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I believe that reframing the matter in terms of user empowerment might be the way forward. To create tools that help casual users accomplish tasks they might
by catalogia 6y ago
I believe that reframing the matter in terms of user empowerment might be the way forward. To create tools that help casual users accomplish tasks they might otherwise have needed a programmer for is to empower users. Excel is a classic example of user empowering software, as it allows people with the self-image of "user, not programmer" to effectively write programs, even if they may not recognize it as such. I think this reframing might help because scoffing at "user empowerment" would make somebody look like a jerk.
- robertlagrant 6y agoI sell sharp knives as "surgeon empowerment" devices. Anyone can surg!
- catalogia 6y agoIf your point is that some tools should be kept from people because they might cut themselves, then I think it's worth mentioning that scalpels are not generally sharper than other knifes that are available to the public. (Joerg Sprave has decent video debunking many scalpel myths: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHTHqWcDaQ8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHTHqWcDaQ8) Furthermore scalpels are generally available to the public too: https://www.amazon.com/s/?field-keywords=scalpel https://www.amazon.com/s/?field-keywords=scalpel Analogously, the tools already available to computer users are tools that could harm the user if used improperly. To not empower users because they might harm themselves isn't progressive, it's paternalistic.