Wirt wrote:
> Richard Gambrell writes:
>
> > > Moments like these, I question my commitment to heterogeneous
> >  > environments...
> >  >
> >
> >  Really, now, Unix system admins do this sort of thing all the time and
> think
> >  nothing of it. So what if it is ugly, if it works?:->
> >  Can NT even do cron?
>
> More to the point, this is no way to run a business. So long as computers
and
> their commands are "ugly," they represent a profound design failure and an
> inability to be used by "ordinary people" in the conduct of their
"ordinary
> businesses."
>
> Wirt Atmar

One of the (often unmet) goals in any systems design or IT project I
undertake is to make the IT staff unnecessary. Of course, I have little fear
of accomplishing this feat as long as Unix, Microsoft, and Oracle (among
many others) rule the day. Yet, moving toward this goal now and again is one
of the things I'm most proud. This goal is one of the great attractions of
the personal computer to many folks.

This leaves an interesting question, what kind and amount of understanding
and knowledge is reasonable to expect the business person to learn to
accomplish using information technology? Even learning to drive doesn't come
naturally (or at all to some). How many of you have trouble with e-mail
attachments? How many of your clients and customers have trouble? How many
won't read the on-line help, even though it has a really good explanation of
the procedure?

Richard (It's been one of those days) Gambrell
Manager of Systems and Applications, Xavier Univ. of LA, New Orleans, LA
work: [log in to unmask] 504-483-7454
home: [log in to unmask] 504-455-7105
(over 10 years MPE/iX and HP-UX systems and Powerhouse programming
expertise, resume available upon request)