Re: [Patch] A clipboard daemon for gnome-settings-daemon

[Hongli Lai <h lai chello nl>]

On Saturday 06 September 2003 12:48, Mario Vukelic wrote:
> I know it's only limited by RAM. That's what I meant. I did not say 1 MB
> is too much, you did :) I probably misunderstood what you were saying.
> You said "If an application puts more than 1 MB of data in the clipboard
> then either that application is broken or the user is doing something
> wrong".

Actually I meant applications that are only supposed to copy text (like most 
Linux apps currently). If something happens which makes them copy 20+ MB of 
text, or if the user really tries to copy 20 MB of text, then I don't see why 
the clipboard daemon would be at fault for "enourmous memory usage".

Maybe "wrong" wasn't the right word. I was just trying to say that the 
clipboard daemon should not be blamed for large memory usage.


> You have never worked in a non-geek setting? The general user does not
> know what a "clipboard" is, what "RAM" is and how it is different from
> persistent storage.

I doubt it. My extremely computer-illiterate parents do know what RAM is 
(because I told them). My 15-16 year old classmates know a lot more about 
computers and hardware than their parents (and are well aware of the 
difference between RAM and harddisk). Even back when I first started using 
computers, I knew what RAM is because it's explained in the book I borrowed 
from the library. Heck, one of the first things that that book teach you is 
what the clipboard is and how to use it!
Shouldn't all the other "general users" at least have followed courses/lessons 
or read books that teach them basics like these? I don't know anybody who 
doesn't know what a clipboard is, besides those that have never used a PC 
before.

Besides, if you don't know what a clipboard is then you will also never use 
it. I don't see the problem.


> He does immediately forget that he has selected 20
> MB and copied it to the clipboard, because the whole concept has never
> entered his consciousness in the first place. Users will scan pages in
> 1200x1200 dpi in 24 bit and try to send the resulting 300 MB file by
> email, and then call support. They have no concept of a "MB" and how the
> file size they see in the file manager relates to their RAM size,
> because they don't know that stuff that's loaded goes into their RAM in
> the first place. Believe me, been there, done that.

Then I think those people haven't received proper education about how to use a 
computer.
Computers are not magic. You cannot use them properly unless you learn how to 
use them. If they don't know what an MB is then someone should teach them. If 
people want to use computers properly then they should at least be willing to 
learn the *basics*. Basics like RAM, clipboard, MB, are very easy to 
understand.

Make computers more userfriendly? OK.
Adapt them to the "infinite stupidity of humanity" (quote from Einstein) ? No.

I suggest those people to read the book "Windows 95 for Kids", the book I read 
when I first started using computers. It seems that after I finished reading 
that book, I knew more about computers than the people you referred to.