Literacy and user interfaces are not related. Literacy is a tool people use to record and transmit information, which in turn allows people to learn and improve themselves. Software is meant to accomplish a task, the UI being the way you explain to the computer
I don't care much about the process of how paper and bindings are made, I just want to be able to read my book. Most users prefer the software just do what they wanted it to do with minimal cognitive load. Users that can use the software spend less time calling support, and more time happily using the application. If we made software smarter, what benefit would gain vs dumbing it down?
I'd argue that computer literacy also "allows people to learn and improve themselves with respect to using computers".
I don't care much about the process of how paper and bindings are made, I just want to be able to read my book.
"I don't care much about the process of how sentences and grammar work, I just want to be able to know what the book says."
We force people to learn reading, writing, maths, and various other subjects in school because they have long-term advantages in improving the overall knowledge of society and empowering its population, despite many of them finding it useless and frustrating initially.
With the permeation of computers everywhere, perhaps the same should be true with their interfaces: they should not be dumbed-down or excessively hand-holding, nor have an entirely flat learning curve. Computers are powerful and immensely flexible machines, and in some ways I think it's a shame that we're taking away a lot of great opportunities for learning by making UIs that encourage their users to remain in a state of blissful ignorance...
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Literacy and user interfaces are not related. Literacy is a tool people use to record and transmit information, which in turn allows people to learn and improve themselves. Software is meant to accomplish a task, the UI being the way you explain to the computer
I don't care much about the process of how paper and bindings are made, I just want to be able to read my book. Most users prefer the software just do what they wanted it to do with minimal cognitive load. Users that can use the software spend less time calling support, and more time happily using the application. If we made software smarter, what benefit would gain vs dumbing it down?
I'd argue that computer literacy also "allows people to learn and improve themselves with respect to using computers".
I don't care much about the process of how paper and bindings are made, I just want to be able to read my book.
"I don't care much about the process of how sentences and grammar work, I just want to be able to know what the book says."
We force people to learn reading, writing, maths, and various other subjects in school because they have long-term advantages in improving the overall knowledge of society and empowering its population, despite many of them finding it useless and frustrating initially.
With the permeation of computers everywhere, perhaps the same should be true with their interfaces: they should not be dumbed-down or excessively hand-holding, nor have an entirely flat learning curve. Computers are powerful and immensely flexible machines, and in some ways I think it's a shame that we're taking away a lot of great opportunities for learning by making UIs that encourage their users to remain in a state of blissful ignorance...
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Communication, not literacy.