Laurent,
Glad we agree.
Yes, I talked about synching. Before you can sync, you must connect. The
devices must "talk" to each other. It is not that I cannot get them to talk
to each other, it is that I am not able to get them to talk with regularity.
Or without a workaround. It always seems to happen when I am in a hurry and
just need to download one more thing, or I am leaving the office and need to
back up before going home for dinner or on a trip. I have eaten more cold
meals as a result of being unable to connect the devices than an Eskimo in
winter! Synching is a whole different issue. I don't use the devices (both
Visor and Newton) even a fraction of their potential because of connection
and sync problems. I have heard someone say that they never spent as much
time managing their time as when they tried to commit to either a PDA or a
computer. This has been part of my frustration. Intellectually, I
understand the value of keeping my information at my fingertips.
Practically, I have spent more time at attempting to do this than I will
probably save in a lifetime. OK, that is somewhat of an exaggeration but not
much. I'd be willing to bet I'm far from being alone in this belief.
In fact, I have formed a startup business that, if it ever gets off of the
ground, addresses this problem. The concept is simple. How do you learn
technology? Most of us stayed up till the wee hours using trial and error.
Think of how trial and error is a necessary part of the learning pattern as
we now know it. How many times have you seen on this list people in dismay
because they had a technical glitch and lost data without a recent back-up?
Why? If you don't know what something can do, how do you know what you want
it to do? What is the first question a salesperson asks a potential new
computer buyer? It has been my experience that the question is: "What do
you want to do with the computer?" Answer, "ahh, I don't know." The first
time I asked IBM what a mini-mainframe would do for me, they said, "Whatever
you want."
When I was forming the startup, I was bouncing my ideas around a roomful of
lawyers I was paying several hundred dollars an hour, and the managing
partner of the law firm (mid 50's, multimillionaire), says to me, "I just
don't see the need for technology, where is the market?" I said, "You don't
use computer's?" He says, "Not me personally, but my secretary does." So I
ask if he has one at home. No. I then ask if he had any grandchildren.
Yes, 6. Do they all live close? No, two of them are in Florida (we're in
Michigan). Do you get to see them as often as you would like? No,
unfortunately, only once or twice a year. Ah ha! I got him. I then ask him
if he would like it if tonight, he could go home, turn on a computer, dial a
local telephone number, and video conference with his grandkids for as long
as he wanted to for the total cost of maybe $.10. He was flabbergasted and
demanded that I set it up for him immediately. I refused. I went on to
explain that while the technology was available, there was a lot he would
have to learn to be able to utilize it. You can't do calculus until you can
add. Not wanting to give away all of my ideas, let's just say that the
startup can be compared to a personal fitness trainer. With several twists.
It is the twists that differentiates my concepts from all of the free lancers
out there. Needless to say, but he was converted on the spot and we've
worked out some bartering arrangements.
The point of my prior rant (as opposed to this one), is until and unless
hardware, software, Internet, and technology in general, developers focus on
the user, the star may burn bright now, but it will burn out just as fast. A
firework display instead of a star. The point of this rant is that the basic
infrastructure must become absolutely rock solid before growth can be
sustained. Perhaps you are familiar with Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of
needs? The bottom of the pyramid is foundation, the top is aesthetics.
Using the hierarchy, for humans, you must first be secure in your fundamental
needs of shelter, food, water, sex, health, or self-preservation before you
can truly appreciate Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue." In computing, there are
many fundamentals that must be mastered before one can videoconference with
family and friends. I hope this analogy makes it clearer. It does to me,
just by writing it. Sometimes the frustrations get in the way and cloud my
ability to understand and express what I'm feeling and trying to say.
Laurent, I must apologize for the length and breadth of my response to your
two line question. Must have something to do with the millennium, or not.
Regards,
Bob Adamson
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