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

Just as increased energy efficiency is consumed by expanding use (e.g., modern 'energy star' refrigerators are much larger than the inefficient models we had several years ago; vehicles get bigger, not more mileage-efficient), the Jevons paradox applies to some (not all) computing environments: more ram, larger and faster drives, 27-inch monitors mean that we task our computers with more demands, resulting in a kind of stasis in complexity.

But not all computers. There is a universe of very simple to use computers expanding right now, at an exponential rate. I am referring to ipods, ipod touches, iphones and ipads from apple, and the exploding panoply of android, palm and hp devices. My 4G Android 'phone' can hardly be considered a phone - it's a computer, which performs an amazing variety of computer tasks, many of them on a single touch or even voice command. The ipad, initially thought to have an initial market of 4 million, has blown past 40 million, and the growth curve hasn't even begun to flatten out.

So two forces at play: Jevons paradox applies to computers used in corporate, scientific, engineering and design/creative environments. And the hoped for simplicity you refer to is, a bit late, just arriving now!

1.) 1973 Punch Cards
2.) It was actually funny
3.) There have always been challenges. Buggy software, 640K memory limit, Vista..it never ends. PCs have been around for 30 years and are still difficult to use.
4.) Always..
5.) No choice but to plow through
6.) No. Software and hardware companies still produce products that are not very intuitive. As someone said smartphones may be closer to intuitive devices.
7.) 3-5 hours
8.) Why? Have they improved the copy and paste and spel chek functionality?

Can you remember when you started using computers?
1985

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

-- Since then, has your journey been straightforward, and if not, can you remember what some of your challenges were?
I taught animation on Macs from 1999 to 2003. I came to deeply dislike Macs. For me, PC's are much more preferable. The one exception being PC's notoriously poor Indian tech support. I find myself having to ask them repeat everything 3 or 4 times and to add insult to injury they generally can not answer or assist with the issue.

-- Do you have any challenges even now? occassionally

-- Did you/do you have any coping strategies? search the internet for answers

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

-- On a typical day, how long will you be interacting with computer devices? 5 to 6 hours daily

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

yes....I purchase a state of the art laptop each summer and they continue to improve in almost all areas.

-- Can you remember when you started using computers? I can remember when my job required that I start using computers. I was a graphic designer in a medical school and I came in one day and saw that my Compugraphics had been replaced by a desktop computer (don't remember the name). Anyway, I quit, went back to school and got a degree in tv production. Three years later, I decided to go back into the graphics business and purchased a Macintosh (it looked like a little box with a window in it). In 1992, I got a job as a Marketing Specialist. I lied and told them I could use a computer. They sat me down in front of one my first day! Luckily, I was blessed with a wonderful assistant who helped me learn how to use it and now, I am very proficient with it.


-- Would you say this was an easy process to get to grips with? It was very tough at first, but I forced myself to learn. Going from the drafting table to a computer was like going from riding a horse to driving a bus.

-- Since then, has your journey been straightforward, and if not, can you remember what some of your challenges were? Recovering from crashes, learning graphics software, backing up files, learning how to use the internet effectively.

-- Do you have any challenges even now? Every day is a challenge! Learning how to create web pages is my newest challenge. Keeping up with the changing technologies and multi-media formats that are available.

-- Did you/do you have any coping strategies? Just suck it up and do it! I also like to bang my mouse on my desk and curse the computer when things get particularly difficult.

-- Looking back, do you think the challenges you faced are any easier to tackle now? Oh God yes! I can tear my computer down, put it back together, do upgrades, reformat, help my friends and family when they need help, and knowing where to get answers when something goes wrong.


-- On a typical day, how long will you be interacting with computer devices? Usually 10-12 during my busy season (I'm a graphic designer specializing in ads and publications).

-- Do you appreciate the extended functionality/increasing pervasiveness of computing now? I got an email from my uncle that was sent from his computer. It was a video of him just staring at the computer. He didn't mean to send it. I hate having to download security and virus updates constantly and don't understand why PC's still have way more problems than Mac's. But the good that computers do far outweighs the bad. It's an invaluable tool and I would never give it up.

-- Can you remember when you started using computers?
About '79 I was introduced to a mini (not a netbook). But, I really began in about 1983 as I encouraged my mother, the bookkeeper, to use a PC for her work. It was CPM based.

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

-- Since then, has your journey been straightforward, and if not, can you remember what some of your challenges were?
Convincing people PC's were good. Getting a user-friendly screen. They really still don't exist (except for iPads). Sometimes I think a DOS based, menu is still good for preventing mistakes.

-- Do you have any challenges even now?
Yes. Keeping malware away.

-- Did you/do you have any coping strategies?
Not really. As technology changes, the problems change. As do the responses. I have come to truly loathe Windows. My response to helping friends -- "I am sorry. I just don't keep up with that particular technology."

-- Looking back, do you think the challenges you faced are any easier to tackle now?
Not really. In fact, they are somewhat more difficult;depending on the user and interface. Kids still adapt well.

-- On a typical day, how long will you be interacting with computer devices?
Including my PC,iPad, Kindle, Blackberry, Sonos remote, and new Logitech Entertainment remote control? About 18.

-- Do you appreciate the extended functionality/increasing pervasiveness of computing now?
Yes. Just look at Logitech's approach to controlling TV's DVD players, etc. Look at what I call the "App" revolution.

Good luck on your project.

-- Can you remember when you started using computers?
1983. I had a BASIC computing class in college. I had a very difficult time wrapping my brain around BASIC. I still remember spending hours in the computer lab trying to program the computer to print an American flag. It would get part way and stop, displaying "Syntax error on line xyz". I'd fix that error, and start the whole fingernail pulling process over. I hated computers, and didn't touch another one until 2000 when I bought a Dell Dimension 4100, which I'm typing on right now. I never took a class on Windows (it came with ME, which sucked big time). Between Dell's then excellent tech support, the DellTalk Forum, Cnet's forums, I was able to teach myself enough to make it work.

-- Would you say this was an easy process to get to grips with?
Yes and no. I think computers present themselves as such an awesome tool, which they are, until something doesn't work right. As someone said, they work great until they don't. Windows Millennium used to crash all the time on me. but XP is MUCH better. Now I'm learning 7, which is like three steps forward and one step back. I still struggle at times, but I think I learned enough over the years that I kind of learned how to learn.

-- Since then, has your journey been straightforward, and if not, can you remember what some of your challenges were?
Sometimes. A lot of things do, for the most part, work great. But I'll put in another vote for all the programs that we all need to use to do something with the computer (Word, Photoshop, etc) are the greatest challenge. The computer is such a deeply complicated tool that there is just a lot to know, and I think the people who write programs are more concerned with what features they can add than how easy it is to use them. Sometimes I just don't bother buying a program that promises to make my life better because I know learning it won't make my life easier, and I don't have the time.

-- Do you have any challenges even now?
Yes, see previous answer.

-- Did you/do you have any coping strategies?
Ask people on forums. I read as much as I can understand, but I have a lot of difficulty learning things from a manual or Help file that comes with a program, so it's invaluable to get help from someone who understands the program.

-- Looking back, do you think the challenges you faced are any easier to tackle now?
Some are. Installing devices I think is a lot easier than it used to be (though not problem-free). I spend a lot less time fixing Windows or worrying I'll screw up my OS than I used to. However, I find that newer versions of programs need a LOT of work on the functionality, not just adding of features I won't use.

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

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

I can do a heck of a lot more, but it also uses up more time to learn the new stuff.

I don't like the research question, it have an assumption that computer difficult to use and that means:
1. Your research and conclusion are biased, you are only collecting negative responses.
2. You will have a difficult time if you find opposing conclusions.

There is a great phrase: When you got a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

So if you got this kind of question, you will probably find biased responses and write biased questions.

My recommended research question:
Are computers are difficult to use? if so why?
You didn't specify about what computers you are talking about? Personal? main frame? calculators?

I also highly recommend consulting with instructor/professor about your research question and methodology.

I am also a BA students, i had my share of headache from proffers about how to write research questions.

-- Can you remember when you started using computers?

I began with data processing in high school, in 1960. My dad worked with 2nd generation computers and I helped him. I edged into computers while putting myself through school doing keypunching (old punched cards for those who don't know the term). I learned much about the logic of programming using the big mainframe on campus. Did NOT take computer related courses. Just learned more and more. Began doing word processing in the early years and writing macros taught me more about programming. Began using my brother's Apple II to play games in the 70's. Migrated to PCs in early 80's. Spent the rest of my life doing many jobs that fell between the cracks of programming and novices to computing. Obviously a non-standard path.

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

In a way, yes. My dad's comfort with computing made me just take it for granted. I migrated easily to computers as they became more wide spread.

In a way, no. My very non-standard work history made it difficult to fit into usual job descriptions. Branched into telephony and voice processing for a while.

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

Not at all. see above. I'm not really a hacker type. I understood the basic working of computers to begin with, I could do Basic and other programming. But my style of learning is to read manuals cover to cover and then when I'm using the program, I know roughly where to look for help. Over the years, manuals have gotten worse and worse - some are so badly written it is amazing anyone would publish them. When object-oriented programming came in, I sort of hit a wall. Could never really get my mind around it. Couldn't get my mind to translate from the old programming styles to the new one. So I got stuck. Eventually, too many years of using computers too many hours a day did me in: I had to take early retirement due to major repetitive strain injuries from my neck down both shoulders and to my hands.

-- Do you have any challenges even now?

Yes. I use computers for fun and my hands pay a price in pain if I lose track of time. I can't really afford some of the newer gadgets and am getting old enough that I'm not really trying to fit into the younger world of social networking - I can't see the point.

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

To be blunt, mostly addictive behaviors. I couldn't figure how to fit into the "normal" computing world and bosses didn't really know what to do with me, though they knew I knew a lot and was very bright. I fell into doing work that demanded little commitment, paid the bills and focused my life on getting out of the more self-destructive patterns.

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

No. Perhaps the fact that kids are now growing up with computers means that those who really want to dig into their guts self-select early. It is so much a part of life now. I still think there are serious difficulties with the writing of manuals and help materials. There is too much variability in what programs do - or how they do it. Don't know if things will ever go the route of cars, the standardizing of the basic operations. Simple to use computers need to come out of the classroom and AARP magazines. I have to accept, tho, that my mathematical and logical ability made it easy for me to use computers in the days when it seemed impossible to most. The problems today are ones I can't fix and tech support is so poor and so expensive that I frequently think about becoming a Luddite. At the least, of throwing my computer in the trash. I worry that kids are becoming technically competent at the cost of little breadth of humanity. I hope I'm wrong.

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

2-4 hours, spread over the day.

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

In many ways I do. Much of that is fun. But I dislike intensely the difficult of finding solutions to problems. And I am deeply concerned that the increased functionality has resulted in loss of jobs without a parallel shift in the culture to let people have more leisure without loss of income. In the early days, there was this wonderful idea that computers would free up time for creativity. All they really seem to do is to increase production and consumption and take jobs away. Good scientific uses, of course, but the average person isn't helped much.

-- Can you remember when you started using computers?
Yes about 1964 - programming in basic assembler on a Burroughs 200 -- 4K card reader, printer and tape drives.

-- Would you say this was an easy process to get to grips with?
Actually yes - I started by debugging my husband's code and sort of fell into programming. Burroughs assembler was pretty simple - 12 byte instruction and variable length data . Of course you were also limited in what you could do and there were no screens to consider.

-- Since then, has your journey been straightforward, and if not, can you remember what some of your challenges were?
Journey has had its bumps. I think while we were on mainframes life was a good deal simpler. Someone else took care of the operating system, updating software, hardware problems etc. We only had to understand user needs and code solutions - a simpler problem.
When we moved to PCs they too were relatively simple - again screens were much simpler - languages on the mainframe became very easy to use - examples were NOMAD and other 3rd generation languages. These did not immediately migrate to the PC - we were instead faced with fairly complicated PC based data base products.

-- Do you have any challenges even now?

Oh yes - for instance I now have a fairly new PC that drops into the blue screen of death at least once a day - I have followed all the advice I can get but still it continues. Waiting for tecchie son to look at that one.
Very difficult to figure out what I really need to keep on my machine - I have two copies of the operating system for some reason and daren't touch either.

-- Did you/do you have any coping strategies?
Yes - had two sons who are tecchies - that helped a lot
Became a senior exec - then had peons who solved my problems for me - hired good ones - now I retired - serious mistake!
Am good at reading manuals - other people are not so good at writing them - my sons say it is all instinctive and they don't generally read manuals
I am patient

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

No definitely not - but that is really because you can do so much more with the modern computer - I still think software is really written by tecchies for tecchies not for normal human beings. That has been a bit of a problem from the beginning - every time it started to get resolved - be more end user oriented - new stuff appeared and the tecchies went back to normal. A bit of an exaggeration but there!

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

Generally about 5 hours - that does not include my IPAD etc - those I consider as toys and do not use for any serious stuff!

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

Yes - and I am sure they will become more pervasive - I just can't imagine going back to the days when everything didn't have computers built in - e.g. cars, security systems - oh and even my kitchen applicances - those have of course got a lot easier to use!

Good luck on your study - I'm originally from Newcastle on Tyne - a geordie.

He's answering that sometimes PCs are difficult to use because they are NOT all the same. As you correctly pointed out, if all computers were the same, it would be boring and we would just be randomly picking up any PC out there based on cost. We would either be using command-line computers such as DOS, Unix, etc. or we would be using computers that look like the Macintosh (such as Windows).

1. TRS 99A, early 80s
2. It was a lot easier. Became more difficult with Microsoft holding its programs private.
3. A lot more problematical, with every new MS OS being full of problems, from useless code to open to spam and viruses.
4. Every time I have to upgrade to a new OS from MS.
5. Get online to CNET and other forums, google searches for solutions.
6. Between legal work, emails, Facebook and Twitter, not to mention games, easily 10-14 hours most days.
7. Until Watson showed up on Jeopardy, there was no real progress in computing. More and more simple appliances are being tied into a computer, but that is just more "work" for the computer, not any real progress, just more opportunities to fail or be hijacked.

While not part of your questions, the internet has been the biggest step in computer use, and the social media have become the biggest use of the net. Yahoo!Answers and Answers.com have become the first source of answers to questions for a lot of kids and adults - unfortunately, since so many responders know little or nothing about the question and its subject.

Can you remember when you started using computers?
During engineering lab in college in 1969 I was introduced to the nascent ARPAnet and learned how to create punch cards for data entry.

Would you say this was an easy process to get to grips with?
No, I was not a very good typist and any mistake had to be thrown out and restarted. Programming was machine language, and I wasn't willing to learn a new language. I am very grateful to all the programmers that have created all the marvelous software that is now very easy to download and use.

Since then, has your journey been straightforward, and if not, can you remember what some of your challenges were?
No, although I worked on computer systems in the Navigation Center on nuclear submarines in the 70's and IBM 360's and the officeMAC LISA system in the 80's, I didn't break down and join the computer society at home until 1995 when I bought a WebTV. That was adequate for my needs until 2005 when I bought a Sony VAIO with WindowsXP. Now I have a Dell desktop running XP and a new VAIO running Windows 7 with which I am rapidly becoming best friends.

Do you have any challenges even now?
Because I am fairly familiar with Windows XP, the shift to Windows 7 has been pretty easy. I am not a gammer, but I have always looked at conquering a new software program and integrating it into my computer as the ultimate game. I still have no desire to learn the language of computers and rarely touch even HTML language. As long as there are youngsters out there willing to produce new software i am willing to give it a try (ie the new Hamster video converter is my latest download via CNET; thank you very much)

Did you/do you have any coping strategies? Patience is a learned virtue and will garner you the ultimate reward. Intellectual curiosity opens the mind's eye to other genre which is the greatest aid when conducting computer searches. It really helps to read more than what's on the computer screen to engage the synapses (eg books, magazines, product labels, technical manuals). Don't be afraid to open your eyes to new realms of knowledge, but always enable the mental discernment button before downloading all you hear or read.

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

On a typical day, how long will you be interacting with computer devices?
If you include DVR, digital tv, MP3 player, laptop, desktop, Archos 70 internet tablet, and cell phone then the anser is about 18 hours. If you add all the RF from wireless routers, cell phone towers, satellites, tv and radio transmiters, then 24/7.

Do you appreciate the extended functionality/increasing pervasiveness of computing now?
Can't live with them, can't live with out them; but within the next 5 years the internet will wakeup to itself, and in 30 years a version of the Cylons (ie BSG) will be amongst us.

-- Can you remember when you started using computers?
1965, in a very simple way - but they were all relatively simple in '65. It started with a correspondence course about basic CPU and other hardware, and binary & octal number systems. If everyone got a little basic knowledge of CPUs and rudimentary number systems the rest would be easy.

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

-- Since then, has your journey been straightforward, and if not, can you remember what some of your challenges were?
The biggest challenge was learning to use a mouse and converting from keyboard to mouse and graphics oriented thinking.

-- Do you have any challenges even now?
Microsoft keeps changing the file system organization with each "improvement" to the OS. I don't see why they need to change the organization around just because of security changes.

-- Did you/do you have any coping strategies?
No strategy, just getting my hands dirty finding out what undocumented changes MS made.

-- Looking back, do you think the challenges you faced are any easier to tackle now?
No.

-- On a typical day, how long will you be interacting with computer devices?
Six to eight hours.

-- Do you appreciate the extended functionality/increasing pervasiveness of computing now?
No. Maybe. Probably. Naaah. Just stop "improving" the system.

Yes, yes, yes! to your remarks about Libraries and duplicate names. Talk about confusion! And to what purpose? You are not alone in wanting File Manager to have its identity back!
Thanks for that.

Dear Ronald:

What a brilliant idea! Below I will respond to your 8 bullets:

-- Can you remember when you started using computers? I first was introduced to computers in 1971 -- an Olivetti Programma -- when I was a research assistant at a local university. From then on, computers played an increasingly important role in my life. From there I went into the nuclear business where we still used a "comptometer" for arithmetic but our data was presented on punch tape off a teletype machine. We solved 6 order matrices on the compometer! I used the HP41CX to create data reductiion algorithms for alpha spectroscopy. In 1984 I hired a fellow who'd taught himself to use the early DOS machines, the Commodores & Texas Instruments generation. He taught me all the basics & I learned to program in DBase. He & I built an entire program -- back end & front end -- that was in use for over 10 years, until the "experts" introduced Microsoft Access, which in fact is inferior to DBase III+.

-- Would you say this was an easy process to get to grips with? It was a minor challenge, I was a scientist so it was "just one more piece" I had to deal with.

-- Since then, has your journey been straightforward, and if not, can you remember what some of your challenges were? My learning curve has been continuous since the beginning. I'm retired now so I'm now into the publishing & design business as well as science.

-- Do you have any challenges even now? Oh, sure there are challenges but the internet's so easy (now) that most answers are only a click away.

-- Did you/do you have any coping strategies? Not really.

-- Looking back, do you think the challenges you faced are any easier to tackle now? No, the challenges are the same. Right now I'm tackling the new postal regulations in USA which require a new barcode for bulk mailings.

-- On a typical day, how long will you be interacting with computer devices? Hours -- maybe up to 8 or so.

-- Do you appreciate the extended functionality/increasing pervasiveness of computing now? Not necessairly. I always am believing that computers have become "too functional" in many respects. Re: my mailing issue stated above, I would wish the USPS to just provide the software & simple instructions to use the new technology. Instead it's outsourced to 3rd parties (because that's what the USA does!) who add another layer of dis-functionality.