Naive users

[utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!hpvax!sri-unix!gwyn at UTEXAS-11]

The Bell ad stated that one does not have to be a programmer to use
UNIX, and that is correct.  I don't believe anybody has ever stated
that one doesn't have to know what one is doing to use UNIX or any
other computer system.  I've seen children and other casual users
pick up enough to operate UNIX in short order, but that is not to
say that they were particularly efficient at it.  Some form of training
would seem essential for any technological device.  I wish automobile
drivers were better trained, too.
If one is really confronted with users who can't be bothered to learn
how to drive a UNIX, then a special interface is required if they are
going to successfully operate the system.  Such an interface should
walk them through the steps required to accomplish the desired goals.
A naive-user interface cannot give users access to all aspects of
UNIX, for then they would have to learn what they were doing, and they
would no longer qualify as truly naive.
Experts and novices will always have different needs.  There is no
reason to restrict experts to an interface fo
Interestingly, the UNIX shell is usable by beginners (with some
training), whereas a restrictive command interpreter would be unsuitable
for expert program development.
The new Office Automation System is described as having a menu/form-
oriented interface for office workers rather than a normal shell.  This
is the right approach to make any system accessible to those who don't
care about the details of how it works.
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