but I know plenty of people who can barely use their VCR Properly,
I don't get those people! What's so hard about looking at a VCR and pressing buttons? Worst case with the booklet! It's not a terribly hard procedure like, say, some brain surgery.
but I know plenty of people who can barely use their VCR Properly,
I don't get those people! What's so hard about looking at a VCR and pressing buttons? Worst case with the booklet! It's not a terribly hard procedure like, say, some brain surgery.
I know. The blinking 00:00's should be the first people to go when the Techno Revolution cometh [sic].
Sometimes it's a case of having a VCR whose higher functions are only accessible through buttons on the remote, and then losing the remote. It's not like people are having trouble with "Play" or "Stop".
Many people take the wrong approach to computers.They feed in some inputs, and get a set result, this of course gives them no reason to try a different approach. Since modern computers are so incredibly complex they can't be used without abstracting the interface intelligently. Otherwise people can use a computer regularly for years and never become any more literate. For example: My father uses a hotmail account, and instead of going straight to the login page, he will go to his bookmarks, click the bookmark for google, type "MSN" into google, click on the top link, then on the mail tab. I have been completely unable to dissuade him from this because "it works." alternatively, some people will abstract a computer interface in the same way they would a typewriter. the presence of in-obvious functions on a computer is similar to hiding a button inside the typewriter, a button which they never knew existed until they had a need for it. they would rather all the buttons be visible, even if they never use them. Most people need to be told where those buttons are every time they change to stay literate. The tech-savvy however have a knack for knowing those buttons are there, and where they tend to be hidden. As the next generation grows up using technology more complex than they can literally grasp, the mental-backflip required to use those interfaces effectively should become second nature.
Many people take the wrong approach to computers.They feed in some inputs, and get a set result, this of course gives them no reason to try a different approach. Since modern computers are so incredibly complex they can't be used without abstracting the interface intelligently. Otherwise people can use a computer regularly for years and never become any more literate. For example: My father uses a hotmail account, and instead of going straight to the login page, he will go to his bookmarks, click the bookmark for google, type "MSN" into google, click on the top link, then on the mail tab. I have been completely unable to dissuade him from this because it works. alternatively, some people will abstract a computer interface in the same way they would a typewriter. the presence of in-obvious functions on a computer is tantamount to hiding a buttoninsidethe typewriter, a button which they never knew existed until they had a need for it. Most people need to be told where those buttons are every time they change to stay literate. The tech-savvy however have a knack for knowing those buttons are there, and where they tend to be hidden. As the next generation grows up using technology more complex than they can literally grasp, the mental-backflip required to use those interfaces effectively should become second nature.
It's my opinion that literacy vs. illiteracy is the the same as knowing vs. learning. They touched on this a bit in the episode, but knowing how to use a computer is different from being technologically literate. It's the monkey in the box. You can teach a monkey to give you the red card whenever you say the phrase "What is your favorite color?" but that doesn't mean the monkey knows what red is. It just knows "What is your favorite color?" -> "Red card". In the same way, being literate in technology means I should be able to put you in front of any computer and you should be able to start up Word, or a browser, or whatever. There are alot of people out there that only know "click here" -> "it works". What's even more frustrating is when these people break something, and they say "Don't teach me anything, just fix it".
Yeah, I think that is the ultimate mating call for people who are too lazy to learn. What is optional at that point is the person doing the fixing to make them move the mouse and type on the keyboard. I say optional because sometimes the effort put in trying to teach the dingbats might not be worth your time.
A lot of people I've worked with (meaning all but 1 of my bosses) has been absolutely computer illiterate. But it isn't an issue for them because they get people like me to do everything for them, much to my chagrin. And I know that this will be the case for years to come. I don't see it changing very much. There isn't a place that teaches "computers," and schools are pretty broke these days to have enough computers to actually teach this literacy. I think there will be a higher level of literacy, but as with cars, people will learn as much as needed to get by without dying (quickly, at least) and that's it. Which means people like me will have a job forever!
Either works. Last time I heard it chair was first to be named.
Well, Wikipedia agrees with me.
I personally prefer to call it an "Eye-Dee-Ten-Tee" error. One of the greybeards in my comp sci classes dropped that one on me and I've been using it ever since.
I fully agree with the "knowing versus learning" point from above. Hell, I work with the functionally "computer illiterate" every day. I do phone support for a dental software company and deal daily with people who can't handle installing a USB device, much less comprehending the file structure of a PC. I mean, really, how hard is it to work through a Found New Hardware wizard in Windows when the installation disc for the hardware puts the drivers on the machine in the proper place? But no, at least once a day I have to deal with a dental hygenist telling me their "U-B-S device" is not recognized and then asking me if it could be a problem with their monitor or some other completely unrelated piece of hardware. They don't try rebooting their PCs before they call in and whine about their software not working. You can try getting the concept of a left-click versus a right-click through these people's heads, but it's like nailing Jell-o to a tree.
Granted, I'm not a dentist and I don't know diddly-squat about cleaning teeth, but you'd think if they're going to use computers in their business and have staff using computers in their business then they'd at least have the decency to learn about the hardware they're using on a daily basis. In this day and age when damn near every community college in the country offers courses on basic computer usage and there are private businesses that offer classes on teaching people how to use a computer there is no excuse for being computer-illiterate.
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alternatively, some people will abstract a computer interface in the same way they would a typewriter. the presence of in-obvious functions on a computer is similar to hiding a button inside the typewriter, a button which they never knew existed until they had a need for it. they would rather all the buttons be visible, even if they never use them. Most people need to be told where those buttons are every time they change to stay literate. The tech-savvy however have a knack for knowing those buttons are there, and where they tend to be hidden. As the next generation grows up using technology more complex than they can literally grasp, the mental-backflip required to use those interfaces effectively should become second nature.
It's the monkey in the box. You can teach a monkey to give you the red card whenever you say the phrase "What is your favorite color?" but that doesn't mean the monkey knows what red is. It just knows "What is your favorite color?" -> "Red card". In the same way, being literate in technology means I should be able to put you in front of any computer and you should be able to start up Word, or a browser, or whatever. There are alot of people out there that only know "click here" -> "it works".
What's even more frustrating is when these people break something, and they say "Don't teach me anything, just fix it".
And I know that this will be the case for years to come. I don't see it changing very much. There isn't a place that teaches "computers," and schools are pretty broke these days to have enough computers to actually teach this literacy.
I think there will be a higher level of literacy, but as with cars, people will learn as much as needed to get by without dying (quickly, at least) and that's it.
Which means people like me will have a job forever!
I fully agree with the "knowing versus learning" point from above. Hell, I work with the functionally "computer illiterate" every day. I do phone support for a dental software company and deal daily with people who can't handle installing a USB device, much less comprehending the file structure of a PC. I mean, really, how hard is it to work through a Found New Hardware wizard in Windows when the installation disc for the hardware puts the drivers on the machine in the proper place? But no, at least once a day I have to deal with a dental hygenist telling me their "U-B-S device" is not recognized and then asking me if it could be a problem with their monitor or some other completely unrelated piece of hardware. They don't try rebooting their PCs before they call in and whine about their software not working. You can try getting the concept of a left-click versus a right-click through these people's heads, but it's like nailing Jell-o to a tree.
Granted, I'm not a dentist and I don't know diddly-squat about cleaning teeth, but you'd think if they're going to use computers in their business and have staff using computers in their business then they'd at least have the decency to learn about the hardware they're using on a daily basis. In this day and age when damn near every community college in the country offers courses on basic computer usage and there are private businesses that offer classes on teaching people how to use a computer there is no excuse for being computer-illiterate.
Rym: Where's my phone?
Emily: Dunno, where'd you set it down?
Scott: (very quietly from his hotel bed) I ate it...numnumnum.
Why is it that he only acts cute when he is sick or really really tired?