Sometimes the media hype about computers just gets to be a bit too much.
We all sometimes need a little reality check.Fred Showker is a long time participant in the user goup community, and the online community as well.
What's a Power User?
by Fred Showker
Perhaps you follow the continuing thread of discussion in the various publications as to the definition of “Power User.” Our good friends the magazine editors want us to be power users. They continually tell us what it is to be one, and what we need to buy to become one too.
What’s your definition of "power user"?
I’ve taken a different opinion on the topic. You see, we’re all power users. For some reason or other I still believe in the “doing more with less” philosophy. And, I’m not at all convinced if I even want to be a power user. A scalpel does not a brain surgeon make.
To me, power users are those whose power is derived from within themselves. It’s the guy who can publish a stunning multi-color brochure in ninety-minutes on a five-meg, plain-Jane LCII. It's the person who can manipulate a simple text editor and spreadsheet to keyword divide a database in a few macros -- or the person who conducts a successful fund raising campaign right from their desktop -- for free. If you are persuaded by the editor’s opinions of power in the pages of today's computer and internet magazines you may eventually be disappointed.
Yes, the mega-muscle, mega-buck machines - the endless parade of trinket input devices, giga-perriferals and feature-laden upgrades all taking us where they want us to go at nose-bleed acceleration - all wonderful. But did you hear a big “woosh” sucking sound? I did.
So you say: what’s the point, Fred?
The point is we’re all power users. And we all begin with the same equipment. It’s
up there, between the ears. It’s looking at a project and seeing the results before
hand touches mouse. It’s making the best contribution with the least amount of cost,
in the shortest possible time. How you use it will get you much further than what
you used it on.
So next time you read about what all you’ll have to buy and learn in order to become a “power user” you can just smile and say sure, no problem.
You’re the “power” and you’ve had it all along.
Fred
PS: I'd like each of you to pass along your one-line definition of "Power User" -- just email it to me, on America OnLine. or my web address, and we’ll build a file of your opinions and post them in a future issue. I'll also pass them along to the editors of the leading computer magazines to let them know where the REAL power is!
Fred Showker is a veteran of the graphics industry, and the Director of the internet Design & Publishing Center, and an associate editor for the User Group Network News Service.. You can chat with him directly on America OnLine, where he is “AFA Shwkr”, the forum advisor in the User Group Forum (UGF).
