Functionality - Page 2

bookish · 06-18-2007, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sborsody

I get the sense that you've never been in any sort of tech support position. You might retract that statement if you were.

Actually I have, for the last 15 years or so in one capacity or another. I've heard and handled my share of dumb questions, and even been guilty of asking a number of them myself. I guess perhaps I'm making the mistake here of thinking that they should build their product to meet my requirements instead of what the youngest and oldest users would be able to easily understand or be likely to use. I should know better since when I was a teacher I was taught to teach my students to the lowest level of collective understanding in order not to leave anyone behind. Nonetheless I can dream, and perhaps waste a bit of everyone's time, including my own by wishing for the perfect device. Failing that though it would be nice to find one or two that come closer than what I've so far found. On the flip side my quest to find one provides me with the opportunity to purchase new gadgets on a regular basis.

sborsody · 06-19-2007, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bookish

I guess perhaps I'm making the mistake here of thinking that they should build their product to meet my requirements

Don't we all?

No ebook reader left behind!

HarryT · 06-19-2007, 03:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sborsody

HarryT,
Does the reader really use a FAT file system? I'd be quite surprised if this were the case as the OS is embedded Linux and FAT is an MS filesystem. I noticed on the Sony website that one could download the source code too.

It certainly uses FAT on SD memory cards. I don't know what it uses for its internal memory.

igorsk · 06-19-2007, 04:28 AM

Internal memory uses cramfs for read-only partitions and jffs2 for writable ones.

HarryT · 06-19-2007, 05:56 AM

Thanks, igorsk!

Adam B. · 06-19-2007, 10:52 AM

Over the years, I've found it better to assume people are stupid and be surprised when they prove you wrong, than it is to assume people are smart and be continuously disappointed.

JSWolf · 06-19-2007, 11:29 AM

I can tell you that my Father is very technologically impaird. Mom is pretty good though once she's shown how to do something. But there again, mom has to be shown. But she can pick it up though.

NatCh · 06-19-2007, 12:09 PM

I've been trying to teach my mother to "read the map" rather than just memorizing (i.e. writing down) specific routes on her computer for years, she's actually gotten to where she can do that fairly well -- oddly enough (really oddly), getting her off a Macputer and onto a PC seems to have been the turning point.

Adam B. · 06-19-2007, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

I've been trying to teach my mother to "read the map" rather than just memorizing (i.e. writing down) specific routes on her computer for years, she's actually gotten to where she can do that fairly well -- oddly enough (really oddly), getting her off a Macputer and onto a PC seems to have been the turning point.

Excellent way of putting it. There are too many users (an overwhelming majority) that only know how to do things when they are tought a specific way to do them. I don't understand why they can't think logically, read what's on the screen, and figure it out how to do things on their own...

NatCh · 06-19-2007, 12:32 PM

I came up with that description in my efforts to explain to my mother why she shouldn't just "learn the routes" -- there's nothing wrong with learning the routes, but if that's all you can do, you can't ever go anywhere that someone else hasn't led you to by the hand.

Once I explained it in terms of maps and routes, Mother was much more open to learning how to read the map too, and that was the real turning point. It finally made sense to her as to why I was trying to teach her this other stuff.

The thing about an OS, and particularly about Microsoft products is that there is a reasonably consistent logic to them as to how to do stuff. It's not the most intuitive logic, but once a body tumbles to it, they can suddenly figure out how to do lots of things by following it.

Then, of course, MacroHard has to go and change all that logic with Office 2007. Grrr. Perhaps we were all just getting too savvy for them, so they decided to change the map.

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06-19-2007, 04:28 AM	#19
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	Internal memory uses cramfs for read-only partitions and jffs2 for writable ones.

06-19-2007, 05:56 AM	#20
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Thanks, igorsk!

06-19-2007, 10:52 AM	#21
Adam B. Addicted to Porting Posts: 1,697 Karma: 7194 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Indianapolis, IN Device: iRex iLiad, Nokia 770, Samsung i760	Over the years, I've found it better to assume people are stupid and be surprised when they prove you wrong, than it is to assume people are smart and be continuously disappointed.

06-19-2007, 11:29 AM	#22
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,247 Karma: 145488788 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I can tell you that my Father is very technologically impaird. Mom is pretty good though once she's shown how to do something. But there again, mom has to be shown. But she can pick it up though.

06-19-2007, 12:09 PM	#23
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	I've been trying to teach my mother to "read the map" rather than just memorizing (i.e. writing down) specific routes on her computer for years, she's actually gotten to where she can do that fairly well -- oddly enough (really oddly), getting her off a Macputer and onto a PC seems to have been the turning point.

06-19-2007, 12:32 PM	#25
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	I came up with that description in my efforts to explain to my mother why she shouldn't just "learn the routes" -- there's nothing wrong with learning the routes, but if that's all you can do, you can't ever go anywhere that someone else hasn't led you to by the hand. Once I explained it in terms of maps and routes, Mother was much more open to learning how to read the map too, and that was the real turning point. It finally made sense to her as to why I was trying to teach her this other stuff. The thing about an OS, and particularly about Microsoft products is that there is a reasonably consistent logic to them as to how to do stuff. It's not the most intuitive logic, but once a body tumbles to it, they can suddenly figure out how to do lots of things by following it. Then, of course, MacroHard has to go and change all that logic with Office 2007. Grrr. Perhaps we were all just getting too savvy for them, so they decided to change the map.

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