Eagan,
> I don't think the article on their study of us is all bad. There are parts
> that I like. I do take offense at the whole how do we justify our choice of
> handheld part.
I very much agree with your analysis and won't repeat the individual issues
again but I would like to reinforce the point that using a Newton is not
merely an act of clinging to the familiar but a considered decision to
choose the best and most interesting device to fit the kind of tasks we all
like to do with it.
IT is normally seen to be "progressing" at breakneck speed, and this is
certainly true of hardware, but the implementation of systems, applications
and interfaces do not necessarily demonstrate the same behaviour. Just
because a new WP is launched today in no way guarantees that it supercedes
one written 10 years ago merely because it's new. Often, the same mistakes
are made over and over again as prior solutions are forgotten.
In the same way that good HWR has been lost from new PDA's, if new cars
suddenly stopped being supplied with self-starters, no one would accuse you
of irrationally clinging to earlier models for reasons of sentimentality.
If new was always better, then those joining us here, uncontaminated by our
ways and customs, cannot be easily explained other than by their
appreciation of the Newt and what it can do.
Your comment about us all having our own reasons for being here is spot on -
but it is fascinating to have someone observe us from the outside and try to
formulate some principles about how we are bound together. I'm really glad
they did this.
Many of the issues regarding new machines, and the general culture of the
Newt add a great deal of flavour to the interactions but are not in any way
central to the reason for me being here.
Joel.
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