I keep thinking if I write about technology it will stop scaring me. After all, in my father’s generation technological changes were many and vast. From the horse and buggy to the automobile, – I’m told my grandfather had the first model T in their rural Illinois county, though no paved roads to drive it on. They went from gas lamps to electric lighting, though the outhouse never did get lights, and the farmhouse never did get indoor plumbing.
In my lifetime the interstate highway system got build out enough for our family members to travel by car between cities to spend holidays together. As kids, train travel was adventurous for my sister and I, before plane flights became feasible. At the university, in order to run calculations on the data for my dissertation, I got up at 6 am to use the department’s gigantic room size computer. I wrote my first book on a Kaypro luggable computer, the size of a carry on piece of luggage.
In the business world we went from having typewriters and secretaries to type on them, to desk top and now lap top computers, and we’ve been on our own ever since. I’ve just spent uncounted hours, days really, cleaning up and transferring the names in my phone to a data base system. I’ve been promised all this work will lead to a time saving way to manage my communications with friends, clients and prospective business associates. Please forgive me if I’m still somewhat skeptical.
As the tech equipment has got smaller and its function and range bigger, I find it necessary to continually ask the following questions – What technologies save time and what types devoir it? Which technologies offer grace and ease? Which cause stress and angst?
“Never seen that happen before,” the Apple employee at the Genius Bar tells me as I’m getting help with a spread sheet.
“My computer is being “wonky” today,” my friend Christine says as she tries to post an event notice on our Facebook page.
I’m looking to technology to solve a very big problem in our family communication.
Due to a loss of memory, my sister is no longer able to operate her phone. I’m looking into the voice command technology that could enable her to call me whenever she wants. I’m warned there may be some privacy concerns I have to address so the system doesn’t become and ease dropping one, like a nursery monitor.
Maybe it’s like the little girl in the nursery rhyme, who had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead – when technology is good, it is very, very good, but when it is bad, it is horrid.
Do you have any technology stories to share?
Sheila
