At 12:25 PM -0400 8/21/98, Brett Lorenzen wrote:
>Gill, Kathy wrote:
>> It's not "remedial" ... it's basic training. At mega-corps like Boeing,
>> until the Web, people were **forbidden** to download/install anything on
>> their machines. This was IS edict.
>>
>> NOW -- just like self-serve gasoline <g> -- they want everyone to have
>> computing skills that they've not taught to employees.
>
>I equate it more with food growing skills. The day grocery stores
>disappear, 90% of amercians are going to die of starvation (or beating
>each other to death in a fight for food) in a week for lack of common
>sense survival skills. It's like we've forgotten that under the thin
>layer of "social structure" that binds us together lurks the survival of
>the fittest.
Ahem. You mean, we've forgotten that we are really animals?
>Knowing how to change your oil is a basic, necessary life skill to me if
>I'm going to live in a mechanized society. So is changing a tire,
>determining why my car won't start, and how to get it running on a dark
>highway in a bad neighborhood at night.
ASIDE:
Just like remembering to have cash on hand in december 1999. today, I
needed gas. I had like 4 bucks -- but I always go to arco and debit card at
the pump. the computers were down - cash only. so i ran my errands and went
to a different arco about 2 hours later. Same Thing!
I normally don't let myself get this low on cash -- but I had stuck folding
money in my pocket of my jeans, then changed to shorts [duh] and left the
money at home. I found a cash machine that charged me a $1.50 fee just so I
could put gas in the car [I don't even want to hear about 'it costs as much
to run it on a full tank as on empty - it's been a stressful week!']
>Anyway, I guess I see this differently than most. if it helps, I'm this
>mean to my mother too--I insist on her reading the manuals, and
>constantly explain when she calls for tech support that putting her
>business, and hence business life, into a computer and not knowing how
>to work it is like giving her money to an accountant without knowing
>what an accountant is supposed to do, or what to expect back. Either
>way you're asking for trouble.
OH -- I *agree* with you philosophically, Brett -- I was just trying to
provide the context for folks not knowing how computers work.
But then, I want to understand how everything works (and why).
>> The OS has to get simpler. Look at VCRs ... they are truly a consumer
>> item and still have lousy interfaces.
>
>Well, the interface needs to get simpler.
Yes. that's what I meant -- i was imprecise.
>> BTW, Brett, you have WAY too much time on your hands. ;-)
>> You haven't posted this regularly in eons!!! Good to have you a regular
>> again.
>
>Well, first, I gave the big site pitch today, and was ready in advance.
YEAH! let us know the results ...
>
>That, and I've just been awfully opinionated on issues that have come up
>of late ;)
Well cool -- keep it up!!
Kathy
===============================
Kathy E. Gill, Guide - http://agriculture.miningco.com/
WWW design � writing � training - http://www.dotparagon.com/
Mac Advocacy - http://www.halcyon.com/kegill/mac/
"A different world cannot be built by indifferent people."
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