[Oberon] Dumbing down

[mcintosh at vima.austin.tx.us]

A long time friend said that the computer has to become an appliance. 

In acceptance of this, after long thought, I use the language that I
have an "appliance" computer and a "lab" computer.  The primary
difference is whether the case is screwed on, and whether my wife can
expect it to behave in "the" standard way without my intervention.
 
An appliance application is an application that "just works."  The
analogy is to a washing machine at a laundromat.  I desire to open
the top and add a more or less standard amount of clothes and soap,
put in a more or less standard number of coins, and go next door to
enjoy coffee and conversation for a predictable amount of time, and
have clean clothes on my return.

This desire does not in any way imply that I am unable to design
molecules that would be good surfactants, and to synthesize them from
common materials.  Nor does it imply that I am shy about locating
where a microswitch should be in a circuit, or building a control
loop with pressure sensors and water shutoff valves.  

But I don't want to change the format of the control panel, decide on
which country's currency to use, and evaluate the maximum efficience
of twist vs plunge each time I do laundry.


I want appliance machines in my kitchen.
I want appliance machines in my laboratory.
I want appliance software on my computer.

For something that is the result of very good engineering, and which
was very carefully crafted in manufacture, but which is clearly an
appliance, look up iSensor on google.


Doug said:

| I expect the users of a simple system to be intelligent
| and motivated.  I don't expect them to be interested
| in computer systems but rather interested in applications
| where they can "get their work done".  To be able to drive
| the car, without having to open the hood.
|