TOC Linux

[billt-lxSQFCZeNF4 at public.gmane.org]

This is an excellent response. I agree that most people are capable of understanding how a computer program or language works if properly explained. I have had to audit courses for suitability for clients before, and my biggest complaint isn't the content of the course but the people doing the teaching (and usually the unsuitability of the exercises). I have met very few people that can't be taught how to use a program, language, OS etc... The real problems are the teachers, and the attitude the students.

On the comment of Windows becoming more complex than UNIX. Windows NT has always been more complex than UNIX especially its security model. The model is so complex in fact that most windows administers don't understand windows security and consequently choose either totally permissive or total lockdown as the default options. I had gone through an entire security audit for a NT machine being placed in production in 1999 ( think big anal company that answers to government regulation about security). The audit itself took a week. That is four people in a meeting 8 hours a day going through every OS security mechanism, every firewall setting, every application level security mechanism implemented. It was not fun, and more importantly it was a much more complicated system than UNIX system I had ever dealt with.

On Fri, Mar 03, 2006 at 11:24:23AM -0500, Angelina Carlton wrote:
> Rick Tomaschuk <rickl-ZACYGPecefkm4kRHVhTciCwD8/FfD2ys at public.gmane.org> writes:
> > I agree completely. The majority of users from a technical point of view
> > are largely brain dead and from a company perspective this is generally
> > preferred. All managers and users want to know is what icon to click on
> > and how to use their applications. Computers are tools in the office. Do
> > you need a course to use a calculator? Generally no. The costs for
> > retraining are for support staff. Has anyone attend seminars on window$
> > secruity? I have. window$ has become more complex than UNIX. As window$
> > support costs spiral out of control due to the increasing complexity of
> > the product, UNIX/Linux looks more attractive due to its stability.
> 
> I see a couple of things in this quote that reflects the IT dept in my
> company. First off, a computer is considerably more complex than a
> calculator so I cannot understand this analogy at all and am
> surprised that some one in IT would draw such a conclusion.
> 
> A CNC machine is also a tool, I doubt its users just jump in there with no
> training either. Training can be very powerful, useful and time-saving, even
> if its training in IE and Excel. 
> 
> Secondly, even from a technical point of view, the majority users are not
> brain dead. Just because my job involves accounts and materials and
> contracts does not mean I am incapable of learning a programming
> language or recompiling a kernel. 
> 
> The majority of users are more likely on par intelligence wise with
> anyone of their colleagues in IT. 
> 
> If I am to be "trained" by someone who perceived me as brain dead then I
> have no interest in learning from them. 
> 
> -- 
> -----Angelina Carlton-----
> orchid on irc.freenode.net
>      brat-J4oS66wZXds at public.gmane.org
> web:bzgirl.bakadigital.com
> --------------------------
> --
> The Toronto Linux Users Group.      Meetings: http://tlug.ss.org
> TLUG requests: Linux topics, No HTML, wrap text below 80 columns
> How to UNSUBSCRIBE: http://tlug.ss.org/subscribe.shtml
--
The Toronto Linux Users Group.      Meetings: http://tlug.ss.org
TLUG requests: Linux topics, No HTML, wrap text below 80 columns
How to UNSUBSCRIBE: http://tlug.ss.org/subscribe.shtml