With all due respect, MacOS has been dumbed down long before Windows ever existed. Back in the day, if a noob wanted to have an 'easy to use' computer, they bought a Mac. if they wanted a computer that was difficult but more usable, they bought an IBM PC-XT w/ DOS, or for the real hobbyist, a Radio Shack TRS-80 with CP/M.
Those days are long gone. even the early attempts at dumbing down the PC platform in the 1990s with MS Bob and Packard Bell Navigator were flops. and there were more who were resistant to computers than there are now. today, my mom could get a wireless printer going where i could not. and i am an A+ certified pro. my grandmother can use Win7.
Now my grandmother would ask, "What does this
'Your McAfee Antivirus Trial has expired.' mean?", I think she'd be safe with Windows RT.
Trouble is, I think there are many who just can't be safe, don't really know they're doing, or shouldn't be trusted with Windows in it's current form at all....two words.....
Chinese botnet.
Was in Hubei Province last New Year, staying with a friend's family. Their Haier
Genuine Windows 7 Home Basic laptop was filled with all sorts of malware and nasties. They didn't really know what they were doing with it. They're peasant farmers, and not really familiar with modern tech, apart from TV. They bought the laptop, so they could stay in touch with their sons and daughters. I think a locked-down appliance type internet device would great for them. Something like Windows RT or iOS. It's here, where budget Android tablets have been doing really well. Most people just use them for IM and e-mail.
For some people I think there might be no hope with tech. One of my students is an 8 year old girl. Parents bought her a new retina screen MacBook Pro(They're quite rich), to help her with education. They couldn't even work out how to download apps from the App Store in OS X....seriously.
so it really is not necessary and i can see it going the same way that the early attempts did.
That's the way MS seems to be going this time, and committed to it AFAICT. We'll see how it turns out, and what the future holds for them.
it is even coming back to the automobile market. remember the digital dash and talking cars? *beep* Your keys are in the ignition! *beep* your washer fluid is low! it's getting more advanced but i see a rehash of the 1980s again.
Ding ding..."FASTEN SEAT BELT!"...Ding ding..."FASTEN SEAT BELT!"
Ding ding..."系好安全带!"...Ding ding..."系好安全带!"
Which is what my friend's 2011 Shanghai MG says, every time we get in the thing.
Of course most people never use seat belts here.