Technology is an inherent part of man's condition. It has existed for at least as long as humans have been around. Among the first innovations are fire, levers, spears, wheels and forging. These technologies are simple enough for the average human of the time to understand, implement and expand upon.

A lot has changed since then. As innovation gets more sophisticated and bettter, more sophisticated minds are required to understand, implement and expand upon the technologies. As for the rest of the populace... well, they're a burden on the others. They must learn to adapt to the new technology or get a low-skill job or be a drain on society (welfare).

Nearly all of the technology we use today is invented or improved upon by elites, whom are a very poor representation of humans as an entirety. They are generally much more intelligent and skilled than the average person. The average person is quite clueless as to how the technology they are so dependent upon works. Thus, the separation of man from technology.

How well a society adjusts and uses technology is quite dependent on on the average person, because most people are average. In order for a group to successfully use new technology, they have to be ready. You can't simply give a primitive people high-tech facilities and train them and hope for the best. It probably won't work out. This has been tried and the results are usually failure because the people are not technologically ready or intelligent enough as populations.

Computer/Internet culture has certainly come a long way since the 90's. Computer 'geeks' have long been ridiculed, but admired from a long eye, but now that's changing because computers have become so important and ubiquitous. Some might say being a 'geek' has even become 'hip'. More and more people with social skills are becoming computer geeks. I look in my computers classes and there are a few geeky looking people, but most of them are actually quite normal-looking.

But even in highly developed regions in which the general population has developed reasonably to technology, there still exists a disturbing amount of computer incompetency in my opinion. And I think this gap in computer skills is probably going to get worse because technology is changing so damn fast.

I think it's time for average people to get technology-ready and to get more serious about computers and technology. I can tell you now that this is where the jobs are going to be. Furthermore, and this might seem a bit extreme, but I think college should mandate students to get some sort of computer degree before they can move on to what they really want to study.

Think about how much more productive society would be if the average person knew how to set up computer networks and create software. Perhaps they won't need to do that sort of stuff in their real jobs, but the skills they acquire learning those things will make them so much more ready to exploit the power of computers and technology to get more work done.

It just seems to me that nobody really cares about how all this stuff works. And I guess I'm tired of dealing with people that don't know shit about technology and fucking everything up. But people should care. I swear, the average person's IQ drops at least 15 points the instant they sit in front of a computer.

What do you think?

Computers are a valuable tool in literally every situation. I agree with your statement about making it mandatory to get a computer degree, almost every job out there now involves computers in some aspect or another.

Think about how much more productive society would be if the average person knew how to set up computer networks and create software.

Perhaps you should get a better grasp on "the average person" before you make such statements. The "average" person is not what you think it/he is.

If everyone were computer users, who'd make the physical computer components and put them all together? Who'd build the factories where the computers were made? Who'd pour the concrete on which the factory sits? Who'd clean the toilets in the factory? Who'd dig the ditches and lay the pipes for the water, sewer and power that the factory uses? Who'd maintain the roads that the "computer users" drive on to get to work or to the store for supplies? Who'd operate the water and sewer systems that the people use?

No, you'd best think more seriously about "the average person" and what he/she does. Or would you pull the ditch diggers out of the ditch and hand them a computer .....and they could program the computer to dig the ditch and lay the pipe?

Baron Max

In reality, an average person is going to adapt and learn all they need to know about a given technology. Not know everything, just what they need to make their lives a little more convinient. My parents use my old computer which I completely reinstalled everything on it to factory specs, and all they use it for is e-mail and word processing, and they have no idea how to clean it or defrag it, so it's slow as molasses, but they're fine with that. They don't need to know everything about how a technology works, in fact, even an "elite" doesn't know everything! Say an "elite" and intelligent software programmer is at work. If he's exceptional, he knows almost everything there is to know about software programming (let's face it, he probably doesn't), and even so, he probably could not give you a detailed schematic of the architecture of his computer's processor. Nobody knows everything, we all know just enough to get a job done, and that's fine.

So basically, yeah, we could be seperating man from machine in terms of the average joe's intimate knowledge of our machines, but we're still very much integrated and dependent on them for our work.

Technology is a great tool, just don't be a slave to it.

I doubt most could survive without all their cool lil toys and gadgets, heh. Hell, just take away someone's car and they'll die of shock. :p

- N

Baron Max:

You don't think a construction worker or some other field unrelated to computers (There aren't that many.) could benefit from having a good amount of knowledge about computers?

I'm not saying the knowledge would necessarily help them with their jobs. I'm saying that since computers are everywhere, being familiar and somewhat computer savvy is bound to be rewarding in one aspect of his/her life or another. They simply let you do more, whether or not your occupation seems to center around them.

Computers have been saving humans from redundant painful work since their inception. That trend will only continue... so one day we'll be able to program machines to dig our trenches and lay our pipes for us! (which is not at all implausible)

You do not have to know how to build ro repair a car ro make good use of one.

Similarly, you do not have to know how to build a PC or write a program in order to make good use of one.

If you compare the modern PC to the Mainframe of 30+ years ago, the required expertise has decreased dramatically. The mainframe of years ago required a highly trained staff of professionals to support its activities. What were called users were insulated from actual use of the mainframe by systems analysts who interpreted their needs, programmer who wrote the software, and operators who actually ran the mainframe.

Now a computer illiterate cook can use Google to find recipes on the Internet, with less than an hour of instruction. He might not be able to use a Spread Sheet, but a computer illiterate accountant can be trained to do so. Gone are requirements for a professional staff of analysts, programmers, operators.

BTW: there was a time when only the wealthy could afford to one a car. Similarly, there was a time when only Fortune 500 companies could afford to own a computer.

I am not sure that the average man is so separated from modern technology.

apendrapew,

I pretty much disagree with the just about everything asserted :). 98% of all software developers suck. In the past two weeks I've blasted through CE and CS folks with Bachelors, Masters, PH.D.s and 1-20 years experience and 49 out of 50 were terrible. This is evidenced in today's average 20% implementation defect rates and 60% design defect rates. Technology is so out of control that entire 'elite' organizations throw up their hands in frustration on a dily basis.

Computers still have the promise of enabling the average Joe, but there are far too many unqualified people in the field. IMO, to generically enable people with computers three things have to happen:

* The end-user interface has to be drastically simplified.
* Design and implementation defects have to be virtually eliminated.
* People have to be raised and educated as users (not developers).

Crunchy Cat:

Did you mistakenly type 'disagree' and actually mean 'agree'? I don't see how what you said is in contradiction with the premise of my post which is: people need to get technology ready! Don't you agree?!


* The end-user interface has to be drastically simplified.
End-user interfaces have come a looong way. Computers used to be a lot harder to use and program. More and more idiots are using computers now. I think that's quite evident.

* People have to be raised and educated as users (not developers).

Hmm.. don't you think if people are trained to develop and understand technology that they would be far better at learning and using their resources to effectively implement it?


I think you guys are missing my point. I understand your analogies. A person doesn't have to know how to build a car to use it effectively. But in my opinion, computers are so important and so ubiquitous now, understanding them and getting computer-minded, so to speak, is going to be an invaluable virtue now and in the coming years. Getting in the computer frame of mind will empower people more than anything else will.

Crunchy Cat:

Did you mistakenly type 'disagree' and actually mean 'agree'? I don't see how what you said is in contradiction with the premise of my post which is: people need to get technology ready! Don't you agree?!


* The end-user interface has to be drastically simplified.
End-user interfaces have come a looong way. Computers used to be a lot harder to use and program. More and more idiots are using computers now. I think that's quite evident.

* People have to be raised and educated as users (not developers).

Hmm.. don't you think if people are trained to develop and understand technology that they would be far better at learning and using their resources to effectively implement it?


I think you guys are missing my point. I understand your analogies. A person doesn't have to know how to build a car to use it effectively. But in my opinion, computers are so important and so ubiquitous now, understanding them and getting computer-minded, so to speak, is going to be an invaluable virtue now and in the coming years. Getting in the computer frame of mind will empower people more than anything else will.

apendrapew,

I am really disagreeing. Technology is not simple enough and the answer isn't to educate joe bob how to swap bits using an XOR operator. The trick is making technology easy enough for joe bob to understand and interface with with things he can relate to (raising him in a transparent environment would help alot). The technology simply isn't there yet and frankly neither are the experts whom are building it or their processes.

"The average Joe" could not forge iron. Thus blacksmiths. But at one point, riding a horse was pretty much an imperative.
"The average Joe" can not replace his own clutch. Thus mechanics. Owning/driving a car is almost an imperative in most communities in America.
"The average Joe" can not rewire the electrical system in his house. Thus electricians...

I could go on.

bingo