Users by a television with some vague idea what it does and what the options mean. Very few people buy a televison because they want 85dB gain on something or a 31db signal to noise ratio measured somewhere.
Because they don't care. And the few that do care know where to find this information. But they haven't solved the problem by reducing the number of models of televisions sold.
Choice is only choice if the user understands something about the choice they are making.
The user doesn't need to understand the choice if he doesn't care. Whether emacs comes with the foobar extension isn't important if he doesn't need the foobar extension. People don't analyze the towing capacities of pickup trucks if they aren't doing any towing.
Anything else isn't merely useless (guessing) but actually -bad- because it embarrasses the poor user who doesn't understand the funny man at the counter and feels inadequate.
The job of the salesman is to explain the different options to the customer in a way that he can understand. It's the same for people trying to encourage others to use Linux.
Explaining and evaluating the choices is the solution, not reducing them.
might make sense IFF vendors can agree WTF these phrases should mean.
Market-speak has been around for much, much longer than operating systems have. "Retsin", "Fahrvegnugen", and "Flouristat" come to mind. They are "ingredients" or "features" designed by some marketdroid to confuse the consumer, not enlighten him.
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Re:Informed selection
Posted by: tsg on November 09, 2004 06:17 AMBecause they don't care. And the few that do care know where to find this information. But they haven't solved the problem by reducing the number of models of televisions sold.
Choice is only choice if the user understands something about the choice they are making.
The user doesn't need to understand the choice if he doesn't care. Whether emacs comes with the foobar extension isn't important if he doesn't need the foobar extension. People don't analyze the towing capacities of pickup trucks if they aren't doing any towing.
Anything else isn't merely useless (guessing) but actually -bad- because it embarrasses the poor user who doesn't understand the funny man at the counter and feels inadequate.
The job of the salesman is to explain the different options to the customer in a way that he can understand. It's the same for people trying to encourage others to use Linux.
Explaining and evaluating the choices is the solution, not reducing them.
might make sense IFF vendors can agree WTF these phrases should mean.
Market-speak has been around for much, much longer than operating systems have. "Retsin", "Fahrvegnugen", and "Flouristat" come to mind. They are "ingredients" or "features" designed by some marketdroid to confuse the consumer, not enlighten him.
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