Community poll forum: Why are computers still so difficult to use?

I got this far, and it's far enough for me. I can't bear to read all 166 posts, since so many are so similar (that's for the questioner to sort for his "thesis," or whatever it is).

My perspective is that I remember when I learned to drive back in 1973, my Mom fretted a bit that we didn't have a straight-drive vehicle for me to learn in, AND that driver's ed at the school didn't use them, either. Her thinking was that she learned in a straight-drive, and that if you could drive one of THOSE, you could drive anything. Eventually, several years (and cars) later, I saw a car in a sales lot I wanted that WAS straight-drive, bought it, and sort of taught myself... Never regretted it.

Although I had "some" computer exposure prior to then, I got hit big in the fall of '85 when our school newspaper bought its first computer, a Tandy 1000. At first it had only floppies and 256K of RAM (hard drive and more RAM came much later), and DOS 3.1, I think. We did EVERYTHING using MS-DOS commands and the Wordstar word processor. I didn't know there was anything else. Later, I learned about all-in-one programs, such as Microsoft Works, which preceded Microsoft Office (did all the same things as the light version does, just maybe less of them). I became an EXPERT at probably the LAST DOS version of MS-Works, and I've never been as productive on a computer BEFORE or SINCE.

Yes, I LOVE all the streaming video and the fact that I can store and manipulate all my digital photos (and I AM also a photographer) on my computer today. And like some others, I built my latest computer. But I remember WELL back when FONTS weren't an issue and we could build very simple databases and spreadsheets that it was A WHOLE LOT EASIER to get A WHOLE LOT MORE WORK done! At the time I was a free-lance writer, having just graduated from college. I'd split the screen in Works, have my notes on the bottom half (do interviews on the phone with a headset and type them right into the file), then cut and paste notes into the story-in-progress on the top half as I went. When I was finished, I'd save the completed story file, which had been saved AS a new file at the beginning of the process so the NOTES file remained "virgin."

Were I still doing interviews and writing stories today, I'd do the same in MS Word -- except WORD makes things a WHOLE LOT HARDER than Works ever did. I can remember when Word wasn't so darned complicated -- at least on the Mac (I've been through PCs, then Macs, now back to PCs again). It seems everyone has tried to make ALL PROGRAMS do EVERYTHING for EVERYONE today, making most of them WAY TOO COMPLICATED. Even Photoshop Elements can be a bit of "a bear" to master, much less the full-blown program I can't afford anyway.

So IS my experience today better than it was 25 years ago?

Yes... and NO.

Yes, like everyone else, I like all the "bells and whistles." But I really DON'T like all the complexities and junk that come with them. I don't mind having to run Security suites and firewalls and keeping Windows Update on Automatic (and even then I check behind it). What I DO mind is that even though I built a 12 GB DDR3, state-of-the-art Core i7 machine with a solid state hard drive, a 10,000 RPM Velociraptor second drive and a 2 GB DDR5 ATI 4870 graphics card less than two years ago, and keep EVERYTHING updated -- ALL DRIVERS, BIOS, EVERYTHING -- I still get "hiccups." The system STILL "hangs" sometimes (ESPECIALLY IN AOL, which I'm about to give up on), and, MOST FRUSTRATING OF ALL -- even with Windows 7 64-bit professional installed to take advantage of all that RAM, almost NONE of the vendors have released 64-bit-clean versions of their software yet, even though there's been 64-bit versions of Windows since XP!!!

So am I FRUSTRATED?!?!? What the HELL DO YOU THINK????? I have 12 GB of RAM, and I run a desktop gadget app that shows how much is being used. I think it's actually passed the 4 GB mark, only VERY BRIEFLY, maybe ONCE in the past 20 months (I bought Vista Professional 64-bit with a $10 upgrade to the Windows 7 version).

This computer business is like the biggest "racket" I've ever seen. Every 2-3 years, no matter WHAT you bought, it's obsolete... Even your OS becomes obsolete and you have to upgrade OSes or you start falling behind. Yet the faster the processors get, and the more and faster RAM, bigger and faster hard drives and video cards we put in, the SLOWER things seem to run, much of the time, because faster than we can buy or build newer, better computers, software developers are building new software that hogs even MORE resources -- not to mention all the STUFF that runs in the background, most of which we have NO CLUE as to what it does.

There was a time, back in the DOS days, when one could install the entire OS (and I don't mean early on -- I particularly like to think about DOS 5.0, a very nice version), and it consisted of just a few files... dozen or so at the most. Try right-clicking your main Windows folder even RIGHT AFTER you install Windows and do a "Properties" on it and see just HOW MANY files are in there... It'll be AT LEAST 70,000! Is there any WONDER we get "glitches" and things run slow???

Right now, including this program, I have four programs running besides a handful of TSRs along the bottom of my Desktop, such as InstantBurn, my Display control, and so forth. But if I do a check to see how many processes are running right now, it'll be around 120, and as I scroll through them I have NO CLUE what most of them are even associated with. Who does?

They've turned these lovely machines we love to chat on, put our pictures on, watch videos and news on, send email on, into incomprehensible devices intowhich even the most advanced user can only hope to have GLIMPSES into the inner workings. When I have problems -- like the other day, when I couldn't get online -- the Windows Error Code that came up? There was no clear definition or explanation of it. MOST of the major Windows Error Codes? You can even GOOGLE them and not find what you need. Anyone wonder if maybe that's BY DESIGN???

No, I'm not a conspiracy nut (maybe just a regular nut), but I certainly think our modern home computing industry is the absolute BEST example of "planned obsolescence" EVER CREATED!
Jeff Hayes
Spartanburg, SC

-- Can you remember when you started using computers? Yes, 1984 with a Commodore 64 machine.

-- Would you say this was an easy process to get to grips with? No...you had to learn BASIC DOS type commands for file functions, to load programs, etc.

-- Since then, has your journey been straightforward, and if not, can you remember what some of your challenges were? First learning the Apple based GUI OS (GEOS) for C64 a few years later.
Finally got an IBM based system in '94 and had to learn Windows 3.0 and Dos 4, learned how to tweek the performance thru editing Autoexec/config.sys files. Then learning Win95, 98, XP, Vista, 7. Learniing how to upgrade hardware components ie. math coprocessor on first ibm 486sx-25 and replace Cdrom, add ram; eventually learning how to build system from components and installing OS.

-- Do you have any challenges even now? Still can't use the real Photoshop hardly at all!

-- Did you/do you have any coping strategies?
Reading the HELP files.

-- Looking back, do you think the challenges you faced are any easier to tackle now? Learning to use OS's are easier, but Photoshop is still a PITA!

-- On a typical day, how long will you be interacting with computer devices? A few hours or more, some for work, mostly for leisure/home like internet, Email, Forums.

-- Do you appreciate the extended functionality/increasing pervasiveness of computing now? I can appreciate it when it's done properly with Intuitive menus and functions, otherwise I merely TOLERATE it. I don't have or want a SMART PHONE. I prefer a real computer, and I'm not addicted to technology or social networking.

They are difficult to use only to those who do not want to learn.

Can you remember when you started using computers?: In the 80' a friend of our sons gave my wife a dos computer running windows dos 5. I wanted to see how/what made it work.
Would you say this was an easy process to get to grips with?: Diufficult to begin with but not now.

Since then, has your journey been straightforward, and if not, can you remember what some of your challenges were?: Never got the hang of registry entries to make hardware work. Got hooked on games on our sons computers and bought one. When it needed upgrading and and found it couldn't be I started building my own. As Microsoft OS systems became more intelligent and plug and play became universal this became easier. Today I think the person who has never seen a computer whith help matching parts could build one.

Do you have any challenges even now?: Only to remember that electrican, electronic and mechanical this all fail at unecpected times and multiple backups not for the paranoid only.

Did you/do you have any coping strategies?: Back in the days of party lines you didn't say anything over the phone you didn't want the whole world to know. Nobody thinks of the internet as a giant party line.

Looking back, do you think the challenges you faced are any easier to tackle now?: Internet devises and providers have removed most all challenges.

On a typical day, how long will you be interacting with computer devices?: Two to six hours depending on work day following or not.

Do you appreciate the extended functionality/increasing pervasiveness of computing now?: Functionality-Yes Pervasiveness-NO! My parents came out of the Dust Bowl and the idea of "If you want to keep it you don't put it in someone elses hands." prevailes. (Banks fail but banks have insurance now- Internet memory vaults are safes that are not surronded by concrete and steel and not insured against loss.)

1. 1976
2. No
3. Things got much easier when Graphical User Interfaces were developed. I believe this was the point when computers became easily used by the general public.
4. My main issue is that many quality legacy programs cannot be adapted to modern hardware and operating systems.
5. I saved my older equipment and computers to run the legacy applications. I have machines dating to the 1980's and they all work.
6. Most modern applications are straightforward and easy to learn to use. In the 1970's you had to write your own apps by keypunch and there was no room for typographical errors. Things today are simple and probably can't get much easier unless someone develops a direct brain-computer interface which is technically possible.
7. I spend up to 13 hours per day interacting with computers, and that is only at work. Tack on at least 1-2 hours for leisure as I am doing now. However most of the work time is spent without the computer directly in front of me, though the work totally depends on access to the machine and internet.
8. Appreciate has two or more meanings. If you mean am I grateful for modern computing, networks, and the ability to do mass communication on a global scale the answer is an unequivocal yes. If you mean do I comprehend the whole system and know every nook and cranny of computing the answer is no. This answer would have been yes in the 1970's as systems were simple then and you could have the capacity to know it all.

-- Can you remember when you started using computers?

Yes, high school--Apple IIe

-- Would you say this was an easy process to get to grips with?

Our math instructor asked some of us to use this computer to process "keypunched" cards. I don't remember the process, but I don't think it was very hard.

-- Since then, has your journey been straightforward, and if not, can you remember what some of your challenges were?

Mostly, but sometimes there are program conflicts, software glitches, or hardware malfunctions, and these always cause short- or long-term difficulties. The key is to know which issues I can solve and which require others' help.

-- Do you have any challenges even now?

See above

-- Did you/do you have any coping strategies?

If the process takes longer than seems reasonable, I enlist the help of either the Better Business Bureau, my state's Attorney General, or possibly other official assistance channels.

-- Looking back, do you think the challenges you faced are any easier to tackle now?

The challenges have changed. It is never the same issue twice.

-- On a typical day, how long will you be interacting with computer devices?

I work on my computer most of the day, and I also use a cellular phone and other devices--probably 12-20 hours on average days.

-- Do you appreciate the extended functionality/increasing pervasiveness of computing now?

Mostly yes. It is harder and harder to pinpoint the cause(s) of problems, though, as technology becomes more complex.

-- Can you remember when you started using computers?
1962

-- Would you say this was an easy process to get to grips with?
No. Computer time on the mainframe was the problem- running simple application programs (FORTRAN) came easily.

-- Since then, has your journey been straightforward, and if not, can you remember what some of your challenges were?

1...At some point in my career (about 1968) self-submission of programs became possible. With that, in the early years, came JCL (Job Control Language). Never did understand JCL, just copied and reused those parts of the card decks.
2...About 1970, shared terminals became available for 3270-style individual computing. Learned many languages, always only did application programming, waiting for a shared terminal was a real challenge.
3...Technically, everything came easy till my first personal computer that had a hard disk drive. Getting the concept of a directory and directory tree was fairly quickly mastered, but so difficult at first I still sympathize with people who struggle with computers.
4...About 1995 I began doing more than solving simple application programs (and cruising what passed for the web in those days). Being extremely busy with my "real" job caused my understanding of concepts like operating systems, compilers, utilities to be a very long (years) painful struggle.



-- Do you have any challenges even now?

Yes. Here's just one example: I now run Linux as my principal workstation and still struggle with one of my Linux systems generating a warning message at startup: "Cannot find SMB". It works anyway, and since I still have lots of real work to do, I only try to track it down once a month or so.

A big part of my retirement is helping all my newby friends with their computers. Most of that is very easy these days. When I do get stumped, the search engines have yet to fail me. However, this week, I got a call on a Windows 98 system. I can no longer remember much at all of the internals of Win98, so could not help him. The web could probably help with his problem also if I tried, but frankly I would rather buy him a new computer than wade into that ancient muck.

-- Did you/do you have any coping strategies?
In my earliest days with really learning software, my son helped me a lot. For the last 10 years, the strategy has been almost totally the web via the search engines.

-- Looking back, do you think the challenges you faced are any easier to tackle now?

Not sure what this question means. Easier for me? Of course. Easier for people with limited experience - I think it's harder. I owned a 6502, a Z80, etc. along the way and kept up with hardware advances and some software advances all along through my development job, so almost everything was much easier for me than for new learners now.

-- On a typical day, how long will you be interacting with computer devices?

6 days a week, 5 hours per day.

-- Do you appreciate the extended functionality/increasing pervasiveness of computing now?

More than you youngsters will ever understand.

A specific set of questions has been raised about computers and technology in general. Your question has no significance in this particular discussion.

But a quick response from me. Wouldn't it be boring if all computers were the same? Just imagine everyone driving the same cars.

Mark

-- Can you remember when you started using computers?
That would have been the family's MicroBee, so about June 1992 - looks like I'm probably your youngest responder thus far (26)

-- Would you say this was an easy process to get to grips with?
For me, yes - I was always seeking new information and picked up concepts quickly, wanting to know how and why things worked...traits fostered by the three electrical engineers, two tradesmen and two draftsmen in the family; and kept in practice by a younger brother prone to breaking things.

-- Since then, has your journey been straightforward, and if not, can you remember what some of your challenges were?
Mostly straight forward. I haven't really come up against anything that couldn't be resolved with time, logic and research.

-- Do you have any challenges even now?
Maintaining core knowledge about all the systems my team supports while specialising on two closely tied systems many in the industry like to avoid.

-- Did you/do you have any coping strategies?
Gather the facts, take a time out to review and consult, test and get back to the involved parties.

-- Looking back, do you think the challenges you faced are any easier to tackle now?
As in encountering again with the life experience garnered so far? Or coming at those same issues freshly with the global knowledge now available?
With Experience: Hell yeah, aside from the "stuff you now know" there is a distinct improvement in how to think and analyse problems which is very potent when paired with vast knowledge sources, particularly ones that evolve and grow as fast as technology.
Fresh Encounter: Not really, more difficult if anything. The tools and environments have grown; the challenges an resources have increased in complexity; and there is greater shielding of the user from the operational aspects of the tech they use; but the core is still to me about concepts, postulation and logical thought process - if you don't have that, you're SOL when things "break"

-- On a typical day, how long will you be interacting with computer devices?
Nice broadening there. Work days: around fourteen hours, sometimes more.

-- Do you appreciate the extended functionality/increasing pervasiveness of computing now?
Yes. Besides the greater convenience, those qualities and the desire to increase their scope makes teams like the one I'm in essential.

-- Can you remember when you started using computers?
First homebrew, 1965 a very simple device using relays from pinball machines. Almost got an adder implemented by Science Fair Time. Won a minor physics award.
First real computer: in 1968 on an IBM 1620 BCD engineering/science type machine. (Again in physics dept..)
Changed major to business and got into IBM 360/VS family in early 70's.
Mid 70's got by with TI programmable calculators.
First Micro was Radio Shack TRS-80 Mod II. 1979.
Skipped PC (side track to PC-jr for kids) and went to AT clone. Semi kept up to date with PC's through present.
-- Would you say this was an easy process to get to grips with?
If you have the right mind-set, it can be almost trivial.

-- Since then, has your journey been straightforward, and if not, can you remember what some of your challenges were?
Biggest challenge for over 40 years has been *NOT* choosing something that becomes a technology dead-end. I've done it with hardware, operating systems, applications, languages, development platforms, databases, utilities, - just about everything.

-- Do you have any challenges even now?
Retirement has moved me out of daily face to face interaction with other professionals. The Web in all it's manifestations is not a complete substitute.

-- Did you/do you have any coping strategies?
Try to keep up to date. Learn something new every month. Buy new technology as you can.

-- Looking back, do you think the challenges you faced are any easier to tackle now?
Good old consultant answer - It depends. With the Interwebs it is easier to do research and look things up than previously. Flip side is information overload.

-- On a typical day, how long will you be interacting with computer devices?
Anywhere from zero to 14 hours, depending.

-- Do you appreciate the extended functionality/increasing pervasiveness of computing now?
Yes, have had PDA's or Smart Phones since price-point got down below my "buy" threshold. Have two Androids now.

I come from the IBM AS400 world where I was a tech expert (25 years on the application level). The PC world is very different and I'm an intermediate-level non-tech user. But my experience does give me a feel for what's going on and I have an understanding of what computers are, what they do and how they do it.
I'm a logical thinker and rational. Computers, and what's going on inside them, are interesting to me. These personality traits make computer use easier and less threatening for me than I'm sure it is for those with different personalities.
I think it may be less that computers are hard to use than they're very complex and do lots and lots of stuff. There's so much there, and this can be daunting. You don't come to a computer knowing how to use it; you have to learn. This might be frustrating if you just want to do it, not learn how to do it the way the computer requires you to do it.
(Actually, I'm very impressed with the cross-application consistency in the user interface in the PC world, and with the intuitiveness of most applications. It could be a whole lot worse than it is.)
A point I'm making is that the ease of computer use is largely dependent on the individual - personality, psychology, orientation and interests.
This doesn't really respond to your survey, but maybe you'll find these thoughts of some use.

1-started 3 years ago.
2-not so easy,but not impossible.
3-the journey was straightforward.
4-yes,changing desktop to laptop and wind XP to win 7.
5-no.
6-yes.
7-3 hours.
8-yes of course.
Good luck Ronald.

Hi Ronald. I'm a developer, and a hobbyist so I'm using computers in just about every capacity.

-- Can you remember when you started using computers?
In school just as microcomputers were introduced around 1979. Back then, computers were all about learning to program.

-- Would you say this was an easy process to get to grips with?
Yes, it led me to a career.

-- Since then, has your journey been straightforward, and if not, can you remember what some of your challenges were?
There was a time when it was possible to know everything about your computer, from the inner workings of the hardware to every piece of software available. Today it's difficult to be an expert in a single software package. So I think the challenge is in choosing your computer type and the software you're going to run, and then becoming as proficient as possible. As a developer, that list is a long one.
-- Do you have any challenges even now?
Computers change, particularly the software. This can often lead to learning the entire thing again from scratch, Microsoft being one of the worst culprits.
-- Did you/do you have any coping strategies?
I find that ignoring new versions of software in order to avoid re-learning is a bad idea. If you're out of date, you can very quickly get out of step with other users, online services and have file format issues. So my strategy is to keep as up to date as possible and that means putting time & effort into it.
-- Looking back, do you think the challenges you faced are any easier to tackle now?
Hardware is so much easier to deal with now. And, it doesn't break down quite as often. Conversely software failures more than make up for that. But in general when I look back I could do what I used to do standing on my head with one arm tied behind my back
-- On a typical day, how long will you be interacting with computer devices?
This is difficult to answer. If I'm in a skype call, am I interacting with the device, or the person on the other end ? Does watching my tv count - it's full of computers. What about driving ?
Computing seems to have penetrated every part of my life. I'll take a guess that 60% of my waking hours involving some form of computing.
-- Do you appreciate the extended functionality/increasing pervasiveness of computing now?
These days computing is about collecting, organising, storing and searching data. The better organised the data, and the more access you have to it, the easier life can be. Computers do intrude into life in general but I'm seeing the level of perceived annoyance drop, as a larger propertion of the public is using them & so is tolerant to others' use. Mobile phones are a lot less annoying than a 1980s ghetto blaster (boom box to US readers), but I think you're always going to have to endure bus rides with businessmen who shout into their phones non stop.

I have to help you, Ron, I too had to ask people questions for a psychology project away baaaaaack when.

1--Got my 1st computer in 1970's-A Commodore Vic-20.

2--No, had to learn Basic, but it was worth it and a ton of fun, especially the games.

3--Pretty straight-forward as I gradually went with the flow. I bought 2nd hand computers until the 90's, mostly from offices that used them until they became obsolete (like in 2 years)and they sold them. Never paid over $100. for one up to then. They were happy to get rid of them.

4--I wouldn't exactly refer to them as "challenges" because learning Word Perfect in DOS was fun and fascinating.
It was difficult to learn how to use a mouse when mice came on the market--I kept wanting to use the keyboard for everything.

5--The worst challenge I've had, was when MS came out with Service-Pack Two and it crashed my computer. I couldn't even use Safe Mode in order to delete the program that caused it as the SM button wouldn't turn it on. Very frustrating.

6--The biggest challenge I have now is with my virus protection. It won't permit pop-ups or allow my game-site to work unless I re-set my browser settings each time I use the site. If I forget, it freezes up.

7--My coping strategy is a fantastic tech guy who knows everything there is about computers. He saved all my files and hard drive when my computer crashed, and for way less than it would've cost to buy a new computer. C-Net is a big help, too.

8--Challenges now are far easier to solve; I could almsot ask, "What challenges?"

9--Typically, I'm off and on my computer every day. I'm a published author and always typing out new chapters or pages...probably about 4 to 7 hrs. a day.

10--I love the way that the Net turned out. I think it's wonderful--a seeker's paradise!

Good Luck!

Have you considered accessibility for disabled persons? With screen readers, speech recognition and other assistive technology it is much easier for disabled persons to access technology, if only service providers abided by industry standards. Checkout www.fitamalta.eu for more info.

-- Can you remember when you started using computers?

Yes, 1981 when Sinclair released their ZX81 home computer

-- Would you say this was an easy process to get to grips with?

Not at all. It was a steep learning curve.

-- Since then, has your journey been straightforward, and if not, can you remember what some of your challenges were?

No, the journey has continued to be difficult and challenging. Some challenges I faced include;

a) Demonstrating how computers could aid work practices in the office where I worked.

b) Setting up computers in the work place.

c) Managing and maintaining them.

d) Managing the 'pace of change' in computer technology.

d) Troubleshooting my own systems at home.

-- Do you have any challenges even now?

Yes, as above, troubleshooting home systems.

-- Did you/do you have any coping strategies?

Yes, learn quickly, seek advice, and mainly, struggle!

-- Looking back, do you think the challenges you faced are any easier to tackle now?

Not at all. Computers have continued to develop and become more sophisticated over the years. Whilst GUI's have been developed to help users manage systems, those GUI's only provide a 'top level' snapshot of problems and difficulties and rarely dig deeper into root causes.

-- On a typical day, how long will you be interacting with computer devices?

Typically 8-10 hours daily.

-- Do you appreciate the extended functionality/increasing pervasiveness of computing now?

Difficult to grasp the meaning of the question, but I certainly appreciate how the internet in general has allowed simple persons like myself to reach out to the whole world, and how personal computers and other devices allow us facilitate that.

I suspect we would all be surprised, and perhaps somewhat alarmed, at how pervasive computer technology has become in our societies.

Mark