Not all users are "stupid"

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bjoern Sandvik
  • Start date Start date
B

Bjoern Sandvik

Hi,

I would just like to make a statement to hope for a more streamlined
deployment of Microsoft Windows. This would neccessarily apply to the
upcoming version.

While I am lenient to commend Microsoft on their efforts to make Windows as
broadly accessible as well as safe, I have to say that I am greatly dismayed
as an IT professional.

So my wish is that you consider making available an option during the
initial stages of installation, where I could choose what kind of user I am -
and whether or not I am inflicted by some physical impediment.

With near-perfect vision and matching motoric skills, I find the deeply
embedded accessibility options to be enormously annoying features. I would
like to see these totally omitted from 99.99% of all my Windows deployments.

As an IT professional, I would also want features like UAC, Windows
Defender, Welcome Center, the plethora of taskbar information popups to be
disabled by default.

The way Windows deploys out-of-the-box causes me a lot of extra
customization and configuration to be as "clean" as both my basic clients and
myself would want.


I do hope to be heard, and I would imagine that I am not the only reasonably
healthy IT professional out there who would like a slightly more sleek
deployment.
 
Hi,

Although many IT professionals would agree with you, the (any) operating
system is not designed for IT professionals. The fact that you are an IT
professional is for exactly this reason as if the operating system worked
the way everyone wanted it to, then who would be the professionals?

You have to understand that the operating system is desgined for the
end-user, that's where Microsoft make their money. I'm willing to bet that
as an IT professional you actually got your operating system through
something like a volume program or something like that - in essense highly
discounted or even free.

Microsoft introduced features such as UAC, Defender and Welcome Center
because the end-user community wanted it and by disabling it by default,
they would be making only probably 5% of their target audience happy.

It is possible to create a 'custom' installation disc of Vista which IT
professionals tend to do - therefore you can disable all of those features
that you want and have an 'IT professional' friendly installation source.

Again, this is not saying you are wrong, but before requesting that
Microsoft 'should' do something, think about who the target audience is...

Best Regards,
Jon
 
Hi, Jon, and thank you for adding to my thoughts!

First off, my initial post was not one of deep frustration. It is was more
of a loud thought kind of thing.

Also, I share your understanding that the target audience be the less
knowledgable end-user. However, leaning a little back at what I said, I have
yet to meet someone who appreciates the Ease of Access features (or the UAC
for that matter, but that would be a discussion of how many times it should
be acceptable for an intrusive pop-up to appear before people start
complaining).

All those things being said, I would be more in favor of bringing back a
little bit of pre-installation interviewing. Braving a comparisong, the old
Windows NT and 2000 styles were too technically demanding, and presented too
many questions - leading to the inevitable next-next-next-finish approach.

On the other hand, Vista became too easy and presumptuous. The blessed thing
installs itself without the handful of interaction requests during the
process, and this was a progress of leaps and bounds from my point of view.
However, it does lead to a super-generic deployment of sorts.

So, I am still suggesting that there be at least one set of pre-installation
options that be formulated, both visually and verbally, in a way that anyone
would understand and define themselves in. Such as bringing the choice of
opting out of Ease of Access to the table.. And for (almost) sillyness' sake,
it's really hard for a typical end-user to find Solitaire in Vista. Just ask
my mom..
 
Stupid? is that what you call the disabled????????

Are all your users fully able? are you sure? are you sure you and all your
users always will be? how about a
nice little user lawsuit using the ADA would that make usability more
important for you?

If you don't need it, don't use it but what if a user wants one of the
usability features without making a big stir about their disability? or are
your users not entitled to need a little extra help or, maybe you just don't
hire the disabled, they being stupid and all.

Ohh wait a minute, it causes you extra work, poor, poor you....someone could
cost you a few minutes from your intelligent pursuits.
 
In message <[email protected]> Bjoern
Also, I share your understanding that the target audience be the less
knowledgable end-user. However, leaning a little back at what I said, I have
yet to meet someone who appreciates the Ease of Access features (or the UAC
for that matter, but that would be a discussion of how many times it should
be acceptable for an intrusive pop-up to appear before people start
complaining).
Click to expand...

Microsoft caters to both the less knowledgeable end-user, and the IT
professional. Look to Vista deployment tools and a custom answer file
if you want more control over the install.

Personally, I haven't bothered, with both XP and Vista I use a 100%
standard installation, then use group policies to pre-configure the
computer to meet my needs.
All those things being said, I would be more in favor of bringing back a
little bit of pre-installation interviewing. Braving a comparisong, the old
Windows NT and 2000 styles were too technically demanding, and presented too
many questions - leading to the inevitable next-next-next-finish approach.

On the other hand, Vista became too easy and presumptuous. The blessed thing
installs itself without the handful of interaction requests during the
process, and this was a progress of leaps and bounds from my point of view.
Click to expand...

And yet still stops in the middle to ask questions, then makes the user
wait again. Microsoft is *so* close to getting this right, ask
questions once, then the user should be hands off until the install
finishes.
However, it does lead to a super-generic deployment of sorts.
Click to expand...

That's the idea.
So, I am still suggesting that there be at least one set of pre-installation
options that be formulated, both visually and verbally, in a way that anyone
would understand and define themselves in. Such as bringing the choice of
opting out of Ease of Access to the table.. And for (almost) sillyness' sake,
it's really hard for a typical end-user to find Solitaire in Vista. Just ask
my mom..
Click to expand...

Click the Orb, type "solitaire", press enter.
 
Okay, fine. You know best. Windows is perfect. (For the stupidity reference,
I was pointing towards aids like UAC and Defender. The attack on disabled
people is on your tab, but hey.. I should have known better than to post
anything in the first place.)
 
I understand that the product is marketed now to a wider audience, but clearly MS understands that users have become more tech savvy. If Kylie can represent the company in ads, featured for ease of use, surely she'll be bored of her limited accessibility before she's reached double digits.

It's strange to debate and be content with less. More precise interviewing, a tailored install and a cleaner run would greatly improve the experience for everyone.
 
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