rs4u+@ANDREW.CMU.EDU (Richard Siegel) (08/24/87)
I quote:
I have a theory that computer salesmen are, in general, ex-car salesmen. But
that's implying some degree of technical sophistication. Shoe salesmen, per-
haps? Their real purpose is to let the user make his own decisions. They
are *not* computer consultants. Try browsing around in a store sometime and
listen to the BS salesmen tell customers about "home" computers...
I take exception to that, sir. 40 hours a week I am a Macintosh
developer. 8 more hours a week I am a salesman at Next Generation
Computers, in Williamsburg, Virginia. Because I am a computer salesman
does that imply that I have no technical sophistication?
I doubt it.
I do not disagree with you; I have seen computer salesmen who are
barely qualiied to plug a computer in, let alone explain how one
works. However, that does *not* give you license to generalize.
Try again....
--Rich
R-Squared Development Systems
134 Horseshoe Drive
Williamsburg, Virginia 23185
(804) 229-2152 [After 6pm eastern time only]
Arpanet: rs4u@andrew.cmu.edu
Uucp: {your fave gateway}!seismo!andrew.cmu.edu!rs4u
Disclaimer? I don't even KNOW 'er!
"Do you wanna be a cop or a lost cause?"
-- Sean Connery, in "The Untouchables"russell@acf3.NYU.EDU (Bill Russell) (08/25/87)
The fact that you are a computer salesman has no predictive power whatever with respect to your technical competence -- that's exactly the problem. The fact that you are good doesn't affect the _fact_ that most computer salesman are technically imbecilic, and pretty carefree about customer service as well. After enough experience, we can generalize _all we want_ -- a handful of counter-examples just shows that we're not talking sterile tautologies. Computer salesmen are not ex car salesmen; they are aspiring car salesmen. -r (Richard Reich as russell@nyu)
jww@sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU (Joel West) (08/25/87)
After agreeing that there are some good computer salesmen and some bad ones, this discussion reminds me of a joke: Q: What's the difference between a computer salesman and a used-car salesman? A: The user-car salesman knows when he's lying.
briand@tekig4.TEK.COM (Brian Diehm) (08/25/87)
>I do not disagree with you; I have seen computer salesmen who are >barely qualiied to plug a computer in, let alone explain how one >works. However, that does *not* give you license to generalize. Actually, it does. Remember that statistics are valid, for a population. The problem comes when people forget the last clause and extrapolate the population statistics to the individuals. As you just did. Statistics can tell you EVERYTHING about a given population. They tell you NOTHING about any individual in that population. Of course, with the number of people in our society who are unable to under- stand that subtle difference, I don't wonder at your taking umbrage from a defensive posture. . . -- -Brian Diehm (SDA - Standard Disclaimers Apply) Tektronix, Inc. briand@tekig4.TEK.COM or {decvax,cae780,uw-beaver}!tektronix!tekig4!briand
john@felix.UUCP (08/28/87)
In article <1847@tekig4.TEK.COM> briand@tekig4.UUCP (Brian Diehm) writes:
::I do not disagree with you; I have seen computer salesmen who are
::barely qualiied to plug a computer in, let alone explain how one
::works. However, that does *not* give you license to generalize.
:
:Actually, it does. Remember that statistics are valid, for a population. The
:problem comes when people forget the last clause and extrapolate the population
:statistics to the individuals. As you just did.
:
:Statistics can tell you EVERYTHING about a given population. They tell you
:NOTHING about any individual in that population.
:
:Of course, with the number of people in our society who are unable to under-
:stand that subtle difference, I don't wonder at your taking umbrage from a
:defensive posture. . .
:
Excuse me... I missed something. Could I see those statistics again?
I mean the facts you are defending here. Those quantifiable ones.
Thanks,
:--
:-Brian Diehm (SDA - Standard Disclaimers Apply)
:Tektronix, Inc.
:briand@tekig4.TEK.COM or {decvax,cae780,uw-beaver}!tektronix!tekig4!briand
John Gilbert
--
John Gilbert
!trwrb!felix!john