Bob@sri-unix (07/15/82)
I found this notice in the July 82 issue of Consumer Reports:
"A CALL TO COMPUTER OWNERS
If you own a personal computer, we'd like you to tell us about your
experiences in buying, learning to operate, and running it. We are
interested in the class of computers that includes Apple, Commodore, IBM
Personal Computer, Osborne, Radio Shack, and others of similar capability.
If you wish to help us by filling out a questionnaire, please send your
name, address, and the brand and model of your computer to: Consumer
Reports, Box RME, 256 Washington St., Mount Vernon, N.Y. 10550."
It doesn't limit the responses to only CU subscribers, so lets go to it! I
bet they would be interested in seeing how we feel about lumping the
Commodore and IBM PC as "similar capability"! Would a PDP 11/70 be similar
to a IBM 370? A ZX80 to a Godabout?
Bob Bloom (bbloom at brl)
P.S. FJW: You're more familiar with the other computer-specific mailing
lists than I. Why don't you forward a copy to info-apple, info-atari, etc.
I'm sure they would like to get their licks in too.bch (07/16/82)
References: sri-unix.2089 As a long-time member of Consumers Union I carefully considered whether I should send in for a questionnaire or not. I decided not. The purpose (and most important function) of Consumer Reports is the evaluation of products as consumer items. As such, expert testimony (the kind I assume most people on the net would give) is probably misleading. What they are interested in is the useability, not the capability, of machines. IF IBM 3081s were sold for the price of Apples, for example, the 3081 would be downrated for its complexity and quality of documentation in the view of CU. As I would not buy a car on the basis of a compendium of answers from expert mechanics or race-drivers (remember they do their own repairs) or audio equipment on the basis of the opinions of recording studio engineers, If I were a novice interested in personal computing I would certainly not buy a machine based on the opinions of high-end users -- myself included. What I would want to know is whether or not I could use it as a beginner and whether or not it came doing the things I wanted it to do. Given the state of the art in ergonometric design of most personal computers I doubt that the testimony of many readers here would be useful, and might be disastrously misleading to a novice. How many here would feel positive about the TRS-80? Yet Tandy has done as good a job as any in introducing consumers to personal computers in a positive way. Byron Howes University of North Carolina
Keith@sri-unix (07/20/82)
Please reply to address below, not me. I'm forwarding because of a mailer problem. ----- Forwarded message # 1: Date: 20 Jul 1982 0040-PDT From: Scott M. Hinnrichs <SMH at SRI-KL> Subject: Re: Consumer Reports wants Users To: Info-Micro-Request at BRL Via: Sri-Kl; 20 Jul 82 3:41-EDT I would beg to differ with you Byron, as to the value of testimony from the professional community. A prospective new user has no past experience as to what has been and is now available. The comments from one who has past experience can be quite valuable and only misleading if the person giving the advice does not take into consideration 'where the user is coming from'. To say that the very people who understand the machines best cannot give the best advice only suggests that they cannot communicate their information, not that they are not the best qualified to comment. What is needed is for us to come down off our high horse and provide the information, for which we are qualified to give, in a manner which is understandable. To be a wizard at what we do contributes nothing to anyone, including ourselves, if we are not able to communicate it to those new initiates seeking help. The very things that bug us will bug the new user as well. While it is true that some things will not be immediately bothersome to the new user, he will eventually become aware of, and irritated by, the things we see immediately upon reviewing a product. We can continue to allow the knowledge we have remain locked up inside us and grin at the floundering of the new 'lusers', firing off incomprehensible drivel made to impress, or we can take the time to think about their plight and give reasonable help. This responsibility rests with all of us each time someone trusts us with a question in our field. SMH ------- ----- End of forwarded messages