Since everyone seems to be asking, let me jump in too...
>>>>> "Sandip" == Sandip Bhattacharya <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
Sandip> On 18/12/02 13:14 +0530, tripta thus thundered:
>> continuing the conversations,
>>
>> about computers, systems and being savy about them.
>>
>> During the conversations with a `computer' tecaher at a reputed
>> college (women's), one of the issuses which came up was whether
>> computer is a `System' or is it a `machine'. would the
>> interaction and understanding be different if it was considered
>> a machine? would people be more at ease with it and the myth
>> around it dissolve? for instance, sewing machine. women/ men
>> are not intimidated with it. they work on it, dismantle it and
>> are confident about it. what changes in the case of the
>> computer?
>>
>> and in this course of conversation, we stumbled upon the same
>> question: who is computer savy? what does it mean to work
>> with/on a computer? is it about knowing the `software'
>> `hardware'? how do the networks of processes of production
>> intersect with the the ones of actual `usage' or do they?
Sandip> I believe that the exact phrase that Leo mentioned at the
Sandip> meet was "literate" - computer literate. He asked that who
Sandip> can be called a computer literate? A very relevant
Sandip> question.
Sandip> By our educational system right now a literate person is
Sandip> one who can type a letter using MS word, can make a small
Sandip> database app using MS Access, etc. - a pragmatic approach
Sandip> keeping in view of the market. But NOT an ideal one.
Sandip> Leos observation was that people need to realise where
Sandip> they are right now. They should start talking about
Sandip> changing the definition to include a man who can just type
Sandip> a letter(regardless of the tool), can work with any
Sandip> database etc.
About dynamics, politics, sociologics and other `ics' of computers and
free software: no clue.
About computer literacy: here's an excerpt from a mail I'd written in
a different context a couple of days ago. FWIW, IMO a person is
computer literate when s/he can:
- Define the problem in a concise and precise way. We've seen enough
of this in the mailing lists, where someone comes and says, `my
printer doesn't work'. `Switch the goddam thing on, then!'. No, if a
person is not able to state his/her problem, then that person is not
computer literate.
- Break up a large problem into smaller steps. Unless you can
decompose problems into manageable pieces you will never be able to
start solving them.
- Locate/identify the tools required at each step of the decomposed
problem.
- Understand how to locate resources that help you use those tools.
Resources include other people, mailing lists, built-in help, IRC
channels, documents, HOWTO's, web sites, etc. Question: if a student
gets an assignment program written by asking on a mailing list and
getting a complete solution from someone else is that student computer
literate? I'd say yes: s/he has learned a very fundamental skill of
using computers, i.e. effectively using existing resources.
- Locate existing, partial solutions that may be incorporated into the
larger solution to the specific problem that the student is solving.
Are you good at finding clip-art on the 'net? How about document
templates? If you're making an invoice can you find existing invoices
and cut and paste your stuff into them? Etc, etc, ad nauseum.
- Applying the tools and resources to solve the problem.
- [VERY IMPORTANT] Communicate the solution and the methodology used
to arrive at the solution to others. If you can teach it you know it;
if you can't, you don't. Documentation skills should be an essential
part of computer literacy IMNSHO.
Regards,
-- Raju
Sandip> - Sandip
--
Raju Mathur [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://kandalaya.org/
It is the mind that moves
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