(这条文章已经被阅读了 157 次) 时间：2001-02-06 16:36:20 来源：谢丽 (Shelley) 原创-IT
There’s a funny thing that happens between technology and people. Once someone has mastered a given technology, they think everyone else a cretin for not instantly understanding what seems obvious to them. I notice the “high-tech landed gentry” of the Internet thumb their noses at anyone who is a “newbie.” These newbies aren’t idiots for not understanding what we know, they’re our marketplace and our source of revenue for the rest of our lives.
Newbies are often considered naifs for not understanding how to unsubscribe to a listproc. They don’t know that they’re talking to an automaton that mindlessly sends them help files when they wish to unsubscribe. So the newbie gets furious with the list manager, thinking he/she is being ignored by a real human.
When it comes to the Web, it gets worse. I often say Web pages have done for interface design what desktop publishing has done for page layout: both have been pretty much destroyed. Just because you can italicize, make bold, and drop-shadow a headline doesn’t mean you should. But people do. Why? Because they can. The same is true for Web interface design. They add all sorts of doodads that make sense to the designer — and only the designer. And since that designer is using a high-resolution screen with industrial-strength connectivity, he/she has no clue how slow those beautiful graphics really are on a 28.8 kbps modem with a low resolution monitor of 14″, which is what most of the Internet is using. References and navigational subtitles are usually lost on the average surfer.
I remind designers and techies alike what it was like for them to first get on the Web and be completely confused as to what site they were on, and how they got to a Japanese subway station when what they really wanted was information on sunspots. I remind them of how confusing it was to start a sound file loading and then go to another site, only to have the sound file start talking about something you saw two sites ago.
The truth is, there are more newbies than oldbies out there now, many more. Making Web sites understandable to the newbies doesn’t mean talking down to them, but rather predicting what they’re going to be confused about and helping at that point. No wonder newbies are petrified about spending money on the Net. Much of the time they can’t figure out whether they’re coming or going in this medium. Until they’re comfortable with navigation, most of us can forget about getting them to part with their money in such a strange, forbidding environment, where they get scoffed at for asking basic questions on a discussion list, Usenet group or Web site.
Designers and techies alike should make a concerted effort to make their language more accessible to the newbies. Newbies should be encouraged, not admonished.
So how will we know when the current wave of newbies have gotten fully comfortable with this strange new land called cyberspace? When they start making fun of the next generation of newcomers.
what happened with the newbie? - 天眼 - 2001-02-06 16:46:33
好，好，施（拉普那）大爷说的真好！（扭头）一句都没听懂。
Re:what happened with the newbie? - Shelley - 2001-02-06 16:50:22
没意思，都看不懂，气死我了！！ 请斑竹将该文章删除吧，谢谢。
哪位英语高人，help me!!! - 季风 - 2001-02-06 16:53:21
我发誓！我要学唐僧到西天去取经，否则，我就要被踢出庙门了！555555……：（
what happened to you? - zompire - 2001-02-06 17:27:57
呵呵... 本人虽然是英语专业毕业,看起来都费劲. 可能是我落伍了...;-P
Re:what happened with the newbie? - lin - 2001-02-06 18:56:33
newbie ? 应该是 newbee 才正确吧，中文翻译是 "新峰"，即新人类也，所谓新人类都是指牛气轰轰的，所以就是牛B的意思：）。
Re:what happened with the newbie? - Shelley - 2001-02-06 23:15:05
小林！！，你太伤我心了。理解错误！！！ 打！
Re:what happened with the newbie? - 快乐分裂 - 2001-02-06 23:17:38
我也以为是NB呢？呵呵！ 里面东西没看，实在太费劲，下会最好有中英文对照比较好，帮助大家学英文！
Re:what happened with the newbie? - lin - 2001-02-06 23:26:21
都怪你，都怪你这个英语老师没教好，所以我才不懂嘛：） 快呀，给你带罪立功的机会，教我多一点英文：）
Re:what happened with the newbie? - Shelley - 2001-02-07 03:24:29
唉，能认真的看一看吗？？？尤其是搞技术的，写的就是你们，居然不关心，真是的！：（
我斗胆翻译一下吧 - zompire - 2001-02-07 15:18:10
本人不熟网络专业用语,翻译起来较生硬,包涵了.呵呵 (而且,谢小姐好用长句,而且受中文习惯,有时前后主语不一致,增加了我理解的困难.;)谢小姐莫打.呵呵) 谢小姐不写中文让别人好懂,正中了自己文中所写的毛病.哈哈. There's a funny thing that happens between technology and people. Once someone has mastered a given technology, they think everyone else a cretin for not instantly understanding what seems obvious to them. I notice the "high-tech landed gentry" of the Internet thumb their noses at anyone who is a "newbie." These newbies aren't idiots for not understanding what we know,（；） they're our marketplace and our source of revenue for the rest of our lives. 在技术和人之间发生了件有趣的事情。一旦某个人掌握了某一样技术，就把别人当成是白痴，因为这些技术对他是小菜一碟，而别人还没来得及弄懂。我注意到网络界的“高科技领地贵族”对所有的“新兵”都嗤之以鼻。这些新兵没有理解我们所掌握的知识，（并不能说明）他们不是白痴，相反，他们正是我们的市场，是我们日后生活的收入来源。 Newbies are often considered naifs for not understanding how to unsubscribe to a listproc. They don't know that they're talking to an automaton that mindlessly sends them help files when they wish to unsubscribe. So the newbie gets furious with the list manager, thinking he/she is being ignored by a real human. 新兵们常常因为不知道取消订阅邮件列表而被当成傻瓜。他们希望取消订阅时，他们不知道跟他们交谈的只是一台随意发送帮助文件的自动应答机器。新兵们以为漠视他们的那个列表管理员们是一个真人，还真的发火了。 When it comes to the Web, it gets worse. I often say Web pages have done for interface design what desktop publishing has done for page layout: both have been pretty much destroyed. Just because you can italicize, make bold, and drop-shadow a headline doesn't mean you should. But people do. Why? Because they can. The same is true for Web interface design. They add all sorts of doodads that make sense to the designer -- and only the designer. And since that designer is using a high-resolution screen with industrial-strength connectivity, he/she has no clue how slow those beautiful graphics really are on a 28.8 kbps modem with a low resolution monitor of 14", which is what most of the Internet is using. References and navigational subtitles are usually lost on the average surfer. 说到网络方面，事情就更糟了。我常说，网页的界面设计和桌面出版的页面排版在做同样的事情：他们都被（设计者）弄砸了。你会给标题做斜体，粗体和阴影，并不表明你应该去那么做。但人们都这样做了。为什么？因为他们会做。对于网络界面，亦然。设计者喜欢加上各种他们自己，也就他们自己，所钟爱的小玩意儿。既然设计者自己在通过工业强度的连接使用高分辨率的显示屏，他们就压根没想过用户们通过一般的上网工具，一条28。8K的解调器和14寸的低分辨率的显示器，来观赏这些漂亮的表图时蜗牛般的速度。各种网络查看参数和说明常把一般的冲浪者抛诸脑后。 I remind designers and techies （是谢小姐自己根据TECH — IE编的词吧） alike what it was like for them to first get on the Web and be completely confused as to what site they were on, and how they got to a Japanese subway station when what they really wanted was information on sunspots. I remind them of how confusing it was to start a sound file loading and then go to another site, only to have the sound file start talking about something you saw two sites ago. 我提醒网络设计者和技术之类的人员，当他们起初上网困惑不解时的样子，他们在查询太阳黑子时却登到一个日本地铁站。我提醒他们，为了让一个声音文件介绍才在前几个站点见过的东西，让用户跑几个站点去启动声音文件，人家都要给弄昏了。 The truth is, there are more newbies than oldbies（又是谢小姐从NEWBIE想开的吧） out there now, many more. Making Web sites understandable to the newbies doesn't mean talking down to them, but rather predicting what they're going to be confused about and helping at that point. No wonder newbies are petrified about spending money on the Net. Much of the time they can't figure out whether they're coming or going in this medium. Until they're comfortable with navigation, most of us can forget about getting them to part with their money in such a strange, forbidding environment, where they get scoffed at for asking basic questions on a discussion list, Usenet group or Web site. 事实是，新兵比老兵多得多。把网站搞得让新兵容易懂点，并不是看不起他们，而是预知到新兵可能会困惑的地方并给予指点。难怪新兵看到在网上的花费时目瞪口呆。他们在很多时候都弄不明白在这个媒体里，他们是来还是去。直到他们对网络导航轻车熟路，我们大多数才会忘记曾把钱花在这个陌生而可怕的环境里，在这里，他们因为问过一些很基本的有关讨论列表，用网群组或者网站方面的问题被嘲笑过。 Designers and techies alike should make a concerted effort to make their language more accessible to the newbies. Newbies should be encouraged, not admonished. 网络设计和技术人员应该协力使他们的语言更为新兵们所接受。新兵们理应得到鼓励，而不是训斥。 So how will we know when the current wave of newbies have gotten fully comfortable with this strange new land called cyberspace? When they start making fun of the next generation of newcomers. 那么，我们怎么知道现在的这一拨新兵在什么时候完全适应了这片叫做网络空间的土地了呢？当他们开始捉弄新来的一代的时候。
Re:what happened with the newbie? - flcaoz - 2001-02-07 15:55:55
shelley 写的满好的，要是用中文写就更好了！
Re:what happened with the newbie? - Shelley - 2001-02-07 16:03:23
唉，再一次让我失望。有的地方果然中西方理解不同。 曹正：找你好久了！！