It’s
Not Rocket Science
These
days it’s strange to hear people say, “I’m just not computer literate,” as
computers have evolved from archaic scientific calculators to simple
point-and-click type machines. We suspect that today’s “computer illiterates”
are people who haven’t taken the time to experiment with such a machine. And we
strongly believe that spending just twenty minutes with one could turn the most
adamant technological caveman into any one of those who have fun wreaking
chatroom havoc on the Internet today.
Today,
one only needs to learn how to manipulate a mouse, punch a few buttons on a
keyboard, or really just turn the thing on to use a computer. It’s hard for
some folks to believe, but the computers of this generation almost run
themselves! For fun, let’s investigate just how little knowledge these
thousand-dollar machines actually require.
Can an
absolute newbie operate a computer without knowing how to use a mouse or
keyboard? Assuming that a computer is set up to operate on voice command –
sure! Voice command software allows users to tell a computer what to do and the
computer responds by fulfilling the user’s commands. Although it’s pretty new
and still under development, voice directed technology has already infiltrated consumer
service related systems.
Think
back to the last time that you paid a bill over the phone. Instead of speaking
to a human being, chances are that you spoke to a computer that not only
responded to what you said and followed the commands that you gave it, it also
asked you for more information such as your full name or credit card number. In
this case, a person (such as yourself) operated a computer without even knowing
it!
Can an
absolute newbie sit down at a computer without knowing how to use one? Assuming
that a computer is set up to operate on touch command – the answer is again,
yes! Touch command software allows users to literally touch objects on a
monitor and tell the computer what to do with a finger. Known as “kiosks,”
these programs are already in use world wide at ATM machines, employment
centers, and in health monitoring systems.
Neither
a mouse nor a keyboard is required. A computer user only needs to touch various
boxes on a screen to control a computer. Sure, the programming behind such
technology is extensive and advanced, but to the end user, it makes computer
use less intimidating and plain easy.
Of
course when we talk about operating a computer, we envision more involvement
than speaking on the phone or touching things on a screen. The above
illustrations were just a couple of examples of how far computer technology has
grown, and how far we’ve pushed “user-friendliness” to its limit. Eventually,
the keyboard and mouse will have to play a role when computer newbies have to
work with one as a cash register, as a hotel booking program, or as a library’s
catalog system.
These
requirements don’t make computers any less easier to operate, but they don’t
make them that much harder either. So much of today’s software is designed to
accommodate the experience of a new user that anyone could get connected to the
Internet, send an email message, and download an MP3 file within the first five
hours of purchasing a personal PC.
This is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Accordingly, it is difficult to figure out when to end it. But then, this is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Period.
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