* * * * *
                                        
  What are some things that programmers and computer scientists know, but most
                                  people don't
                                        
> Something I have to try to explain time & again when a non-technical person
> asks me “how do I do x on my computer” is that I don't know. I can't
> explain to you step by step over the phone how to make an image bigger in
> your document or how to print on both sides of the paper or how to switch
> between the internal and external speakers. I can probably – given the
> computer in front of me, some opportunity to explore the problem and
> accurate information about what you're trying to do – figure it out. I'm
> familiar with the language of user interfaces and can use intuition and
> experience to explore an unfamiliar tool. I'm also less afraid of
> accidentally breaking something.
> 

Via Dan Lyke [1] on FaceGoogleMyBookPlusSpace, “What are some things that
programmers and computer scientists know, but most people don't? - Quora [2]”

This is something that took me a long time to impart to my Dad—that just
because I program computers doesn't mean I can solve all his computer
problems. Especially the Microsoft Windows problems he has from time to time,
as the last time I used Windows, it was actually called MS-DOS (Microsoft
Disk Operating System).

There is a lot of wisdom and truths on that page. I'm finding myself nodding
and agreeing with pretty much everything on that page.

[1] http://www.flutterby.com/
[2] http://www.quora.com/What-are-some-things-that-programmers-and-computer

Email Sean Conner at sean@conman.org

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