In defense of stupid users

[Sloan, Bernie]

I don't recall seeing any discussion of this Todd Miller op ed piece
from the March 15 Library Journal:

"In the library world, we spend a remarkable amount of time and energy
larding up our search interfaces with umpteen filters, Boolean
pull-downs, radio buttons, and so on...After we've built the ultimate
stretch Cadillac of search engines, we proceed to 'educate' the user
about constructing searches in native command languages. And we're
incredulous when Johnny turns to Google instead of to the awesome
nuclear engine we've constructed."

Miller, Todd. In defense of stupid users. Library Journal, 130(5), 58.
March 15, 2005.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA509607 

Bernie Sloan
Senior Library Information Systems Consultant, ILCSO
University of Illinois Office for Planning and Budgeting
616 E. Green Street, Suite 213
Champaign, IL  61820

Phone: (217) 333-4895
Fax:   (217) 265-0454
E-mail: bernies at uillinois.edu