computer users, their intelligence and lack there of

[sturm375]

What is a PC User?

If you are talking hardware, because Apple is predominatly a hardware company, then you have to include Linux, and BeOS users in this pile. Now assuming I have my numbers correct, which is a HUGE assumption I believe the break-down is something like this:

90% - Microsoft
5% - Apple
2-3% - Linux
Remainder "Other"

Now you have a number of people equal to about half the Apple users running Linux. And I am sure most of you would concide that a Linux user is not an idiot, right?

Now I would say that the vast majority of both Apple, and MS users would fall into the idiot catagory. I say this because in my experiance, both in Windows, and Mac, there are many users, but few that can troubleshoot, even simple things.

So if I were to break this down to a community of 100 people:

9 - Non-Idiot Windows users
1 - Non-Idiot Mac User
3-5 - Aditional PC users, non-idiot

So maximum of 14% of PC users are not idiots, and 20% of Mac user are not idiots. Percentage wise, Apple wins, however number of people wise, many more on the PC side.

Seeing as how I am being very lenient in my definition of a non-idiot user, the number of 15% of all the computer users being non-idiots is a scary thought.


BTW: Just another thought, if 15% of computer users are not idiots, how many idiots do we have working on computers, in the Government Chilling isn't it?

 

[Unix Is Easy?]

sturm375,

Nice, lol, I got a kick out of your reply. Maybe it's because of all the caffine...

I agree, I've dealt with many "dumb" Mac users as well as PC users. It's not really that they're dumb they just don't want to learn everything about computers, they just want to use them as a tool to help them do whatever it is they do.

People who know alot about computers, geeks, and techies often get stuck helping out the "dumb" users and it's really sad how so many of the people who are suppost to be helping much rather act like an ass about it...

 

[AlphaTech]

I have more then a few peecee users at work that don't even know how to add a networked printer to their computer. Mac user's on the other hand can usually find the printer for themselves in short order. Many of the Mac people can figure out the naming conventions we give the printers for the Mac (printer type - location - AppleTalk zone). With that little bit of knowledge, they can connect to a printer and know where it is coming out. For the peecee people, they need to get to the server with the spooler on it, and then connect to it (win2k/nt4 is easier then 95/98 since win2k uses the drivers provided by the spooler where 95/98 uses ones on the computer). MOST of the Mac users at work are savy enough to not go and mess up their systems. Peecee users on the other hand can f*ck up their systems faster then you would believe.

I really look forward to the day that we are given the green light to install OS X onto all the Mac's (or all the ones that will support it wich is about 95%+). I need to start checking out win hexpee soon, since eventually we will be told to install that (probably sometime either next year or the following year ).

 

[Choppaface]

Originally posted by Unix Is Easy?


People who know alot about computers, geeks, and techies often get stuck helping out the "dumb" users and it's really sad how so many of the people who are suppost to be helping much rather act like an ass about it...

he he like that computer guy on SNL...

ya, its really disappointing to see people with great ability to waist their time bashing other platforms and badmouthing people who don't know exactly what they are doing but are nevertheless trying to get something done


nice figures, sturm375
although assuming all linux users aren't "dumb" might be a bit of an overestimate. I'm sure anybody running linux has their stuff together, but that doesn't mean that there aren't some people who are overconfident and might trash their machine by accident, or get their webserver hacked by being lax on security. I think what it all comes down to is when the user asks for help and how they ask for it

 

[AlphaTech]

It seems that a lot of people are missing a rather important word in the thread and poll... Average... The AVERAGE user, NOT geek, or near geek level of user.

 

[ejb190]

Speaking of averages....

The way I see it, the average computer user does not want to be a programer or a network specialist. They just want a system that works from day to day. My mom for example...(sorry mom)...If she has a problem at work, she calls tech support to solve the problem. If she has a problem at home she calls me in the middle of the night and yells at me for buying her a computer that is too complicated... (Long story, but I couldn't talk her into a Mac because she uses a PC at work and didn't want to learn a new system.) I find it easy to get upset at her inability to use a computer, but I have to remember that she does not spend near the hours in front of one that I do. Of course that call at 2 a.m. didn't help

Now I say all that to say it's the attitude of many PC Tech Support and IT people that irk me. They fall into that same attitude that get's between myself and my mom...

User-"Help! I have a problem here"
IT Guy-"Reset your IP address like we told you to do in the e-mail" (Or some other end user problem caused by the IT department's constant tinkering and upgrading...)
User-"Reset what? I can't get my e-mail"
IT Guy-"Stupid mortal. I can't be bothered to fix everyone's computer. I am upgrading our server for the 4th time this week."

{Side bar - I know there are some IT departments who do wonders with shoesting budgets and small staffs. But some of them have managment so befuddled that they get everything they dream of because it is "essential for the business to run".}

And so on.... Some people just haven't figured out that the rest of us have little to no interest in knowing how to reprogram/upgrade/fix our computers. (Thankfully Apple has!) We just want them to work!

The other end of the conversation goes something like...
User-"I am so tired of this computer never working. What if I got one of those Mac things?"
IT Guy-"Macs are trash. They won't work with our system. You can't even get e-mail on them."
And so the story starts...

(Could this be how a nerd makes him/herself feel macho? This might be a good article for the Journal of Irreproducable Results)

(Sorry if I sound bitter. The Interm Director of the "Information Systems" department just created a new logo, changed the whole web site, and made obsolete most of my bookmarks just so they can rename themselves "Information Technology" instead.... And they STILL have no clue why QuickTime won't work anymore on my PC! On top of that, my Win XP 'puter has locked up three times today--twice while sitting idle! Not been a good day...)

 

[jefhatfield]

as long as computing in the workplace is so confusing or made so confusing by IT workers and IT management, then IT guys like me have a job

if all computers worked as well as macs, then i would have to change my occupation which wouldn't be bad

...maybe i can finally do "something" with a computer for a change then

 

[Unix Is Easy?]

Re: Speaking of averages....

Originally posted by ejb190
Now I say all that to say it's the attitude of many PC Tech Support and IT people that irk me. They fall into that same attitude that get's between myself and my mom...

I know how you feel... The IT people I know tell me about their stories on how this person stupidly did this and the next person is such a moron they don't know how to install a printer, you know how it goes.

They come talk to me because I can usually fix my own problems (or theirs ) and they think I feel the same way they do. I work on a PC both at home and work and I'm hoping to get a Mac simply because I think they're cool. As for Mac users knowing what to do when something goes wrong well... not at my work place and we have over 500 Mac users. They have as many problems as us PC users.

OS 9 maybe?

 

[Unix Is Easy?]

Originally posted by AlphaTech
It seems that a lot of people are missing a rather important word in the thread and poll... Average... The AVERAGE user, NOT geek, or near geek level of user.

No.... really?



heh

 

[Backtothemac]

Well, here are some of the stupid things I have seen at work.

me: Are you on a Mac or PC?
lady: Mac.
me: Click on the Apple menu,
lady: i don't have a menu.
me: What color is your PC?
lady: White.
me: OK click on start.
lady: I don't see start.
me: Ok, What icons do you have on your desktop.
lady: Baby, I don't have any pictures of Elvis on my desk.

In 93 I had the I broke my cupholder call. For real, really did.

Also, we have a guy on our network that refuses to use antivirus software, and always opens every friggin e-mail on his hotmail account. Can you say, nimda, badtrans, sexyscr, sircam, and many others, this month alone.

 

[LethalWolfe]

I think AVERAGE PC users are as computer savvy as AVERAGE Mac users. You just encounter more "idiots" running Windows because more people run windows (basic statistics). If you looked at percentages<sp?> I bet it would be fairly even.

Now, should we include iMac and PowerMac uses as one group, or seperate them? 'Cause PowerMac users tend to be more computer literate 'caues a PowerMac is the "pro" line. Where the iMac is targeted towards yer AVERAGE users.


Lethal

 

[Beej]

Originally posted by LethalWolfe
I think AVERAGE PC users are as computer savvy as AVERAGE Mac users. You just encounter more "idiots" running Windows because more people run windows (basic statistics). If you looked at percentages<sp?> I bet it would be fairly even.

THANK you! This is so obvious. What a stange poll...

BTW you spelled 'percentages' right

 

[AlphaTech]

Originally posted by Beej
THANK you! This is so obvious. What a stange poll...

BTW you spelled 'percentages' right

Read the poll and vote like you want... I put in one for both being just as good/bad...

mooks

 

[LethalWolfe]

Originally posted by Beej
THANK you! This is so obvious. What a stange poll...

BTW you spelled 'percentages' right

Thanx, I usually have horrible spelling so when in doubt I always go for the trusty "<sp?>" to cover my butt.


Lethal