Probably the reason non-techie comp users are such a frustration to techies lies in the fact that, beginning with Windows 1.1, those of us who were alive and accustomed to fighting through MSDOS manuals looking for commands to make the thing do something, we suddenly got spoiled into thinking comps could be made to do things,...........hmmm

User friendly.

Naturally, we don't have an appreciation for how difficult that must be for people who write software.

For instance, a couple of weeks back I described step-by-step in a blog entry the process I use to convert numbers taken from Lottery Post, New Mexico Lottery site, or anywhere else, to MS Excel 97.

About 18 steps involving the site, MS Notepad, MS Word, and Excel.  Just to get numbers that are plainly visible on the screen into a spreadsheet.

I've seen people ask a hundred times on threads how to do this, and I saw answers involving something called 'macros' and such, which I haven't a clue about.  So I messed around with it until I found a way to do it, posted the method on my blog, and have reason to believe there are a good many people out in readerland who are using that blunt instrument that I'd have thought software designers could have handled with a click of some kind, developed to a razor edge clean conversion and proud of doing it.

Similarly, consider the admirable capabilities of the various search facilities on LP available to Premium users.

If you go to make a prediction, all you have to do is cut and paste some numbers off notepad and you're in business.  The comp picks up those numbers, reads them and criticizes you for any mistakes you made.

But if you go to the SEARCH facility, it's an entirely different matter.

Say you want to find a complete history on a set of numbers.  Where and when they hit, that sort of thing.  You go to search, and it asks you whether you want to search Pick 6, 5+1, whatever.  Asks how many numbers you want to match.  Now you have a bunch of boxes.... type each number into a box.  No cut and paste for this baby.  Type each one.  If you don't have them memorized, refer to notepad and come back here, type a couple in, go back to notepad, come back and type another couple in.

Okay.  So you now have a page full of links to hits.  You click the link, does it take you there?  No.  It asks whether you want to look at the history of results.  So you go there.  You are looking at 2005, most recent results.

Ahhhh.  Okay, I want August 2002.....lessee, that must be about 30 pages in.  Click.  Shoot!  Must be seven or eight pages further.... pulldown .... add five more pages.  No, too far.... back three......

Okay.  Got it.  Now, backward backward backward backward backward to the page with all the links.... next link.... October 3, 2000........ Illinois.......... Yeah, pulldown, I want to look at the history of results..........  Hmmmkm must be about, what, 35 pages in?  Click.  Whoops, too far,  try 28, ooops, back too far..... try 30.  Ahhh got it.

Backbackbackback

Backbackbackback

Backbackbackback

Ahh arrived okay back to the SEARCH page....

Lessee.  Now I want to search Pick 5+1.  Different numbers. 

I'm sure there's a reason for all this, but I'll swear it ain't 2001 Space Oddessy.

Jack