[WEB4LIB] Re: browser differences

[Paul Taylor]

Hmmm... I am of a mind that if one needs to flash up their site with eye 
candy, perhaps it's really the content that needs attention. A well-authored 
page, using only HTML or other markup language, should do the trick just 
fine. Not to offend anyone, but Flash is simply a tool, and shouldn't be used 
as a crutch where better authoring is a more practical solution.

As for "power users," I would think the term refers to those who, regardless 
of platform, have a usage which outpaces the marketed audience and usually 
includes tinkering with the PCs innards, be it hardware or software. Using a 
lot of M$ products doesn't mean a person is a power user, it simply means 
they are using everything that came on the PC, as marketed. Actually, as a 
simple security measure, I advise my users NOT to use items such as Outlook 
(it's like hanging a big, red target on your PC), as I won't support it. I 
don't even install it when I am configuring a PC. A power user tends to be a 
person who looks outside the box for solutions, too, which means looking 
outside of Microsoft for many, if not most, or all, things. For example, on 
our public Internet stations, I have both Netscape AND Explorer, as there are 
some web pages that Explorer handles better, and other pages that Explorer 
chokes on. The only reason I don't install Opera is that people don't know 
what it is, and therefore don't recognize it as a web option.

-Paul


On Monday 05 August 2002 11:56 am, Drew, Bill wrote:
> Thanks to Steve Cramer for the quote.  He hits it right on the head as the
> to why we use Flash on our site.  It is also important to realize that the
> site is not using Flash for the actual links to resources.  It is using
> Flash as a marketing tool.  Is it necessary for the site to work? No.  Is
> it necessary to gain name recognition and brand loyalty (oops, I am
> advocating marketing), yes!
>
> I would also like to take to task the stereotyping of power users by on
> person on this list.  I consider myself power user and many others out here
> as well that do not run UNIX on their desktop or laptop.   I would hazard
> to guess that I am a fairly typical librarian power user in using Windows
> 98, IE6, Java turned on, JavaScript's turned on, user of Outlook, and also
> using other Microsoft products.
>
> Bill Drew

-- 
Paul Taylor
Computer Coordinator
Salem-South Lyon District Library
9800 Pontiac Trail
South Lyon, MI 48178

248-437-6431 phone
248-437-6593 fax
http://south-lyon.lib.mi.us