Kenneth wrote:
> Good question. Problem is, there isn't any kind of easily-understood *machine*
> available for the segment of the global population that didn't grow up with
> computer technology 

That's a good way of phrasing it, yes.

Part of the problem is that a real computer is so reusable that you don't 
need a lot of the machines you used to have. Nobody is building the 
special-purpose machines that would make it easy to do one thing well. 
Except, as I said, video games or TiVOs and such specific devices. Anything 
sufficiently general-purpose to not need auxiliary machines isn't going to 
be easy to use.

> For 'technically-literate' folks, I would agree. But I wonder about all the
> others (a majority? a minority?). For them, I would guess it's about the 'same'
> 5%--with a deviation of maybe 1% within that. Web surfing, e-mailing,
> photo-printing, the occasional 'Mom-and-Pop' application, etc.

Yeah, OK. I kind of exagerated there. But there's always going to be 
mom-and-pop applications, or little children applications, etc. My brother's 
kids play with his iphone all the time.

> Hmm, the iPad doesn't even cover *that* small footprint, AFAIK.

Yeah.

> Pity the poor end-users--we are the guinea pigs in this ever-continuing
> 'experiment.' ;-)

It used to be fun, when there was new exciting stuff happening. Now it's 
just knee-deep manure you have to wade thru to find what you're looking for.
Or maybe that's just in the programming.


-- 
Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
   Yes, we're traveling together,
   but to different destinations.

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