7 Mar
2001
7 Mar
'01
2:17 p.m.
From: Jeffrey S. Sharp <jss(a)ou.edu>
(0) They are too big.
Common fault of many PC based programs these days.
My $0.02... They {Apple and others included} made computers easier to
use without the need for a CS degree. Yes, that means some or even
many things are dumb to the point of sillyness remember the initial goal.
Why fault Microsoft for making products that are
popular and
common?
(1) They are too slow.
See (0). Add that their complexity has made them larger and therefor
harder to optimize (should they even bother).
(2) They are too buggy.
I find that they are often less buggy than their competitors running on
the same platform.
(3) They are too ustable.
See (2), add complexity complicates testing for all possible cases.
There is always a pathological case that was untested.
(4) They don't use open standards.
Agreed, they are to busy trying to make their's unique.
(5) They claim to use open standards, but instead use
'embraced and
extended'
(read: raped) ones that are 'strategically documented'.
Redundant, see (4).
(7) They assume you are an idiot.
It industry wide now, I'm not certain it started with them.
(8) They have inadequate documentation.
See (7).
(9) WTF is up with their versioning? JEEZ!
Common problem. I suspect they have competing factions, winner
gets all.
(2) Their
products are designed for idiots.
So... I'm an idiot because I use MS products?
No. It's a commodoity product that has advantages, limiations and flaws
use it with understanding and care.
> Computers are tools for smart people. Should we
let evolution
> gradually filter out stupid people from the species, or should
> we allow them to be our least common denominator, thereby
> limiting the power of the species as a whole?
They can be. They are also appliances, in many ways no different from
the Microwave or car.
Let's see... Like the rest of us, you probably
watch TV on
occassion. Is there anyone on this list (Tony excluded) that could
build one from scratch?
Yes, and specious too. Once upon a time (about 50 years ago) you could
spend a lot of money (months pay) and buy a TV or you could buy it as
a kit (pre heithkit!). In a time log ago I built the Altair because
buying
a commercial product was manytimes more costly. I did that because
I could and had a desire. Not everyone could, though they wanted and
needed to tool I built, hence Apple and TRS80.
Same story for the early drivers, pilots and other on the leading edge
or a useful technology.
presence of marketroids --
They exist get used to it. Sometimes... they may present a problem
that an engineer can really feel challenged to meet. Other times they
try to satisfy a preceived need. Marketing without direction is no
different
than engineering without direction in that both cases expend resources
to no significant gain. In the end they are or should be part of a team.
I have no love for Micros~1. However I do use their product and within
it's (DOS, W3.1, W9x, WinNT, W2k) limits it works ok for business. It's
adaquate. Intelligently applied it does do real work with acceptable
relibility with users that do not care how or why it works when their
job is accounting, selling or managing stock. To many computers are
just another tool.
Allison