Looking through some old computer magazines brought to light
some interesting facts. First, the rate of change of
computers, both in hardware and in software, is increasing at
ever increasing rates.
Second, much of the problems with changing from one operating
platform to a new, improved platform, is in helping those who
were trained in the old platform adapt to the new system.
Those who enter directly into the new system have far fewer
problems. And thirdly, as systems improve, they become much
easier to learn and use.
Those of the "old school" spent long hours learning about DOS
commands, how to work with batch files, working out printer
escape codes and down-loading fonts to printers. Then they
watched with amazement as youngsters breezed into Windows and
achieved such sophisticated results with the flick of a few
mouse buttons.
Now, those who were "brought up" on Windows 3.x can
sympathize with the "old- timers" as they struggle to change
their habits to fit in with Windows 95 and 98. But the wheel
is still turning and soon even Windows 98 is to give way to a
superior operating system - which will be even more powerful
and simpler to learn - unless you were brought up on Windows
98!
Projecting forwards, the movement seems to be away from
keyboard entry and into using scanners with OCR and using
voice-detections systems to enable direct dictation and
control through verbal commands. That ergonomical disaster,
the mouse, at last seems to be on the way to becoming
replaced by touch-screens, writing-pens and writing-pads.
This means that the best preparation for helping junior enter
the world of computers is to keep him away from one until the
last possible moment. Anything he learns now will, at best,
be a waste of time and most probably actually hinder his
ability to learn the operating-systems and programs which he
will need when he needs to use a computer seriously. More
valuable would be to teach him to talk and write clearly,
think maturely and to help him acquire a large vocabulary and
a refined, sophisticated sense of logic.
