[g2347890]

all technically deprived people I have seen, use none of the above, the first thing they do is open google (most have it nowadays in defult tab page) and they type the URLs given to them there, no one knows about address/search bar, and if some know, they expect it to work like the google search box

Update: I hide some site of mine from google, I do not care about SE traffic and block any crawler, and I have noticed when I give some people I know a URL from that site, they often tell me that it cannot be found, given google search they use all the time does not list it

[ClikeX]

So many people do this. They'll open the browser and start typing google.com in the omnibar. Even though it says "Search or enter address" right there.

If the less tech savvy can't figure out that it does both, then maybe it isn't as intuitive as the browser builders think.

[tgv]

I've seen other weird behavior, even from people with a fair bit of computer experience. Techie instinct is not the right basis for making UI decisions.

[elric]

Isn't that just a matter of educating users? Users, contrary to popular belief, are not stupid. Everyone starts off knowing nothing at all, but we can teach them what an address is and we can teach them how to search for things.

[Shared404]

> Users, contrary to popular belief, are not stupid.

"I don't care about learning, I just want it to work."

"Why do I care again?"

"Just make it do it right."

"Can you come fix the CPU again?" (Speaking about PC, with the difference explained multiple times previously.)

"Can you come fix the computer again?" (Same person speaking about monitor. Difference also explained previously.)

These are all actual quotes from Friends/Family/Co-workers

[0xdeadb00f]

Ignorance isn't stupidity. But it may be classified as stupid to purposefully remain ignorant so idk.

But I do see your point.

[Shared404]

> Ignorance isn't stupidity. But it may be classified as stupid to purposefully remain ignorant

Exactly what I was trying to say. I have no issues if someone is ignorant about something, and is actually trying to learn, even unsuccessfully.

But if someone won't even try, they get no pity from me.

[ogurechny]

It most certainly is. Current “startup culture” (or should we say “swindle culture”?) values illiteracy of the masses because everyone's dream is, in simple terms, to screw millions (or billions) of fools over and make a lot of money from it. No wonder the path of adopting to ignorance, downgrading to lower level is chosen instead of the path of education and lifting people higher.

A user who doesn't know what address bar is and types all the things into search engine benefits Google. Therefore, you won't see any changes in Chrome.

Obviously, it's more general topic than bashing the usual IT evils. People take reading and writing for granted, just like they take having electricity and water supply for granted, but it doesn't just magically happen. There is an enormous continuing work. Remember the '80s talks about teaching kids using and programming computers because it was ESSENTIAL FOR THE FUTURE? What has happened? Computers haven't got simpler at all. You still need to teach how to use them, but today it's not a fashionable topic, and everyone pretends it's not their problem. The result of a disparate, self-maintained education is — who would've thought — uneducated people. In addition, the “educated” “specialists” treat users as if they are on a tropical plantation in a cork hat: “Those damn brutes can't learn to do anything properly! Can't argue with nature, stick to whips and simple tasks.”

It is important to remember that the radiance of modern IT sphere has little to do with Jobs' iphone presentation and whatnot. Without old simple-hearted initiatives, long forgotten BASIC listings in hobbyist journals, government programs on educational computers, and local electronics clubs a lot of people would not work there. Everyone was stupid once, there is no exception to that. The focus should be on the process of learning, not the state of being stupid.

[gsich]

I think the ratio of people who know stuff stays roughly the same.