The core of the issue we are grapling with here goes back to the early 1970's, the pre-PC era. The hot technology of the day was time sharing systems. Systems wherein a large number of users (100's even 1000's) would be logged in concurrently, executing programs on the same machine. In this sort of an environment, all system configuration (both hardware and software) was the responsibility of a small but well trained cadre of sysadmins.
Consider how one became a member of this group. Since the number required was small, only the most motivated and qualified individuals were needed, (think 4yr CS degree, working on Masters). With small numbers of these individuals working together , often one on one, the art of the sysadmin was passed along through what amounts to a cross between oral tradition and on-the-job training. This is essential to grasp. With users being numerous, sysadmins being few, and computers being rare and expensive, the LAST thing that would be allowed to happen is to have some green/PFY/newbie set himself down at the system console to see what he could do.
You just did not get to that point of control without FIRST knowing what you were doing. This is the root of our current difficulty with FOSS *nix software. Since Linux draws architectural inspiration from the unix world, it obtains cultural sensibilities from unix as well. One of the most pervasinve of these is that any time you need some information with which to manage the system YOU NEED TO GET IT FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE.
An example: I recently installed RH9 on a friends computer (not a multi boot.) In going through the install, I was presented with option of accepting a pre-defined partitioning scheme or specifying my own using the expert mode. If I took the easy route, the rationale for the scheme was hidden from me. If I chose the expert mode, then I was dumped off at a partitioning manager without so much as a recomendation as to what a sane partitioning scheme might be. What I would like to avoid is the following scenario:
1. get new computer
2. partition drive
3. install Linux
4. get on the internet
5. go to tldp.org and read the partitioning howto
6. learn what I should have done
7. go back to step 2
What I'm saying here is that the developers at RedHat KNEW I needed to partition my drive and yet, the options provided were: (1)"We'll do it for you, don't worry your purty little head." or (2)"You can take it from here right? Good Luck!"
How about a third possibility? A nice
option would be wonderful to have.
This is not dumbing the os down, but rather smartening the user up. Under the current system, what you're supposed to do is go somewhere else. That somewhere can be anywhere (google, Barnes & Noble, local guru or neighbor's dog) just go away and don't come back until you know what you're doing.
I'm not saying that becoming a competent sysadmin no longer should require in depth training. No, what I'm saying is that the vast majority of *nix systems are now single user, user administered PCs. These systems have a finite set of common problems. Problems that could largely be dealt with through user education, provided the users don't have to seek out the information through trial and error.
Perhaps a better way to frame the issue would be from the developers perspective. Consider this as an itch to scratch:
- Designing a program's UI to
- use the PC as a teaching tool to
- teach the user about the PC
- so that the user may apply that knowlege to better manage the PC
It's an interesting problem. I'm confident that powerful solutions will be found.
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Primarily a Cultural Problem
Posted by: briber on March 02, 2004 02:44 PMConsider how one became a member of this group. Since the number required was small, only the most motivated and qualified individuals were needed, (think 4yr CS degree, working on Masters). With small numbers of these individuals working together , often one on one, the art of the sysadmin was passed along through what amounts to a cross between oral tradition and on-the-job training. This is essential to grasp. With users being numerous, sysadmins being few, and computers being rare and expensive, the LAST thing that would be allowed to happen is to have some green/PFY/newbie set himself down at the system console to see what he could do.
You just did not get to that point of control without FIRST knowing what you were doing. This is the root of our current difficulty with FOSS *nix software. Since Linux draws architectural inspiration from the unix world, it obtains cultural sensibilities from unix as well. One of the most pervasinve of these is that any time you need some information with which to manage the system YOU NEED TO GET IT FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE.
An example: I recently installed RH9 on a friends computer (not a multi boot.) In going through the install, I was presented with option of accepting a pre-defined partitioning scheme or specifying my own using the expert mode. If I took the easy route, the rationale for the scheme was hidden from me. If I chose the expert mode, then I was dumped off at a partitioning manager without so much as a recomendation as to what a sane partitioning scheme might be. What I would like to avoid is the following scenario:
1. get new computer
2. partition drive
3. install Linux
4. get on the internet
5. go to tldp.org and read the partitioning howto
6. learn what I should have done
7. go back to step 2
What I'm saying here is that the developers at RedHat KNEW I needed to partition my drive and yet, the options provided were: (1)"We'll do it for you, don't worry your purty little head." or (2)"You can take it from here right? Good Luck!"
How about a third possibility? A nice
"I-don't-know-what-the-hell-I'm-doing, but-I'm-a-quick-study. Please-present-me-with-relevent-information- so-I-can-make-some-reasonable-decisions."
option would be wonderful to have.
This is not dumbing the os down, but rather smartening the user up. Under the current system, what you're supposed to do is go somewhere else. That somewhere can be anywhere (google, Barnes & Noble, local guru or neighbor's dog) just go away and don't come back until you know what you're doing.
I'm not saying that becoming a competent sysadmin no longer should require in depth training. No, what I'm saying is that the vast majority of *nix systems are now single user, user administered PCs. These systems have a finite set of common problems. Problems that could largely be dealt with through user education, provided the users don't have to seek out the information through trial and error.
Perhaps a better way to frame the issue would be from the developers perspective. Consider this as an itch to scratch:
- Designing a program's UI to
- use the PC as a teaching tool to
- teach the user about the PC
- so that the user may apply that knowlege to better manage the PC
It's an interesting problem. I'm confident that powerful solutions will be found.
best regards
briber
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