It does strike me as being a little bit odd
that considering how many people use computers in this day and age, so few people actually have an understanding of how they work. The point and clickety nature of modern operating systems does nothing to help this. I'm not suggesting that everyone start using lynx as their main browser, but if computers are that important to you, why not invest a little time in understanding what is going on when you click on something. It's no wonder IT support people get stressed when a user's coffee cup holder has broken again.
(danceswithferrets is leaking sanity, Sat 6 Mar 2010, 14:49, 1 reply)

I think there's a happy medium somewhere
A lot of people own cars, and I feel this is where the happy medium exists: most people can replace a tire, refill the windscreen washer fluid, check the oil etc and know not to feck the engine up by using the incorrect gear all the time. But intimate knowledge of how the car engine works is something left to the professionals.

Cars have been getting gradually easier to maintain due to blinky lights telling people the oil is low, etc too.

Hopefully as time goes on, we'll reach that state with computers - they'll be simple enough for the average person in an office job to do their thing, and people will have enough knowledge to check cables and suchlike when things stop working. You'll always get twats who think they're above that, but life isn't perfect.
(mmmm curry doesn't really understand this sig lark, Mon 8 Mar 2010, 11:11, closed)

I reckon most of the people who act as though they are above checking cables, using the universal 'turn it off and back on again' and such like are usually using the act as a face saving mechanism. Too full of ego to admit they just don't know. Not just with computers, but anything. The amount of time you can save by saying to yourself 'I don't have a fucking clue here' and going and asking someone who does is immense.
(el perro grande, Mon 8 Mar 2010, 14:31, closed)

So, which are you?
Too proud to admit you don't know, in which case you're wilfully ignorant, or someone who admits they don't know, in which case you admit you need people who aren't as intelligent as you?
(the truth, of course, is that you're a plain troll or a Doctor with an inferiority complex -- but that's not as much fun)
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Mon 8 Mar 2010, 18:25, closed)