PC Users

I haven’t had much time to add to my blog lately, mostly because of exams. I want to start blogging again, and at some point, I want to redesign my website. For now, I’m writing a quick blog post to categorise the different types of computer users I have seen.

The Dog

The dog has had plenty of experience with computers and plenty of time to get good at using them. However, they can only do basic, repetitive tasks. Give a dog an iPhone, and you will likely have to teach him now to use the home button. Dogs are generally older – people like your grandmother, or in my case, my mother – and they usually type using the hunt and peck method. If you type like that – I have some bad news for you.

The New User

The new user is like the dog in many ways. New users and dogs both have a similar level of computer knowledge, although some dogs may know how to perform certain functions in familiar applications, such as Microsoft Word. The key difference is that new users generally pick up skills faster than dogs, as they have had the benefit of learning about computers at a younger age.

The Average User

Average users know their way around their computers and smartphones. They are generally able to touch type, and they can mostly figure out their way around a new user interface with little trouble. However, they aren’t keen users. They generally stick with Microsoft Windows as their primary desktop operating system, and they show little to no interest in expanding their knowledge of computers.

The Experimental User

An experimental user is not like the users in the categories mentioned above. Experimental users find computers interesting. They tend to be more clicky than most people, and as a result, they spend a lot less time in the “new user” stage, and they usually skip the “average user” stage. Experimental users generally know a few tricks, such as changing icons for desktop shortcuts, and they can usually fix a computer.

The Hacker

Hackers are essentially experimental users with a bit more experience. Some hackers use jailbroken iPhone, but most use rooted Android devices. As for desktop software, nearly all hackers have at least tested out a couple of Linux distributions. However, many still stick with Microsoft Windows – mostly for software compatibility. Most hackers can build a good looking website using just a text editor, and more experienced hackers know a couple of programming languages.

The Developer

Developers are the most experienced computer users. They are the people who write the software everyone else uses. Most developers use UNIX based operating systems on their computers. However, good developers have a variety of computers and smartphones running different operating systems, as well as a variety of screens of different sizes. They want the software they write to work everywhere, so they buy as many computers as they can get their hands on.

This sums up my thoughts on different types of computer users. I would class myself as a hacker, as I write the CSS for my website. Comments are encouraged and appreciated.

Posted on Sunday 9th June 2013 - 1 comment