive.  They put
the data in system folders, on the recovery partition, just about any place
where they should never put the data to minimize the chance of accidentally
deleting or moving the wrong file.  And just think about the hoops and
hurdles a piece of backup software has to go through to do an accurate
backup.  When MS introduced My Documents in Windows 95, they seemingly broke
many of the standard rules of data storage that I'd learned the years
previous.  And, they apparently assumed that their method of data storage
would be the best way for everyone.


I think you are putting mountains where there are molehills, and not
> crediting your users with any intelligence at all...

I never said they weren't intelligent, I said they lacked knowledge and
education.  :-)

Shoot, if every person could write code and end up with a piece of software,
there would be a lot of programmers out of a job.   LOL  Some people are
plumbers, some are "Einsteins".  If you want to increase your user base, you
need to create a product that the plumber as well as Einstein can use and
understand.

And I believe this is true for any product someone produces.  Just think
back to when a lot of people couldn't figure out how to program their
VCR's.  I know a retired high school history teacher who cannot put his own
music on his iPod.  :-)  But he is far, far from being unintelligent.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ken Springer

"All progress depends upon the unreasonable person."
George Bernard Shaw


Cheap prices make for cheap goods; cheap goods make for
cheap men; and cheap men make for a cheap country!"
President William McKinley


http://www.greeleynet.com/~wordwork/airpage.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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