Look at any basic computer applications class, and you’ll see the curriculum is centered around Microsoft Office, and Microsoft Windows. This to me limits the actual lesson of learning computer applications. If the point of the lesson is to learn how to use a document writer, a spreadsheet maker, a slideshow maker, and a drawing program, then why do they only focus on Microsoft products? This to me actually detracts from learning the basics of how an application like that should run, and is actually teaching you how to move about in Windows.
Here’s what I’m getting at… Microsoft Office was actually a pretty good suite of programs at one time. Really, they were. Then 2007’s Office hit, and suddenly everything changed. Stuff was moved around into this ridiculous top-left start menu, and so much functionality was hidden and rearranged so that you were completely lost trying to use it. I remember I spent a good half hour looking for the print feature before I finally got fed up and fell back on the age-old keyboard shortcut that always works.
If the point of the lesson is to learn how a document writing program is supposed to work, let’s say, then shouldn’t we be writing documents in at least 3 different applications? This sets you up for incoming changes to the way it’ll be done in the future. Microsoft may rearrange everything all over again, or companies may completely ditch Microsoft entirely in favor of Google Docs or LibreOffice. You never really know. To me, forcing me to learn Microsoft’s poor office suite of applications is just limiting and irritating.
Yes, Office today is horrid… Try writing a document in Google Docs or LibreOffice and utilizing the weird stuff like making tables or bulleted lists. You tell me which one was easier to use.
I realize the reason Microsoft is focused on is because Microsoft is the primarily-used platform in the industry, and having knowledge of the applications is helpful in being able to complete your job. I’m not arguing with that at all. In fact, I think you need a class in order to even have a clue in how to use these damn counterintuitive hidden-interface-design applications. But, I feel that the tunnel vision on only Microsoft applications is actually more detrimental.
This takes away your agility with regards to being able to adapt to any change. Now you’re too wed to a certain interface, and a certain way of doing things, and when Microsuck decides to completely change it all around on you, you’re completely screwed.
The actual end result of what you’re trying to do with these applications in the first place is make printed documents, organized spreadsheets, presentation slideshows, and flow charts. If that’s the goal, then why not teach me how many different ways I can achieve that goal rather than only teaching me one way to do it?
You’re not really learning how to get your end result by relying on only Microsoft applications to get the job done… You’re only learning how to dig yourself into a hole and become complacent. If anyone is reading this, I urge you to try LibreOffice and Google Docs. With the knowledge you have right now of how to make documents, spreadsheets, slideshows, and drawings, try these other products out and see how they approach getting this job done. You’ll actually learn more about how to get that end result, or the best way to reach that end result, rather than setting yourself up for when the bottom falls out from under you as Microsuck decides to completely spin the interface into a new dimension of ridiculous. They already did it with their Windows 8 OS… don’t think they won’t do it with their most popular application suites again too.