Norton Go Home! We don't want you!

Robert Hartman hartman at ide.com
Wed Feb 13 06:48:23 AEST 1991


In article <kherron.666298945 at s.ms.uky.edu> kherron at ms.uky.edu (Kenneth Herron) writes:
>I think Mr. Stefanik has missed the point about Norton's for Unix.  You
>can get unix for just about any non-trivial computer these days; more and
>more "regular people" are becoming system administrators by default.
>Don't forget that a properly functioning computer is a *means to an end*,
>not an end in itself.  Some people may be more interested in using the
>computer to accomplish their real job, instead of becoming unix gurus.
>...
>Or is it conceivable that if a way exists to make unix more user-friendly,
>it should be used?
>
>Just from a productivity standpoint, an undeleter would be a lot faster
>than digging out the backup tape.  And of course it restores the latest
>version of the file, not just the last-backed-up version.
>...
>There are plenty of ways to trash unix without help from Norton :-)
>...  Not everyone is a power user like you.  Heck, echo ^G
>might be beyond some people; are they supposed to stay off unix just 
>because they're more interested in being secretaries or accountants
>or bank managers than unix wizards?
>...  Not everyone has the time,
>inclination, or aptitude to learn unix (or computers at all, for that
>matter).  Are these people supposed to stick with DOS, or Macs, or not
>use computers at all?  The days when ordinary mortals bowed down to the
>computer priesthood are supposed to be over. ...

I completely agree with these sentiments.  There are some very good ideas
in UNIX.  Unfortunately, its elegance and power has been severely hampered
by the arrogant assumption that computers are only for "experts."

-r



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