Why I use a Mac, anno 2006 3712

No. Read again. The painter is indeed painting. Expressing his or her talents using the tools available. They need not understand how paints or brushes are made. No more does the artist who uses a computer instead of paints and brushes need to know how the strokes and selections are tranferred to the screen.

The driver's talents are applicable whether the car has a gasoline, diesel, electrical or hybrid power plant. No need to understand how a shock absorber works or how power steering works. Nor do they need to understand if the fuel injection is mechanical, semi-automatic, or fully computerized. They apply their talents to instructing the machine to do what they want. Translating those control actions into real-world actions is no concern of the driver.

I don't have to know how the ink in my pen was made to write with it, or whether it's a ball, fountain or capillary action filement tip. I move it, the forms appear on the page.

No, this application of "using" is exactly correct.

But...

In any of these pursuits, knowing how things work MAY increase the expression of your talents. A painter who knows the background of how brushes are made can make a better decision on which ones to use, how long they'll last, and how to clean them appropriately. A person familiar with the families of writing instruments can make a better choice as to which pen to use to get the exact results they want. A driver who knows how anti-lock brakes behave as compared to older forms brakes can more effectively use them.

- Bill