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this post was submitted on 15 Oct 2023
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Library computers never used to look like windows. They were terminals into a larger system that allowed people to look up information, and the UI was just simplified to just that. People coped fine.
I'm pretty sure you don't say "anything goes" on library computers, so they are going to have some kind of restricted interface already. As long as that is navigable to the things that are allowed, people will cope.
By "never used to", when are you talking about? I think the last time I saw a terminal catalog in the way you're describing was 1995.
Pretty much every thing after that was a modified Windows install of one flavor or another with an intranet or web catalog interface for the user.
I'll buy that they were kept longer in some.places than othern but where and when are you pointing to?
Yes, I'm probably talking 20 years ago, but well into the era of windows being the dominant home operating system and the internet being a thing. As long as people can see an icon and double click it to get a web browser, they're happy.
Windows has been a staple in North American libraries for decades.
My local library uses some sort of Linux for the card catalogue. I don't use the general purpose library computers, but I think they are some flavour of Linux as well.
My impression was that they were probably sold as a low maintenance plug-and-play solution.
My local library is part of a larger library system, so I'm pretty sure the librarians won't know anything about them, that any computer maintenance is handled by somebody dispatched from the head branch. I'll still try and have a look here in a bit.