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

[Toby Reiter <str4552@OBERLIN.EDU>]

On 3 Dec 1996 rubywand@aol.com wrote:
>      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.

Not really.  You can give me the clearest information in the world about 
the two formats, but unless you handed me the code, I doubt I could 
create a workable program.

 
>      The "Rewire the power supply" business seems to be a case of poetic
> license. If such advice was ever actually given in response 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.

Actually, the post did contain some very detailed instructions of exactly 
how to perform the rewiring. Unfortunately, even if is detailed it can 
still pass over the heads of what a person can understand or be willing 
to do (out of fear of doing it wrong and ruining valuable equipment.)  If 
there was some source I knew of that could be an intermediate step 
between me and my power supply (such as "Get this book on general 
wiring/soldering, read it, then try this.")  It's not that I need or 
want someone to do it for me, it simply that I do not (and I expect most 
people agree) want to grab a soldering iron and go full tilt at my IIgs.
     
I said:
> >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?

Because part of the reason I am complaining is because I have no clear 
idea of where to go (if I did, I wouldn't be asking this question).  All 
this really entails is identifying intermediate sources of information 
for those of us interested in increasing our knowledge so that we don't 
become discouraged reading Apple's Hardware or Firmware References.

> >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.

Depends on the person, really. I have found that I can learn a lot about 
a computer/software by going over the manuals that came with it, 
especially when I may have been doing something wrong or been unaware of 
a specific command/feature that can make my job easier. I don't think 
it's possible to find all of the nuances of a computer through trial and 
error alone. Of course it's important to use the computer, but manuals 
can oftentimes be indispensible.

Then, I said:
> >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.

This is not what I meant to imply. I meant, that, to my knowledge, there 
are very few sources which can bridge the gap between knowing what RAM 
is, and manipulating memory through Hexadecimal addresses (i.e. if you 
don't know how hexadecimal works or what it represents, then you're in 
trouble).
 
>      Your assertion that, after some vaguely defined "Moderate User"
> stage, there is only the impossible-for-newbies-to-achieve "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.

Don't worry, you didn't offend me. :)  I know that there is no ultimate 
end in computers. It's simply that there seems to be a pretty steep wall 
between where I am now, and where I would like to be. I would like this 
new FAQ to serve as a flight of stairs (sorry about the corny analogy) 
from one level to the next.


>      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.

Well, I feel that maybe a splitting and enhancing of the current FAQ 
might be good.  All of the topics in the normal FAQ which are a bit more 
complicated and not important to a newbie (such as using a postscript 
printer) could be added to a Power User's's FAQ, and all of the newbie stuff 
(basic hardware, variety of Apple II computers, how to download, etc.) 
could be reserved for a New User's FAQ. I do not consider myself a newbie 
in any sense, even though I have only been using Apple II's seriously for 
a year and a half. I know how to use my system and I know how to expand 
it.

>      A journey of 1000 subroutines begins with the first byte. 
 
Y'see? Most people don't even know what a byte is! :-) 

Just my 16 bits (2 bytes),
Toby Reiter