[CQ-Contest] CTU Survey Results

[Bill Parry]

I think these posts point out some of the problems that a lot of us face
with computer logging, computer interfaces, etc. My son is the in the
software business and, although this certainly doesn't make me an expert, I
have had some insights.

I don't care if Windows 3.1, 98, XP or Vista is or isn't a real Windows OS.
Bob, this doesn't mean that I am trying to put you down, what it does mean
is that many of us want to USE computers not understand the "insides." I
love my computer but my hobby is ham radio. I learned right away that asking
a "knowledgeable computer guy" for instructions was likely to be very
frustrating. The verbal instructions are likely to assume that you know far
more than you know, and are given much too quickly. Sometimes (not always)
there is a little bit of an attitude (this is really simple and if you don't
get it, you are either stupid or you should not have bought the piece of
software!)

Unfortunately, some of the hardware that is being sold has those same
attributes. The instructions are unclear, and the computer interfaces with
that equipment are OS dependent, maybe they work with a particular computer
and maybe not.

I realize that writing clear instructions is not a skill that many software
programmers have. The "help" files are good example of that! I have become
very careful about what I buy. The very best piece of software without clear
instructions and support is a waste of money, no matter if it costs $25 or
$2500. When I install a piece of software it should work, I should not have
to make revisions in the registry, or reinstall windows to make it work (I
have had both of these scenarios this month).

Bill, W5VX

>-----Original Message-----
>From: cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:cq-contest-
>bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Zack Widup
>Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2007 8:53 AM
>To: cq-contest at contesting.com
>Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] CTU Survey Results
>
>
>I had my first experience with Windows Vista the other day and I am NOT
>happy.
>
>I have two small, portable scanners at work which have worked fine on
>every computer I've installed the software on with all versions of Windows
>up through XP.  I tried to get both (one is an HP scanner and the other is
>a Canon) to work on a laptop running Vista.  I spent almost three hours
>trying to get at least one to work. Neither would.
>
>I tried using the feature of Vista that is supposed to allow you to use
>programs compatible with earlier versions of Windows. That didn't work
>either.
>
>On the respective websites for software for the scanners, both companies
>indicated the scanners are 10 years old or older and no upgrades for
>Vists will be available. Both are perfectly usable scanners. I don't feel
>like buying a new one.
>
>A friend of mine told me about half of the programs he'd used on XP
>weren't running properly on Vista.
>
>I'm going back to XP.
>
>73, Zack W9SZ
>
>
>
>On Wed, 4 Jul 2007, Igor Sokolov wrote:
>
>>> Just a minor point, Win98 is not a Windows Operating system. It is a GUI
>> application running on top of a DOS operating system.
>>>
>>> This is quite different from the real Windows operating systems such as
>> Win NT, 2000, XP and I hate to mention it: Vista. All of these systems do
>> not allow direct access to ports as DOS does and this is the reason that
>TR
>> will not run on a Windows platform.
>>>
>>> 73,
>>>
>>> Bob W5OV
>> Hi Bob,
>> There was a reason why Microsoft named Win3.1 then 3.11 and Win98
>"Windows".
>> That reason is just GUI. Then "Real Windows" as you call it, such as NT
>and
>> XP is merely a transition from Windows to what you hate mention -Vista :)
>>
>>
>> 73, Igor UA9CDC
>>
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