Re: The great Java showcase (re: 2nd historic mistake)

[ell@access5.digex.net (Ell)]

Tim Ottinger (tottinge@dave-world.net) wrote:
: 
: Ell wrote:
: 
: > Tim Ottinger (tottinge@dave-world.net) wrote:
: > :
: > : People don't know what they want.

: > Believe me most people _do_ know what they _want_.
 
: No. Most people see a thing and then decide they want it. 

As an opening comment, the gist of what you and RMartin have to say about
this question is that you the engineers are justified in determining what
users want.  Whereas I am of the mind that we engineers should be finding
out what it is people want and need.

You are seriously delusional if you do not realize that _in general_
people know what they want.  Not that it's always best for them, but
generally they do know what they want/desire.

: > : They don't know what they need.

: > Never?  In all cases?  So only the engineers can tell us what they
: > need?
 
: Most people want freedom, compensation, respect, and autonomy. If you
: list those out for them. Otherwise, they want safety, simplicity, to be
: in comfortable situations where their consequences won't harm them, and
: a clear path to follow. Most people want both at the same time and don't
: realize that they're contradictory.

I think people are smarter than what you and RMartin give them credit for.
It is quite possible and reasonable to want contradictory things in a
certain balance or workable relationship to each other.

The pragmatists deny there is objective truth.  They want to bend things
to what _they_ see, want, or desire.  I say give users what they want!  In
most cases it's possible.

Elliott
-- 
"The domain object model is the foundation of OOD."
"We should seek out proven optimal practices and use them."
See SW Modeller vs SW Pragmatist Central: http://www.access.digex.net/~ell