[oclug] eye candy - was Looking for Aquarium Screen Saver

[miden]

This discussion got me wondering if anyone has ever done a survey or
study to find out what exactly 'ordinary' users really want? I'm talking
about the kind of carefully crafted questionaire designed to avoid
leading questions and both the questioner's and the respondent's
unconscious biases/assumptions/cognitive dissonance? The result might
not contain any surprises (as in 'I could have told you that without a
survey') or...

I would be very interested in reading such a study if it had been done
by an individual or group with the relevant (and obviously very
specialised) expertise.

Does anyone know if such a study has been done?

-m

chris h wrote:
> On Tuesday 05 April 2005 15:03, Richard Guy Briggs wrote:
> 
> 
>>My conclusion is that most desktop users would take eye candy and
>>convenience over reliability and security any day.
> 
> 
> Well I would say 'most' users don't have a choice. Its supplied at the office 
> or place of work if we defined 'most' statistically. ie: deployed 
> workstations vs general consumer home units. 
> 
> It is also an unfortunate reality that "most" user have no clue what 
> you/we/us/the lists are talking about. Reliability is not something they can 
> change hence live it and security is left to others. Its really quite a 
> conundrum that has been partly organized and works to the advantage of 
> retailers and suppliers. 
> 
> For example; at Best Buy they will charge you an extra 125.00 when you buy a 
> laptop to have "our experts optimize the machine for you" When asked whats 
> involved no real information was relayed. Lots of mumbo jumbo 
> however.........despite the disc being imaged at the factory and so loaded 
> upon assembly. 
> 
> /ch
> 
>