On 02/19/2017 12:27 PM, Ken Springer wrote:
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I think there are two issues with new Windows and Mac systems for many
users. The actual complexity of the system, and the complexity of the
UI in accessing the system. I've been helping 3 seniors who are totally
confused with the W10 interface, yet all 3 have used XP systems. Only 1
of the 3 is actually going through what looks to be a very good
beginner's book on using Windows 10.

On a side note, I'm working slowing on some small help documents for
folks in that position, which benefits me in learning W10, as well as a
particular page layout program.

My interest in Linux came from an effort to find some way to a) prolong
the life of the hardware when nothing was wrong with it, and b) find a
simpler UI/system that was easier to learn for people who were
definitely not computer literate.

That led me to Linux Mint with the Cinnamon desktop. Which, when I've
shown it to people, there's been an overall positive response. We even
set up a system at work for people to see, and when the customer has
been thinking about a different computer, the response has also been
generally positive.

Elementary Linux looks simple, but I've not had the time to play with it.





I started out back in the old punch card days and got so fed up with
computers that by 1982 I vowed never to touch one again.
Ironically that was the year IBM came out with the PC and the whole
world started using computers.

Somewhere around 1999 my (now) wife told me to "get with it" and gave me
her old P-1 and before too long I had Win95 figured out and liked it but
wanted a bigger challenge.

I found Linux to be the best computer learning experience I ever had.

I really was clueless and did not even know what a partition was, but
after six months really had learned a lot.


Also had to start collecting older computers to see what I had missed so
started over with 8088's 286's and 386's

learned DOS and Win3x /after/ learning win95 and win98





Etc. the psychology of choice is "poorly
understood", as they say, but the research shows quite clearly that most
of the time choice is just another illusion. "Marketing" is all about
creating that illusion to the seller's advantage.

Have a good day,