On the Net

with Alex Clarke

The chore of upgrading

"I thought computers were supposed to make life easier!” is an oft-heard refrain. It seems that there is a never-ending learning curve in store for anyone who works with technology. When will the roller coaster end?

For those who love computers for their own sake, the thrill of a new release can be a wonderful thing. But for most people, upgrading is a chore and an expense they'd rather put off.

Sometimes it seems computer technology has reached a level of such enormous complexity that people almost need to have an IT degree just to utilise a software package like Excel. People spend lots of time and money in training courses learning skills they will have to forget before they even get to use them. Businesses are on an endless treadmill of upgrades and reskilling.

Unfortunately, things have ever been thus. There never was a "good old days when computers were simple” - at least not one worth harking back to.

As computers and digital media become more central to modern life, the challenge of making their power accessible to ordinary people becomes vital. Making such intricately complex machines seem simple is an art form - and it is a job that is never finished. Perhaps at some point information technology will plateau and stabilise, but it will not be for many years yet. Until then we have to cope with the enormous change that follows in the wake of each new development. The associated costs in obsolescence: lost skills, lost data, and the waste of resources are a huge issue.

Apple

Apple have always paid great attention to ergonomics and usability, with the core idea of creating a computer "for the rest of us”, a simpler, friendlier computer. However the Mac was not the success it was meant to be, and instead Windows became the "Mac for the rest of us.” Simplicity and ergonomics lost that battle.

For 10 years, Microsoft has reigned on the desktop, and Windows will remain a dominant force for a long time to come. To be fair, Microsoft has come a long way in that time, to the point where today Windows XP is not unpleasant to use.

Thankfully though, some alternatives, including the Mac, have survived.

Now that the disadvantages Microsoft's virtual monopoly are becoming obvious, they are emerging to challenge the 900 pound gorilla (as Microsoft is affectionately known in the industry).

Linux

Linux is a grass roots movement in software development - essentially the geek underground. It is an operating system written and maintained by a bunch of people for fun - this is millions of lines of code we're talking about here. That's a hobby for obsessives if ever I heard of one. Nevertheless, their weird obsession has paid off for many businesses and home users who get a world class, industrial strength OS for their computers - for free. As a bonus they get to run no Microsoft products whatsoever.

Linux users can choose among a number of different faces - GUIs - for their Linux build. Some of these are quite as usable as Windows or Mac OS - such as KDE and Gnome. But overall, Linux has a way to go before it is as simple to use as Windows, let alone Mac OS. This is not a criticism - it is a great alternative platform, with many advantages in other areas. But it's not your grandmother's operating system.

HotNews

An Israeli firm has developed a telephone to help those who cannot hear well but who can lip-read. A flashing light signals incoming calls. The device's owner can lip-read the conversation, in real time, on an animated face that pops up on an attached screen.

The device and software took four years to develop and it's hoped it will be available soon.

HotSites

With the Federal Election just weeks away, this week we have a look at some of the main parties internet offerings.

www.liberal.org.au

Lots of pics of the PM on the front page. Then there's information about the Government's policies and plans for Australia should they be re-elected. Generally conservative tone and design, as you'd expect.

www.alp.org.au

Think what you will of Mark Latham, the ALP site is nicely designed and contains a good deal more information than I could cope with in one sitting. But when will pollies learn that dozens of pictures of the leader on one page is a bit much for most people?

www.nationals.org.au

This site seems half-hearted, and looks a bit like an ad for an icy pole. The main menu is hard to read, but otherwise it offers the customary policies and candidates links, but little else. Some features are Windows specific - presumably Nationals voters don't use the Mac or Linux.

www.greens.org.au

A very nicely put together site, with easy access to information on Green policies, candidates and news. It seems both informative and fairly informal - like the Greens themselves.

www.democrats.org.au

The Dems have spent a lot more time and energy making their site entertaining and informative, with excellent design and heaps of non-textual material - movies and sound bytes. The Lie Detectors theme is well thought out and nicely executed. I vote for this site!

• Chris Goh is taking a holiday and Alex will be writing on the internet and computers over the coming weeks.