So Murdock's new Net-only newspaper The Daily is coming soon.
That might be interesting. At least as a phenomenon.
I never liked the tendency of some companies, though, of making the names of their products so generic. In effect they are nouns instead of names. "Windows". "The Daily". "Remote". "App store" (two different apps now.) "Word".
It is confusing. I've heard many people who have no clue about the difference between "Microsoft", "Word", and "Windows". The words are meaningless for being so generic, so it all floats around in their head. "I write on Microsoft, can you open those files?" ... Do you use Windows? "Sure, I have a view of the garden".
Fry and Lauries take on Murdoch
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1aZcsY-O8Q
It is confusing. I've heard many people who have no clue about the difference between "Microsoft", "Word", and "Windows".
ReplyDeleteAre they idiots, though?
You might think so, but no, I found they were often intelligent people more than pulling their weight in the workplace. But they simple do not have Tech Heads.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course, unlike me and other semi-geeks, they had never taken the time to sit down and read books and magazines about computers.
Alex.. Great video! :-)
ReplyDeleteEO, I run into this all the time in my business. People just don't get it. I'm not sure why though.
If you think of a car, everyone know that there are different manufactures of tires for a car. So why don't they know that there are many people that make word processing software for a computer?
I also, just don't get it.
Maybe it's a Fear thing. And I admit, computers are complex, and before I got a job where I had to use one, ca 1994, I had never used one myself and I was pretty intimidated by them.
ReplyDeleteSo maybe people get a mental block which they can *just* peer through enough to use for the tasks they really have to do.
I've never read books and magazines about computers, but would know what someone meant when they talked about Windows, Microsoft, or Word. The people who are usually confused by this stuff seem to be those over fifty. Anyone younger than that to be honest would have to be a more Forrest Gump than Doogie Howser to be confused by that stuff.
ReplyDeleteEo said: unlike me and other semi-geeks...
ReplyDeleteI hate to break it to you, pal, but you are a full time geek :-)
Now you mention it, I have had many people tell me they use Windows to write their documents. Another lack of knowledge I've encountered is related to web browsers; often when someone has asked me to help them with a web issue and I've asked them what browser they're using, I've been met with either a blank stare or they've replied "Windows" or "Mac". It's mainly been people over 50.
" but you are a full time geek"
ReplyDeleteThanks for the compliment, but I think that legitimate geeks put together their own computers, or at least do programming, or really understand networking or something. I don't have the brains for that. Me, basically I just love what computers can do for me, and I'm addicted to gadgets.
The people who do that would in fact be nerds. Take this example from The Simpsons after Milhouse had been called a nerd: "I am not a nerd! Nerds are smart."
ReplyDeleteI confess I've always been unclear on those two terms. People seem to use "nerd" more derogatively though.
ReplyDeletePeople seem to use "nerd" more derogatively though.
ReplyDeleteGeek used to be equally bad but in the past decade or so a lot of people have been self-applying it apparently with pride.
That's interesting.
ReplyDeleteAnd clever. The gays in Denmark used the same tactic with the only derogative term the Danes had for them ("bøsse", meaning gun originally), and then there was none left!