>Another thought. Is the user really any better off after 20 years of computer evolution?
>
>There used to be a time study firm that would publish the average time it took to create a one page business letter. Before computers the estimates were around 4 hours. The time was used in dictation, typing, review and retyping.
>
>Today if you include the overhead of word processing classes to learn the software, operating system classes to learn how to use the computer and the time spent maintaining the hardware; I would bet the estimates would be same amount of time or more. In addition the user has a whole new set of variables to worry about (fonts, graphics, alignment ...).
>

And the user only has to learn once. After learning, he can create business letters in minutes for the rest of his life. Same goes for you and your learning complaints. If you are in the business to write a single app and then quit, it's not a very efficient process. But if you write apps for a living, every minute of learning pays off with 10 minutes (or much more) saved in productivity.


>Is the business any better off with the new methods?

< SARCASM >
You may be on to something. Maybe you should pioneer the new anti-technology revolution, and show the world how productive your office is after you've replaced your computer and telephone with a fleet of secretaries and two cans tied together with a string.
< SARCASM >