People not "in tune" with technology

[lacktheknack]

I do computers pretty well.

I cannot sew, however. Nor can I draw. I cannot do meaningful house hardware repairs. I cannot fix my car. Woe is me, not having these helpful skills to enrich my life!

I'm personally much more worried about the large amounts of people who cannot cook, or clean. There's almost as many of these people as there arethose who cannot handle computer drivers, but everyone's solution for them is "eat out/microwave meals" and "hire a cleaner". Why can't the computer illiterate just hand problems to other people? It's way less embarrassing than being unable to do even simpler and more important tasks.

 

[octafish]

My school made us type with orange covers on so we'd have to touchtype. We were in second grade.
Catholic school dicks.

Par for the course at Catholic school.

I don't touchtype and I'd quarter my speed if I tried, but years of typing (over 25 now) allows me to type about as fast as most touch-typists, and I use most of my fingers. Nothing beats my uncle, though. A journalist for years, he only typed with two fingers. But damn, did those two fingers MOVE!

Heh, that reminds me of the Sports Editor for the paper I work for. He goes through a HP keyboard every couple of months because he stabs so damn hard at the things with his two fingers. You can hear it across a busy newsroom. Clacketty clack. He's fast too.

Way back when I could cut and paste together enough cribbed code to make cracktros for C64 games. I never really understood what I was actually doing though.

I can't type, I use four fingers but I need to glance at the keyboard often, and I make a lot of mistakes. I know Photoshop backwards and forwards though. My favorite thing was one of the old photographers telling me that sometimes the cursor goes funny and you need to reset the computer to fix it. I felt bad telling him he had hit caps lock by accident. He wasn't embarrassed though, he was grateful.

I'm not upset that people don't know how to do stuff, but I get annoyed when people assume it is hard to do basic trouble shooting or build a computer. People need to be open minded about what they are capable of learning. Too many people are closed off to education about things that will help them in their life. Stay educable people.

 

[Eri]

But none of that has made me a better person.

I would argue that it has. Sure, your personality might not be any better, but you, as a person, have become a greater human by having learned that knowledge.

Well you'd be wrong. Because I have become a worse person and possibly done more harm to others with what I've done with that knowledge.

Regardless of whether used for good or evil, you've improved yourself.

 

[TWRule]

But none of that has made me a better person.

I would argue that it has. Sure, your personality might not be any better, but you, as a person, have become a greater human by having learned that knowledge.

...a person is not merely a collection of functions, nor a receptacle for information. I don't see your reasoning here.

Which is why I mentioned personality? People have their personality and then there's the rest of them. Which is pretty much whatever knowledge they have.

I think there's a bit more to it than that.

But none of that has made me a better person.

I would argue that it has. Sure, your personality might not be any better, but you, as a person, have become a greater human by having learned that knowledge.

Well you'd be wrong. Because I have become a worse person and possibly done more harm to others with what I've done with that knowledge.

Regardless of whether used for good or evil, you've improved yourself.

Well, you're clearly going off of some other criteria of evaluation for human beings than moral/ethical stature (which is obviously not what floppylobster meant, nor what most people would think of when using the phrase "a good (or better) person/human being"). And frankly, if we're talking about judging the most significant quality of a human being, the moral/ethical dimension seems by far the most significant. Maybe the person who has that knowledge is more "powerful" than the person who doesn't; but if power is going to be the deciding factor (or even considered remotely significant compared to ethical character) in human goodness, we're in trouble.

Solve Media: dog's dinner (that's what we'll be)

 

[Ruedyn]

As somebody who grew up with alot of amish people, I didn't really use technology until I was maybe 8, so I kind of shot myself in the foot seeing as how I've only recently mastered the beast that is Web Browsers, and most people I know might as well be one with their computer.

 

[I.N.producer]

Computer skills aren't that important for everyone, but people who do need computers should make an effort to understand them on some level.

My dad owns his own business, which he runs from home. He uses Quickbooks to keep track of invoices and other such things. He has been doing this for several years now. I recently had to teach him how to back up and restore his information on Quickbooks. This is software he's been using for a long time, but I needed to teach him a fairly basic function despite the fact that I had never used the program before. I'm glad to do it, but I shouldn't need to.

It really irks me when people who need computer skills don't make much of an effort to learn them, but I don't care much if people who don't need them don't have them. If my grandma didn't know how to use Facebook, I would be glad because she couldn't put embarrassing comments on everything.

 

[iseko]

Do you know how to drive a car and all its parts and can you repair one without (too much) outside help? You know many people don't have a car or even drive but cars and other motor vehicles are really important.

Can you work with electricity? Can you fix the power in your house and I don't mean change a fuse? Do you know how electricity is made and distributed? It's a very valuable tool, you know, and a very dangerous one at that, and you have it around you pretty much all the time.

Do you know how make a book? Lay it out, print it, bind it? There is an enormous amount of books in the world, and it only increases. Books are more than computers.

Ever been in construction work? Can you paint a wall, make concrete, erect the scaffolding, run the power line, or lay down some bricks, and etc?

Do you know medicine? I don't mean "I take aspirin when my head hurts", can you read the ingredients of a random medical good and get a sense of what it does or can you diagnose a random pain in the back by yourself?

Well, come on. I can ask more questions. I somehow doubt you know everything as well as you should. So please, refrain from whining.

Offtopic: CAPTCHA evolved - it asked me which one was the smallest and there was a dropdown of options including Mars, a cabbage and Canada (and various multiples of cabbages - a box, a truckload, 100).

I found it funny what you wrote here. I understand the point you are trying to make and you are perfectly right. I fully agree with you. That said:

Yes I know how cars work and how to fix the typical problems you have. My uncle owns a car shop and I learned a lot over the summers.

Yes I know how electricity works and can fix most electrical problems in the house. I've helped to restore a house with my parents for three summers. We also had to replace the electricity.

Don't know how to physically make a book.

The concrete and stuff: yes to all (house restoration).

The medicine: yes, my college degree is biomedical sciences. I'm not a doctor but I know what pills to take for what. And I can pretty much diagnose the most common stuff. And I can differentiate between: it's a booboo and it will go away on its own to -> this might be serious, let's get you to a doctor.

And I can fix my laptop 9/10 times when it's 'broken'. 1/10 I have to call my brother who does IT for a living.

 

[EHKOS]

Runescape taught me how to effectively type, not some crummy school half witted "Computer game" program. So I don't have much room to talk on the typing manner.
.

I never learned to touch type, and I think I'm doing ok

Well, my need came from not being able to see what my contact was saying and seeing the keyboard at the same time, so it kind of sparked from necesity. At first glance, touchtype seems utterly stupid, but you kind of get used to it. I can effectively type words in total darkness with great accuracy, but beyond periods and commas, I really need to see the location on the keyboard. Right now, my room is completely dark besides my moniter, and I have to hold the keyboard up to the screen to see where numbers are without taking a blind shot.

My school made us type with orange covers on so we'd have to touchtype. We were in second grade.
Catholic school dicks.
Oh yeah, school, I still only use the left shift key. Fuck the right shift key! Fuck the system!

I actually use the caps lock key instead of either shift. I just press it twice really fast

OT: They should know basic maintenance, and how the file tree works. My sister can't find anything because she doesn't know User/downloads so she can't find any pictures she downloads. I had to make a folder on the desktop and change the destination of saved files on Chrome.

 

[Griffolion]

-snippidy do da-

Don't get me started on this group of people. Because these are the people who also mostly buy Apple products for their "simplicity" and call them the best thing since sliced bread. But because they are so numerous, a lot of them generate positive opinion about Apple, and they shoot up to fame.

 

[Lawbringer]

I'm assuming when you had that appendicitis you didn't go to the Doctor, then? It's absurd that people know so little about their own bodies and nothing is being done about it...Also, do you know how to build a car? A power plant? A high-yield arable farm? Presumably you understand financial regulations to the letter and could successfully list all the laws of the land? I'm guessing from your tone that you also do all the plumbing and electrician work in your house and eschew buying clothes bought from shops because you could make high-quality clothing yourself? I'm also guessing that you have been banned from playing 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' because you were able to demonstrate complete knowledge of Planet Earth and our Solar System?

I apologise for writing this in such an arsehole tone, but I seriously hope the attitude in your post is not reflected in your real-life persona. To call them an embarrassment because they cannot use one useful tool to the same standard as you reeks of incredible arrogance.

I have no doubt that you would be able to do at least a few of the things on my list, but if you claim to be an authority on every subject that is important to mankind's development then I would love to see proof of your incredible brain.

Computers are merely ONE THING! ONE thing in all of humanity's useful accomplishments and it is laughable to demand that people go out of their way to become more learned in a skill that has no relevance to their lives. (Hint: If they only need to browse the web, watch films and type out short emails, then knowing how to update drivers or the benefits of Firefox over IE is meaningless to them).

Case in point - I have a friend who is a mechanic. He services my car, I service his computer. It is a good system as we are able to focus on our skills. Co-operation is the foundation of a good society - not computer self reliance.

TL;DR - There are people in this world you rely on. Doctors, for example. Do you think it would be reasonable for them to ridicule you for your lack of medical knowledge? Note: If you are a doctor, then replace this example with any of the hundreds of other people that do jobs you know little to nothing about.

EDIT: I don't doubt people have made similar comments to me in other posts. I apologise for not reading every page of thread before posting. I had to get my twopence worth in before going back to work.

 

[TacticalAssassin1]

Is this not embarrassing as hell?

Not at all. You see Amigo, this "technology" of ours is just a passing phase. During our lifetime plenty of things will change. New devices will emerge with new ways to operate them. I predict that 20-30 years from now on, the traditional model (keyboard and pointing device) will become obsolete, replaced by something else. Along with our current IT skill set you're so proud of.

So, enjoy while you still can. ;]

We've had the qwerty keyboard for what, a century? We're not about to all suddenly jump to something else. Dvorak is apparently way more efficient, but I bet you don't use that even though it's been around for decades. As for mice, they're accurate, fast, cheap and easy. What's going to replace that?

Sure, new stuff is going to come out all the time, but nothing's going to replace the fundamental nature of computing, and even if it does, it's going to have to be so close to what we already have for everybody to make the leap that the people who do have computing skills will still be ahead of those who don't.

 

[Tharwen]

Every time start up my computer, the first thing I open is Task Manager, and I know what most processes and services do, and which ones have their process trees ended.

Why not just stop those processes from running in the first place...?

 

[JesterRaiin]

Sure, new stuff is going to come out all the time, but nothing's going to replace the fundamental nature of computing, and even if it does, it's going to have to be so close to what we already have for everybody to make the leap that the people who do have computing skills will still be ahead of those who don't.

I disagree.
The pace of technological advancement becomes faster and faster. We use devices considered SF by our parents. On a daily basis.

http://vaneeesab.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/minority-report2.jpg

P.S.
I can operate my cheap, Korean, 150$ worth tablet via gestures or voice commands. I think that "20-30 years" i mentioned earlier is waaaaaaaay too much.

 

[Terminate421]

Runescape taught me how to effectively type, not some crummy school half witted "Computer game" program. So I don't have much room to talk on the typing manner.
have.

Holy shit, me too!

OT: apparently it is found to be "uncool" to know how to work a computer, thanks iCarly for telling our youth that supposed fact.

 

[mattaui]

It's an interesting phenomenon, but never before has there been a device or series of devices that has cut across so many types of jobs and disciplines that people have had to come to terms with, at least a little bit. You can certainly pay folks to handle things like that for you, if you've got the income to do so, but even then you're leaving yourself out of the loop. Older attorneys I've worked for, for instance, would have to send everything to their paralegals to handle, but increasingly the younger attorneys are becoming more and more computer literate. But so many of them, obviously sharp people, operate at what I'd consider a job-hampering level of computer use.

It's nothing so drastic as to be equated to a car mechanic or a marathon runner. Most folks could spend a weekend with a book and some websites and emerge as comparative computer experts. It's just that they won't, and that's part of the frustration and the drag on others around them.

 

[Formica Archonis]

Heh, that reminds me of the Sports Editor for the paper I work for. He goes through a HP keyboard every couple of months because he stabs so damn hard at the things with his two fingers. You can hear it across a busy newsroom. Clacketty clack. He's fast too.

Would be better if he was fast and NOT violent, though! I'm still using my IBM keyboard from my Windows 95 PC. Some of the keycaps are worn off and a few are damnear worn through, but I still use it and it's fine. (I love the "clack" sound when you type on one of those.)

Way back when I could cut and paste together enough cribbed code to make cracktros for C64 games. I never really understood what I was actually doing though.

Heh. I cut my teeth on a typewriter, but the C64 was my first computer. Damn, those were the days. I've lost most of the 6502 assembly I used to know... shame!

I can't type, I use four fingers but I need to glance at the keyboard often, and I make a lot of mistakes.

I don't look at the KB, but oddly my number of mistakes goes up if I'm transcribing text. I guess partly because I'm not really looking at the screen either, but I don't think that accounts for all of it, since I can close my eyes and type a sentence (like this one) with few errors.

I'm not upset that people don't know how to do stuff, but I get annoyed when people assume it is hard to do basic trouble shooting or build a computer. People need to be open minded about what they are capable of learning. Too many people are closed off to education about things that will help them in their life. Stay educable people.

Well, I wouldn't expect them to BUILD one, but it would be nice if people didn't treat it like a box of magic. Worst case I ever heard was the last item on this page of Computer Stupidities [http://www.rinkworks.com/stupid/cs_amnesia.shtml].

 

[TIMESWORDSMAN]

Every time start up my computer, the first thing I open is Task Manager, and I know what most processes and services do, and which ones have their process trees ended.

Why not just stop those processes from running in the first place...?

Some of them are necessary for start up, or more complicated than simply disabling them.

 

[Tharwen]

Every time start up my computer, the first thing I open is Task Manager, and I know what most processes and services do, and which ones have their process trees ended.

Why not just stop those processes from running in the first place...?

Some of them are necessary for start up, or more complicated than simply disabling them.

Like what? I'm curious now...

 

[Bigsmith]

It's not peoples inability to use a computer that annoys me as this is due to simply not being taught how to use one.

What does annoy me is people being ignorant, when I go to explain what is causing the problem and how the person can avoid it from happening again all I get is a 'yeah yeah can you please just fix it' from them and I'm standing there wondering why I don't charge...

I can accept people not being able to use a computer, but when they think they are 'higher' up them me when I'm trying to fix it they can go burn in a fire for all I care.