Comments on: Why People Stick With Windows http://www.brainhandles.com/2007/01/28/sticking-with-windows/ Whatever's tugging at my brain handles Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:14:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Sheree http://www.brainhandles.com/2007/01/28/sticking-with-windows/#comment-446 Sheree Wed, 20 Jun 2007 06:52:44 +0000 http://www.brainhandles.com/2007/01/28/the-problem-with-switching/#comment-446 Wow. I came up with the same idea a while back, as a difference in learning style, and I called it "conceptual" and "sequential" learning. I told a friend, once, that you can tell which one someone is by handing them a brand-new remote control. If they look at the remote control, and begin using it immediately because they already know what the buttons are for, then likely, they're "conceptual." If, instead, they take it from you, and can't figure out how to use it because it's "not like their other one," you've got a "sequential" (the same thing as your "procedural"). As an IT professional, these "sequentials" frustrate me to no end, because they ask the same questions over and over. Why? Because, without grokking basic concepts like "files and folders" and "browser" it's impossible to memorize step-by-step instructions for everything a computer can do! Conceptuals don't memorize, they categorize. This gives them excellent pattern-recognition skills, and the ability to absorb information at an exponential rate. I've got a hunch that this difference is a shortcoming of teaching methods. I think that if we start young, and encourage categorization and pattern-recognition in learning instead of rote memorization, it will help the future generation out a lot! Wow. I came up with the same idea a while back, as a difference in learning style, and I called it "conceptual" and "sequential" learning.

I told a friend, once, that you can tell which one someone is by handing them a brand-new remote control.

If they look at the remote control, and begin using it immediately because they already know what the buttons are for, then likely, they're "conceptual."

If, instead, they take it from you, and can't figure out how to use it because it's "not like their other one," you've got a "sequential" (the same thing as your "procedural").

As an IT professional, these "sequentials" frustrate me to no end, because they ask the same questions over and over. Why? Because, without grokking basic concepts like "files and folders" and "browser" it's impossible to memorize step-by-step instructions for everything a computer can do!

Conceptuals don't memorize, they categorize. This gives them excellent pattern-recognition skills, and the ability to absorb information at an exponential rate.

I've got a hunch that this difference is a shortcoming of teaching methods. I think that if we start young, and encourage categorization and pattern-recognition in learning instead of rote memorization, it will help the future generation out a lot!

]]> By: Greg Bulmash http://www.brainhandles.com/2007/01/28/sticking-with-windows/#comment-9 Greg Bulmash Mon, 29 Jan 2007 03:03:46 +0000 http://www.brainhandles.com/2007/01/28/the-problem-with-switching/#comment-9 With the move to Intel, Mac's have come down in price enough to be fairly price-equivalent to comparably equipped Windows machines. On top of that, this isn't just about Mac. It's about Linux too. And there, you can run Linux on inexpensive hardware. As for compatibility... I've often had to deal with people sending me files created on Windows that I couldn't view/read on Windows because I didn't have the software they were using to create them. If you send someone a PowerPoint .ppt format file, they're only going to be able to view it if they've got the more expensive version of Office that includes PowerPoint or if you've gone to the Microsoft site and downloaded a PowerPoint viewer. Just being on Windows is no guarantee of compatibility. And both Mac and Linux have software that can read most Microsoft Office formats as well as many other major file formats. The problem comes with proprietary formats that don't enjoy wide support. With the move to Intel, Mac's have come down in price enough to be fairly price-equivalent to comparably equipped Windows machines. On top of that, this isn't just about Mac. It's about Linux too. And there, you can run Linux on inexpensive hardware.

As for compatibility... I've often had to deal with people sending me files created on Windows that I couldn't view/read on Windows because I didn't have the software they were using to create them.

If you send someone a PowerPoint .ppt format file, they're only going to be able to view it if they've got the more expensive version of Office that includes PowerPoint or if you've gone to the Microsoft site and downloaded a PowerPoint viewer.

Just being on Windows is no guarantee of compatibility. And both Mac and Linux have software that can read most Microsoft Office formats as well as many other major file formats. The problem comes with proprietary formats that don't enjoy wide support.

]]> By: Ray http://www.brainhandles.com/2007/01/28/sticking-with-windows/#comment-8 Ray Mon, 29 Jan 2007 00:59:25 +0000 http://www.brainhandles.com/2007/01/28/the-problem-with-switching/#comment-8 You forgot the initial "pain" of paying a lot more for a Mac, not a trivial consideration when a PC is already seen by many older people as a luxury. Not to mention the fear that it won't be compatible with stuff that their family, friends, coworkers, etc., will send them. You forgot the initial "pain" of paying a lot more for a Mac, not a trivial consideration when a PC is already seen by many older people as a luxury. Not to mention the fear that it won't be compatible with stuff that their family, friends, coworkers, etc., will send them.

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