Tony Duell wrote:
> >
> > Another good use that shows "obsolete" doesn't exist if the application
> > *works*. :-)
>
> Of course not. Old tools carry on doing the job they've always done. No
> reason to ever upgrade unless you need new functionality.
Almost especially in medical technology like in the example given.
My wife (the nurse) specialised in home care of {para|quadra}plegics
and once a patient with limited mobility has learned to use a tool
adequately, it works. Efforts by the "well-meaning" to get that
patient to use something "better" (the "well-meaning" being either
students with research projects or tax-paid "social" workers) have
the drawback of trying to replace skills that were a bitch to
develop in the first place with a new set that would take years --
as many years as learning the skills that work. Of course, the kids
with fresh education and materials have priority over those who've
actually helped people. Most of those kids should be kneecapped and
encouraged to swim the Pacific.
--
Ward Griffiths <mailto:gram_at_cnct.com> <http://www.cnct.com/home/gram/>
WARNING: The Attorney General has determined that Alcohol, Tobacco,
and Firearms can be hazardous to your health -- and get away with it.
Received on Thu Dec 10 1998 - 21:58:36 GMT