On Sat, 08 Mar 2008 17:40:50 -0500, Warp wrote:

> Jim Henderson <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote:
>> If anything, it takes longer now to do things on a computer than it did
>> 10 years ago
> 
>   I believe this to be just a false memory in most cases. Do you have
>   any
> concrete examples?

Boot DOS.  Boot Windows.  Compare the boot times.

Create a letter using WordPerfect 5.1.  Create a letter using Microsoft 
Word 2003.  Including the time just to start the applications, WP51 
starts quicker, and you finish quicker.

In both cases, use older machines, say, a PS/2 model 30 for the older 
tests, and a modern 64-bit machine for the Windows tests.

It's not a false memory, it's demonstrable fact.

>> But as tools have gotten more complex, people's ability to use then
>> effectively has been reduced significantly.
> 
>   Really? I have noticed the exact opposite trend. Just in the Windows
> side of the world, for example updating software is easier than ever: In
> many cases the software updates itself automatically without you having
> to do anything about it. Even if you have to start the updating
> manually, it's usually pretty automated.

And when the automated updates screw the machine up, the user is 
basically screwed.

>   This update doesn't require all your computer resources, but you can
> nowadays actually do something else while it's updating, and you won't
> even notice.
>   If I want to open a gigantic image in basically any software, it takes
> but a split second, while over a decade ago it could take a long time.
> Making modidications to the image is extremely fast, while over a decade
> ago it could take minutes.

As I said, there are some tasks that are faster on modern equipment with 
modern software.  But the majority of people need a word processor, a 
spreadsheet, and access to the 'net.  Maybe presentation software.

Perhaps you missed the bit where I said that certain things are faster.

>   Browsing the internet with a web browser? Fast and efficient nowadays,
> sluggish 15 years ago.

With a decent connection to the 'net, surfing the web 15 years ago was 
generally faster, if only because the amount of crap that people put on 
web pages was reduced.  15 years ago, the big thing being talked about 
was whether or not to use blink tags for $DEITY's sake.  Now it's all 
about flash animations and dynamically updating web applications which 
should *really* be implemented not using web technologies, but rather 
using desktop development technologies.

Jim

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