--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why should someone have to retrain…" description: "\"Why should someone have to retrain themselves to use a new application that does the same basic thing as the old application, just because something as..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6a/jamie-zawinski-16110_application_why-should-someone-have-to-retrain-thems_844255.jpg" --- # Why should someone have to retrain themselves to use a new… ![“Why should someone have to retrain themselves to use a new application that does the same basic thing as the old application, just because something as trivial as the operating system changed out from under them?” quote by Jamie Zawinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6a/jamie-zawinski-16110_application_why-should-someone-have-to-retrain-thems_844255.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6a/jamie-zawinski-16110_application_why-should-someone-have-to-retrain-thems_844255.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6a/jamie-zawinski-16110_application_why-should-someone-have-to-retrain-thems_844255.jpg) > “Why should someone have to retrain themselves to use a new application that does the same basic thing as the old application, just because something as trivial as the operating system changed out from under them?” [Jamie Zawinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-zawinski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The complaint critiques forced relearning of new software due to superficial changes, emphasizing inefficiency and user frustration. **In simple terms:** Forced relearning for trivial changes is wasteful. Key Takeaway Advocate for backward compatibility. Themes technology user experience change resistance Mood frustrated critical Type technical opinionated When to use this quote - enterprise IT upgrades - consumer software updates - training sessions Key Concepts software design human‑computer interaction Questions to Reflect On - How can developers balance innovation with continuity? - What strategies help users adapt smoothly? A Different Perspective Sometimes new platforms offer genuine improvements despite the hassle. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Application](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/application/) [Application Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/application-just-677547/) [Changed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changed/) [Corny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corny/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Old Application](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-application-677544/) [Operating system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/operating-system/) [Operating systems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/operating-systems/) [Retrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retrain-665886/) [Retrain Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retrain-use-677545/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Trivial Operating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trivial-operating-677546/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) ## Related quotes > [To continue to be the world leader in innovation, we have to retrain and 'reskill' our workforce over time and prepare our kids for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-hurd/to-continue-to-be-the-world-leader-in-innovation-we-have-to-retrain/) [Will Hurd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-hurd/) > [“We need to retrain our brains, our hearts, and our wills to seek a comfort that truly satisfies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-m-straza/we-need-to-retrain-our-brains-our-hearts-and-our-wills-to-seek-a/) [Erin M. Straza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-m-straza/) > [Companies have a responsibility to train and retrain their employees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-balestrero/companies-have-a-responsibility-to-train-and-retrain-their-employees/) [Gregory Balestrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-balestrero/) > [And I loved teaching to the point where I may well retrain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhod-gilbert/and-i-loved-teaching-to-the-point-where-i-may-well-retrain/) [Rhod Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhod-gilbert/) > [Having to re-recruit, rehire, and retrain, and wait for a new employee to get up to speed is devastating in terms of cost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/having-to-re-recruit-rehire-and-retrain-and-wait-for-a-new-employee/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [Instead of expecting truck drivers and warehouse workers to rapidly retrain so they can compete with tireless, increasingly capable machines, let's play to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oren-etzioni/instead-of-expecting-truck-drivers-and-warehouse-workers-to-rapidly/) [Oren Etzioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oren-etzioni/) > [I think Linux is a great thing, because Linux is an alternative to Windows, and because, of all the operating systems that are at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-zawinski/i-think-linux-is-a-great-thing-because-linux-is-an-alternative-to/) [Jamie Zawinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-zawinski/) > [To a programmer, an operating system is defined by its API.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-petzold/to-a-programmer-an-operating-system-is-defined-by-its-api/) [Charles Petzold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-petzold/) > [It is the fate of operating systems to become free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/it-is-the-fate-of-operating-systems-to-become-free/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [By the time Apple's Macintosh operating system finally falls into the public domain, there will be no machine that could possibly run it. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/by-the-time-apple-s-macintosh-operating-system-finally-falls-into-the/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Technically, Windows is an "operating system," which means that it supplies your computer with the basic commands that it needs to suddenly, with no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/technically-windows-is-an-operating-system-which-means-that-it/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [I started Linux as a desktop operating system. And it's the only area where Linux hasn't completely taken over. That just annoys the hell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/i-started-linux-as-a-desktop-operating-system-and-it-s-the-only-area/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [EVERY MOMENT IN business happens only once. The next Bill Gates will not build an operating system. The next Larry Page or Sergey Brin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/every-moment-in-business-happens-only-once-the-next-bill-gates-will/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [Culture is your operating system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/culture-is-your-operating-system/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Willpower is the fuel that runs human life; Like a driver in a computer application, Or Operating System in cyber programme, Willpower works life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/praveen-kumar/willpower-is-the-fuel-that-runs-human-life-like-a-driver-in-a/) [Praveen Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/praveen-kumar/) ## More by Jamie Zawinski > [Our focus in the client group had always been to build products and features that people wanted to use. That we wanted to use.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-zawinski/our-focus-in-the-client-group-had-always-been-to-build-products-and/) [Jamie Zawinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-zawinski/) > [There is a lot of money to be made in the business of secrets, of course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-zawinski/there-is-a-lot-of-money-to-be-made-in-the-business-of-secrets-of/) [Jamie Zawinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-zawinski/) > [I don't get much sense of reward from having discovered how to get the Foo card to coexist with the Bar card.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-zawinski/i-don-t-get-much-sense-of-reward-from-having-discovered-how-to-get/) [Jamie Zawinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-zawinski/) > [Don't do drugs, kids. Stay in school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-zawinski/don-t-do-drugs-kids-stay-in-school/) [Jamie Zawinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-zawinski/) > [It combines the power of C with the readability of PostScript.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-zawinski/it-combines-the-power-of-c-with-the-readability-of-postscript/) [Jamie Zawinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-zawinski/) > [I find that getting something on the screen as soon as possible really helps focus the problem for me. It helps me decide what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-zawinski/i-find-that-getting-something-on-the-screen-as-soon-as-possible/) [Jamie Zawinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-zawinski/) > [ Convenient though it would be if it were true, Mozilla \[Netscape 1.0\] is not big because it's full of useless crap. Mozilla is big… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-zawinski/convenient-though-it-would-be-if-it-were-true-mozilla-netscape-1-0-is/) [Jamie Zawinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-zawinski/) > [The universe tends toward maximum irony. Don't push it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-zawinski/the-universe-tends-toward-maximum-irony-don-t-push-it/) [Jamie Zawinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-zawinski/) > [Any time someone says "that's it, I'm leaving" I ask them whether they'd prefer to live under US domestic policy, or US foreign policy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-zawinski/any-time-someone-says-that-s-it-i-m-leaving-i-ask-them-whether-they-d/) [Jamie Zawinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-zawinski/) > [Mostly I use the O2 as an X terminal, however, running my apps on Linux and displaying remotely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-zawinski/mostly-i-use-the-o2-as-an-x-terminal-however-running-my-apps-on-linux/) [Jamie Zawinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-zawinski/) > [Your needs are big because the Internet is big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-zawinski/your-needs-are-big-because-the-internet-is-big/) [Jamie Zawinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-zawinski/) > [Today, I use Linux as my primary OS (on an x86 PC, and on a Thinkpad), and I also use Irix (on an SGI…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-zawinski/today-i-use-linux-as-my-primary-os-on-an-x86-pc-and-on-a-thinkpad-and/) [Jamie Zawinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-zawinski/) > [If you give a cracker a new toy, the first thing he'll do is carve his initials in it. Fortunately, most crackers get over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-zawinski/if-you-give-a-cracker-a-new-toy-the-first-thing-he-ll-do-is-carve-his/) [Jamie Zawinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-zawinski/) > [Because, you see, what I want to do is to commoditize the OS. I want to have access to all the applications that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-zawinski/because-you-see-what-i-want-to-do-is-to-commoditize-the-os-i-want-to/) [Jamie Zawinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-zawinski/) > [I eat and drink at my desk, but I'm a tidy eater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-zawinski/i-eat-and-drink-at-my-desk-but-i-m-a-tidy-eater/) [Jamie Zawinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-zawinski/) [Explore all 41 Jamie Zawinski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-zawinski/) ## More Application quotes > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [Technology means the systematic application of scientific or other organized knowledge to practical tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/technology-means-the-systematic-application-of-scientific-or-other/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [I've been in real estate for a long time and I always try to stay on the edge. I'm really excited about the partnership…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-hammer/i-ve-been-in-real-estate-for-a-long-time-and-i-always-try-to-stay-on/) [MC Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-hammer/) > [If we blow ourselves up we will do it by misapplication of science; if we manage to keep from blowing ourselves up, it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/if-we-blow-ourselves-up-we-will-do-it-by-misapplication-of-science-if/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“...why don't you take a picture of yourself next to a fucking job application? How about that?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-wolf/why-don-t-you-take-a-picture-of-yourself-next-to-a-fucking-job/) [Josh Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-wolf/) > [Everything for us is a system. We don't think about it discretely as just as a piece of hardware, or discretely as an application...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosain-rahman/everything-for-us-is-a-system-we-don-t-think-about-it-discretely-as/) [Hosain Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosain-rahman/) > [To each eye, perhaps, the outlines of a great civilization present a different picture. In the wide ocean upon which we venture, the possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-burckhardt/to-each-eye-perhaps-the-outlines-of-a-great-civilization-present-a/) [Jacob Burckhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-burckhardt/) > [Without application of the mind; there is no drive for taking affirmative action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mercado/without-application-of-the-mind-there-is-no-drive-for-taking/) [Joseph Mercado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mercado/) > [“Having no applicable skills, in any possible area whatsoever, effectively makes me the master of redundancy. But that info is obsolete, like my insults…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-advise/having-no-applicable-skills-in-any-possible-area-whatsoever/) [Will Advise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-advise/) > [At every juncture, advanced tools have been the key to a new wave of applications, and each wave of applications has been key to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/at-every-juncture-advanced-tools-have-been-the-key-to-a-new-wave-of/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [The effect of the discovery of printing was evident in the savage religious wars of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Application of power to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-innis/the-effect-of-the-discovery-of-printing-was-evident-in-the-savage/) [Harold Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-innis/) > [As science is more and more subject to grave misuse as well as to use for human benefit it has also become the scientist's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-science-is-more-and-more-subject-to-grave-misuse-as-well-as-to-use/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you ask ... the man in the street ... the human significance of mathematics, the answer of the world will be, that mathematics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassius-jackson-keyser/if-you-ask-the-man-in-the-street-the-human-significance-of/) [Cassius Jackson Keyser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassius-jackson-keyser/) > [Technology, and applications of this technology, will continue to improve and evolve, providing unprecedented, global access to information, individuals, training, and opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-webb/technology-and-applications-of-this-technology-will-continue-to/) [Maynard Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-webb/) [Browse all 918 Application quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/application/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Why should someone have to retrain themselves to use a new application that does the same basic thing as the old application, just because something as trivial as the operating system changed out from under them?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jamie Zawinski" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-zawinski/why-should-someone-have-to-retrain-themselves-to-use-a-new/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Application" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-zawinski/why-should-someone-have-to-retrain-themselves-to-use-a-new/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6a/jamie-zawinski-16110_application_why-should-someone-have-to-retrain-thems_844255.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6a/jamie-zawinski-16110_application_why-should-someone-have-to-retrain-thems_844255.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6a/jamie-zawinski-16110_application_why-should-someone-have-to-retrain-thems_844255.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Why should someone have to retrain themselves to use a new application that does the same basic thing as the…” — Jamie Zawinski", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jamie Zawinski", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-zawinski/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Why should someone have to retrain...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-zawinski/why-should-someone-have-to-retrain-themselves-to-use-a-new/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-zawinski/why-should-someone-have-to-retrain-themselves-to-use-a-new/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```