Re: Becoming a "Super User" (was Re: Teach files to AppleWorks Gs)

[rubywand@aol.com]

In article <Pine.PMDF.3.91.961202125312.1264403B-100000@OBERLIN.EDU>, Toby
Reiter <str4552@OBERLIN.EDU> writes:

>.... When this person 
>asked a simply question "Is there a way to convert a to b", you responded

>"why don't you program it".  Similarly, other people posting simple 
>queries were also given somewhat complex or excessive responses (Original

>post: "My computer crashes often." Response: "Rewire the power supply.") 
>Although this may seem a logical response to many of you, for myself, I 
>can barely wire a battery to a lightbulb (well, maybe better than that, 
>but not much). I would love to learn to program and learn to solder, but 
>you can't expect to shove a technical manual into somebody's hand and 
>have them know what to do.


     That depends upon the manual. If someone has paid attention in school
and learned to read, then, he/she has a decent shot at being able to
follow well-written directions. Nathan's advice about the Teach-to-Awks-GS
conversion is clear enough; i.e.: there is no quickie mass-convert
utility, if you want one, write it.

     The "Rewire the power supply" business seems to be a case of poetic
license. If such advice was ever actually given in reponse to a "My
computer crashes often" question, it does, indeed, lack specificity
(though, at least, the questioner has, probably, been pointed in the right
direction).  It is more likely that the csa2 response contained specific,
clear directions for fixing the problem. Your complaint is that the
directions were not accompanied by a coupon for getting someone else to do
the work.
    
  
>
>I suggest that a FAQ be written which would help Apple II users to get 
>progressively more knowledgeable about their computers, both from a 
>programming and hardware  level.  This FAQ would list books, manuals, 
>etc. in a progressive order so that people could start from the bottom
>and work up.


     So, then, why not get the ball rolling by writing the first few
installments?
     

>As it is right now, most computer users can be at only 
>three levels: illiterate, moderate user, or super user.  The road from 
>illiterate to moderate user is easy to follow: simply by reading all 
>your manuals cover to cover you can pretty much get to that level. 


     Any beginner who has taken the time to read all of the GS manuals
from cover to cover deserves a good swat on the nose with a rolled-up
newspaper. The only way to learn about the GS is to use it. Manuals supply
piles of information; but, it is when the user is engaged in some
interesting project that the info he/she digs up will 'stick'. It is when
a user hits a snag in a game program, or interface card design, or
installation of a new peripheral, or whatever ...  that he or she can ask
a question on csa2 and get a useful answer.



>However, there is no way to get from moderate to super user as far as 
>I can see (on any platform). ....


     If you mean that there is no way for current newbies to experience
the Build Your Own TV Typewriter/ ASCII Keyboard/ TTY Interface/
Micro-Computer/ Memory Expansion/ Tape Interface/ EPROM Programmer/ ...
(to say nothing of cracking program protection schemes, typing-in and
writing programs for Apple II magazines, ...)  experimenter phase of the
'70's and early '80's, then, obviously, it would, now, be too late for
anyone to become a "Super User". There can be only one Beginning Time;
and, for computing, that time is past.

     Your assertion that, after some vaguely defined "Moderate User"
stage, there is only the impossible-for-newbies-to-achive "Super User"
status is (no offense) the view of the 'Grasshopper'. There are many
Levels and many areas in which to advance. A "Super User" knows, first,
that there are no Super Users. Everyone has much to learn.

     Users, today, will take different paths to knowledge than users of
the Beginning Time; but, the knowledge is, still, achievable. Maybe a
comprehensive New User development FAQ will be a great help.

     A journey of 1000 subroutines begins with the first byte.


Rubywand