[thelist] http download problems

Frank framar at interlog.com
Fri Nov 9 19:48:40 CST 2001


>zip file

That would have been my first choice, but I encounter the following factors:

1) End users are idiots. No exceptions. They may be idiots because 
they're tired, distracted, uneducated, in a hurry, unsophisticated, 
etc... My job is to make it so that even an idiot can use my programs 
without messing them up.

2) A zip file can be created by the user, or by a program on the 
server. We don't have the budget for cfx tags (for both PC and Linux 
to boot). That leaves the user. The clients we cater to, smart as 
they may be in the real world are idiots. Less than two days ago, a 
client spoke the following words to me: "A zip file? Do I need to buy 
a zip drive for that?"

I could (and will) give instructions on how to download a file, but 
no one will read it. Those that do will ignore it. Those that don't 
will misunderstand it. Then they will complain about the idiot 
programmer who wrote this piece of junk. That, quite simply is the 
way of things. It's for this reason that I'm a bullet proofing zealot.

With the high caliber of people on this list, it's easy to forget 
that there are people who still need instructions on how to close a 
browser window, or how to copy something to the clipboard.

Another story: My neighbour ordered cable for his dad. The cable guy 
came by, hooked him up and left. A few days later, he called his son. 
This internet stuff is pretty boring. I don't get it. After about 20 
minutes of asking questions, it turns out that not only was the 
father's cable not activated, but that he was rooting around the hard 
drive though the open dialog box in MS Word, thinking it was 'The 
Internet'. A very nice man. Charming man. And an idiot.

I guess that was a rant. Oh well, I was in the mood. I owe.
-- 

Our best destiny, as planetary cohabitants, is the development
of what has been called "species consciousness" - something over
and above nationalisms, blocs, religions, ethnicities.


Frank Marion                      Framar Studios
frank at framarstudios.com           http://www.framarstudios.com




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