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Mr. Picklesworth
June 14th, 2008, 03:48 AM
I have noticed that a large number of my issues with helping people figure out their computers come from the way they seem to look at their computer screens. Just yesterday I was helping someone figure out how to email an image in Windows, where I decided the easiest way to do it was with the built in Photo Gallery (until I learned that the poor lost fellow had no idea how to select files, or what that meant).

Okay, in fairness, this issue can partly be blamed on Windows. I showed him how to select the files, then to click on the clearly labelled E-mail button at the top. Took some pointing to get him there, but I was expecting that. At this point, bafflingly, the email program appeared below Windows Photo Gallery. I decided that I was being too controlling at that point, so I told him to go over to the email program which had "strangely" appeared beneath the window he was working in.

It was then that it hit me: This person had not noticed the new window appear, and it took a disturbing amount of effort to get him to find it. My new theory is that users like this one experience tunnel vision whenever faced with computer displays, and thus focus entirely on a small area of the screen, entirely oblivious to the rest. It seems that the condition there is not compatible with today's operating systems in the slightest, even on small 14" screens.

Suddenly, I wonder whether we would have more competent users if Windows still used a command line interface...

jrusso2
June 14th, 2008, 03:57 AM
I have noticed that a large number of my issues with helping people figure out their computers come from the way they seem to look at their computer screens. Just yesterday I was helping someone figure out how to email an image in Windows, where I decided the easiest way to do it was with the built in Photo Gallery (until I learned that the poor lost fellow had no idea how to select files, or what that meant).

Okay, in fairness, this issue can partly be blamed on Windows. I showed him how to select the files, then to click on the clearly labelled E-mail button at the top. Took some pointing to get him there, but I was expecting that. At this point, bafflingly, the email program appeared below Windows Photo Gallery. I decided that I was being too controlling at that point, so I told him to go over to the email program which had "strangely" appeared beneath the window he was working in.

It was then that it hit me: This person had not noticed the new window appear, and it took a disturbing amount of effort to get him to find it. My new theory is that users like this one experience tunnel vision whenever faced with computer displays, and thus focus entirely on a small area of the screen, entirely oblivious to the rest. It seems that the condition there is not compatible with today's operating systems in the slightest, even on small 14" screens.

Suddenly, I wonder whether we would have more competent users if Windows still used a command line interface...

You would have a lot more competent users but a lot less users over all. I started with DOS commands but back then a home computer was still unusual.

madjr
June 14th, 2008, 08:05 AM
interesting accessibility findings, some people do suffer from this.

should a person like this be allowed to drive a car?

hmm, i don't think so, but they probably do without too much trouble...

but how can he/she drive if he/she can't even use a simple program??

well the answer is: Training

to drive a vehicle you need to study/train and pass an exam...


i think Ubuntu should include some basic Desktop tutorials.

in these videos you can see that even advance windows users have trouble getting around the ubuntu/gnome interface for a while
http://ubunite.com/content/view/66/1/

Stu09
June 14th, 2008, 08:56 AM
It was then that it hit me: This person had not noticed the new window appear, and it took a disturbing amount of effort to get him to find it. My new theory is that users like this one experience tunnel vision whenever faced with computer displays, and thus focus entirely on a small area of the screen, entirely oblivious to the rest.
I agree with this totally. No one RTFM or notices things blinking, or new icons/windows appearing. They just focus totally on what they are trying to do at the time.
If it's not blatantly in their face, they don't even notice it's there.