Screen vs Page vs Card

[Dar Scott]

On Monday, March 29, 2004, at 10:01 AM, Marian Petrides wrote:

> I agree...Lots of people still use index cards as flash cards. House 
> officers--interns and residents--use them to keep patient data.  Index 
> cards aren't quite dead yet.

>> Some people still use Rolodex's (I saw some at Walmart just 
>> yesterday).

This makes my point.

To those on the inside, the card metaphor is obvious.  To those on the 
outside it is just computer jargon until they get to "oh, I get it".  
Then they are on the inside and can talk about how obvious it is.

Besides the potential jargon, there are lots of meanings to the noun 
card, and the outsider can only guess which ones apply if not some 
sense not known.

Is a card some board that is plugged in?  "Everybody knows computers 
have boards."
Is a card something the filters out my mistakes?
Is a card something that tells everybody I'm here.
Is Hypercard very funny?

There is no way, I'm going to force the card metaphor on my customers.  
I learn the terms of their domain.

Dar Scott