The actual average user is fine. The problem is most companies seem design for some hypothetical average user, who they hate and/or think is a dumbass.

> The actual average user is fine.

I'm afraid i have some unfortunate news..

>t. someone who deals with "average users" on a daily basis.

Have you seen the user of median (average) intelligence? That's who you seem to describe. The users of even lesser intelligence make me question the survival fitness of our species.

Your average users are getting rid of PCs and getting Android tablets or iPads instead.

I've dealt with users for a few years. Those were already selected to be a bit more technical than your average person because of a niche I am in. I can tell you an average user is in fact a dumbass.. Vast majority doesn't understand concepts like files. People have all kind of crap on their computers as they randomly click around and download everything. They save information in the downloads folder and complain it disappears. Their computer is 10x slower than yours because all the crap that runs on it.

The are also very aggressive when it comes to not reading error message or in fact learning anything about how computers or their OS works. Add to this usual entitlements and not seeing a problem with being dumb on purpose and you get a picture of an average user.

The companies know that and the dumbed down design we get is a diret consequence of it.