Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.
A metaphor that worked
Author: Dave Winer Posted: 8/13/1999; 11:14:31 AM Topic: Re: Open Source Dictatorships Msg #: 9469 (In response to 9468) Prev/Next: 9468 / 9470
I agree with you about the problems with metaphors. It's true that the Internet is so different from earlier forms of publishing and communication that old analogies often don't work. So when you come up with one that works, it's like gold.Yesterday I was talking with my uncle, who's now using computers again after starting in the FORTRAN punch-card days of the early 60s as an engineering student, then became a hippie and never had a job, and now is an enthusiastic user of Yahoo's free email, and an early user of Manila.
He's a traveler so not having to carry a computer with him means a lot. But now he's gotten so interested in the web that he's got a laptop that travels with him and he's using Mavis Beacon to become a better typist. He's even making computer jokes!
So I said to him "Now that you have your own computer I can give you better software to write with." He was puzzled. "Why?" he asked. Here comes the analogy that worked.
If you always rented cars I couldn't give you a new radio, but if you bought your own car, I could install one for you and you'd be able to listen to that instead of the low-quality one that comes with the car.
He's a smart guy, and immediately understood what I was saying.
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