All -
Once in a while I see some ignorant person slam Apple because they see a story that says, for example, that Maine is going to spend millions on Apple computers, software and training.
"Training?" they cry, sarcastically. "Why would anyone need training on a Macintosh? I thought they were supposed to be easy to use."
This is another case of people starting with an invalid assumption, applying faulty logic, and coming up with nonsense.
FACT: Nobody was born knowing how to use a computer.
This means that anyone who is using a computer, particularly one based on a platform they've never been exposed to, needs some training. So, too, will the technicians who support the computer.
FACT: Macs are easier to use than Windows.
Before anyone pipes up and says that isn't true anymore, let me just make couple of supporting arguments.
1 - When using a Macintosh, you will virtually NEVER find your system so borked up that you have to reinstall your operating system and every single other application you use. Things might get bolluxed up on the Mac, but after doing a clean re-install of the OS, you'll find that your applications will still run. And in my 16 years of experience with Macs and PCs, the OS reinstall is required about twenty times as often on Windows.
2 - You will never have to edit the registry to solve a problem or change a setting on the Mac. Since there is no registry, you'll never see a set of instructions for solving a problem that start with a bunch of dire warnings about how mistakes in editing the registry may cause your system to become unuseable, but since you have no choice right now, go to:
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Services/NdisWan/Linkage" and look for the value "\Device\{348C6580-B1E3-4290-A3B6-E0E1D108B8663" ... etc.
Certainly Apple deserves some of the blame for the idea that Macs are so easy to use that nobody would ever need training. They do tout the ease of use in ways that might give some people that impression. People, especially those in support roles, do need training on Macs.
- Allen |
