Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!helios.ee.lbl.gov!pasteur!ucbvax!pro-newfrontier.UUCP!rs.miller
From: rs.miller@pro-newfrontier.UUCP (Randy Miller)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Apple II manuals
Message-ID: <8812112236.AA17022@crash.cts.com>
Date: 11 Dec 88 20:08:09 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: pnet01!pro-sol!pro-ascii!pro-newfrontier!rs.miller@nosc.mil
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 16

Jason,
  Unfortunately, SOME of us are not as hardware and software inclined as you
are.  The market has changed since the late 70's.  Nowadays, most people who
purchase a computer are not inclined on learning how to program it: they just
want something to 1) entertain the kids 2) help Johnny with his homework
3)help me run my business 4) help me straighten out my books, etc.  I used to
work support for a major publisher of microcomputer based library mamagement
systems.  (I'm still employed there, but am now in a different department.) 
About 8 out of 10 support calls I received the end user DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW
TO TURN THE COMPUTER ON!!! Mind you, these are people with B.S. in Education,
and some even had Master's degrees!  Also, what do you think User groups are
for?  Even at this level most could care less about programming.  So, before
you lambaste Apple for the "idiot-proofing" of their software and manuals,
THINK OF THE MARKET THEY'RE WORKING WITH.  We all can't be 65xx(x) or 80x8x
or 680x0 hacks.
Randy
rs.miller