If ease of use was the only valid criterion, people would stick to tricycles and never try bicycles.
– Doug Englebart (best known for inventing the computer mouse)
This is one of the reasons I continually try to educate friends and family members about computers. When I introduce them to free software, it isn’t difficult to use – just different. But there is so much more available to learn with free software, if you’re so inclined.
The simplest example is the command line. There are certain friends and family members who I have not introduced to the command line; they can do everything they need through the GUI and it would most likely be too intimidating for them. But for others, who are interested in learning more about their computers and gaining more control over them, the command line is a great tool for learning more about your computer and really sitting in the driver’s seat.
Computer literacy is important. Obviously, not everyone is going to be programming or even using the command line, but it’s available for those people who are interested in getting a better idea how their computer works.
