here's life

I was reading a site this evening--a collection of stupid user tech-support stories. It was fun to laugh at the total ignorance of some people--especially when they think they are so knowledgeable. But while the "cup-holder" jokes are funny, it really isn't that suprising that people would have trouble with computers, and actually doesn't show them to be all that stupid.

Imagine you bought a house and found that when you adjusted the thermostat, the water in the kitchen started running. Your sense of reality would be challenged. It wouldn't take you long to notice that the toilet didn't flush, but how long before you realized it was actually opening the bedroom window. One day you lean against the wall before turning on the coffee pot, and you fall through it, into a thornbush and get hit by an errant cricket ball. How long before you tried anything but what was clearly written in the directions--if you dared to open a book? And then imagine that it isn't a house at all but actually a giant rubber chicken filled with marshmallow cream. When things happen that you don't understand, and you can't get things to happen except by arbitrary complex demanding steps, frustration would quickly cause you to seize up. Take this example of "user stupidity":

...When he wrote the instructions to the sales representatives on how to do this he got the letter back from one of the regional offices with complaints. His original instructions read like this:

From the File menu, select OS-Shell. This will make your screen look like this: C:\SPS\WIN

Now type DOWNLOAD to..., blah, blah, blah, etc, etc.

The hand-written remark on the sheet of paper was, "These instructions are incorrect and cannot be followed! Right after C:\SPS\WIN, a strange bracket (>) pops up and it will not go away!"

Funny how they didn't know about $p$g. But could they really expect things to work even if the directions aren't followed verbatim? Not after the ear-full the collective user heard after this:

....
Tech Support: "Hmmm. The file's there in the correct place -- it can't help but do something. Are you sure you're typing I-N-S-T-A-L-L and hitting the Enter key?"
Customer: "Yes, let me try it again." (pause) "Nope, still 'Bad command or file name'."
Tech Support: (now really confused) "Are you sure you're typing I-N-S-T-A-L-L and hitting the key that says 'Enter'?"
Customer: "Well, yeah. Although my 'N' key is stuck, so I'm using the 'M' key...does that matter?"

As I attempt to learn new systems at work, I run into this all the time---did I press enter and then yes, then select the file, then press yes twice, or not at all, to confirm---depending on how I am opening the file? And how was it if I didn't want to lose all my work?

User interface should be simple and succinct, but it also needs to be consistent, so it can be learned. Otherwise, your world will fall apart. Hey, better close the fridge door before someone sits down on the couch--you don't want your lights to burn out, do you?