Dumb Computers

So after thirty odd years in the computer industry I decided to go back to my roots and start messing with those dumb computers again. But its not like it was 30 years ago when I worked on mini computers or even 20 years ago when I came across the pond and worked on my first PC, today these little beasts are powerful, connected to everyone around the world with untold access to a global information bank of facts, lies and everything in between. So why is it all so difficult if these personal computers are supposed to make our lives so much easier? Why is it that it takes twice as long to find something, write something, chat with someone than it did before we all had computers? We used to pull the encyclopedia off the book shelf, take pen to paper and pick up a phone. What happened to those days? I guess they are gone, now with a computer we can have instant knowledge, instant mail and instant messaging. Trouble is when they don't work who are you going to call? Ghost busters? The lucky have access to a tech savvy family member or neighbor, but what about the rest of us? Tried calling Dell Computer tech support lately? Although the accent is a dead giveaway you would otherwise never know you were speaking with a technician in Delhi or Calcutta. Not that there's anything wrong with that, except for the lost American jobs, but it's tough to get them to stop by the house and check the machine out if what they are telling you just don't make sense.

Anyway I digress.. this article is supposed to be about helping you understand better about this machine that we are expected to use every day for just about everything. So lets start by setting the record straight, its a computer and as such it is extremely complicated, far more complicated than ninety-five percent of us will ever need it to be. So DO NOT feel stupid, the people that make these machines and write the software have thousands of hours into them, let alone their education to get them to the point of understanding, and guess what, they don't always get it right either.

It is not you that are stupid, it is the computer that is a dumb machine. It's a harmless piece of electronics and as long as you keep it well ventilated it won't burn you house down so don't be scared of it. Finally if you don't know how to do something just ask, there is always a techy out there dying to show you how smart he or she is.

I'll write more soon and maybe we will all become a little more knowledgeable about our computers.

Till then "Control-Alt-Delete".

Steve Holder