talkingdigital

Windows Vista has really had me thinking lately about the future of computers.

Google, Zoho and others have developed very usable programs that work from any Internet based computer allowing anyone to access fully functional programs and all of their data from any Internet enabled computer anywhere.

USB flash drives and portable hard drives have also taken on abilities that were once only found in stand-alone computers. These drives can now run entire programs allowing you to plug them into any computer and run your programs. Once the device is unplugged all of your data goes with it.

Smartphones, like  the iPhone and Blackberry, have replaced 90 percent of what most users used to need a laptop for. Email, basic web surfing, simple games and calendar management can now be done as easily on a cell phone as an expensive and bulky laptop.

I think that in the next five years computers will exist in one of three forms, and none of these forms resembles what we use today.

1. The credit card computer. The day will come when hundreds of gigabytes will fit on a chip as thin as a credit card and as small as a Tic Tac. As of this moment such a chip can hold over 30 gigabytes.

Perhaps one day we will simply have dumb terminals, computer monitors, keyboards and mice that use a simple network interface to connect to the Internet and devices such as printers, digital cameras and cell phones. These terminals will have no memory or storage abilities.

To use these computers, you will insert a small device that you carry in your wallet, or on your keyring. The dumb terminal will suddenly become your computer as it uses the programs and data from your credit card computer that is with you at all times.

2. The cell  phone computer. This is a variation of the credit card computer, but it  is much more practical.

The iPhone was not the first smartphone to combine computer functions with the portability of a cell phone, but it was the first smartphone to get the average user’s attention.

Devices like the Blackberry, Palm Treo and iPhone do more than the average computer was capable of seven years ago.

As memory, power and features expand in portable cell phones, would it be any surprise if we were able to carry our entire computer in such a small package?

Connect the phone into a similar dumb terminal as discussed in number 1 and you have a computer that works in the office, on the road and at home.

3. The Web 2.0 system. There is a good possibility that many computer users will be too attached to their non-portable desktop systems. There is comfort in having a solid 15lb. tower that connects all of your devices.

It is possible that personal computers may stay physically similar to what they are today for quite a while. However, the software on those systems will dramatically change.

Wireless broadband Internet will almost certainly reach most computer users in the next 10 years. This will lead to  Internet based computers. These computers will have a very plain operating system and limited storage capabilities. Powerful processors and video cards may still be essential for those who do games, graphics and CAD, but all programs and data will be stored in online accounts that can be accessed and used from any computer anywhere.

The debate between Mac and PC users will disappear as the operating system will play little or no role in the function of the computer.

I would not be at all surprised if Google is the driving force behind this type of computing. Especially since they already are the driving force for this type of computing.

No matter what type of computer we use, I think that the obvious end will be that TVs will double as monitors and all computing will be portable.

Computers are easy. No, really they are. They are not intuitive, but they are easy.

In order to prove my point, I have developed the Cochran Sliding Scale of Easiness. Using this scale I can easily gauge whether something is easy or not and just how easy that thing may or may not be.

Here are the criteria for evaluating if a thing is easy.

1. Can it be broken down into steps?

2. Are the procedures always the same once learned?

3. Does every part and/or process have a name?

4. Can someone who has never done said thing before do it simply by following a precise set of notes?

The more you can answer yes to the given process or thing, the easier that thing is. See, computer’s are easy.

Computers are not intuitive. As much as we want them to be, computers offer no obvious help. To use the help that is offered, you must first learn the things that there is no help for. At some point, someone has to teach you something about the computer so that you can get on your way in the learning process.

Computers are easy to learn, but you must put in the work. Here’s what you should know..

1. Buy a notebook and keep it by your computer. Write in it every time you learn something.

2. Write clear concise notes. Do not skip a single step and never assume that you will remember next time. Write it down.

3. Learn the names for everything. This may be the best use for a computer book. In general, books can’t teach you anything, but a good book that points out all of the Windows features and names them will go a long way in getting you started.

4. Realize that everything you do with your computer is a process. There is not flowchart for doing everything with your computer, but there are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of little process to do each thing.

5. Processes rarely change. Once you learn how to print, you will follow that same process every time in every program. Once you learn to save, that same process will work the same way in every program. The same goes for sending an email, attaching a photo to email, spell checking a document, searching Google, installing a program, etc.

I think the biggest reason that people have a hard time learning their computers is that they are overwhelmed. When you are overwhelmed, your confidence is shaken. When your confidence is shaken, your mind closes to learning.

Rather than focus on learning the computer, learn how to print. Learn how to save. Learn how to send an email. Gradually work your way up to big things like creating tables, formatting columns, removing backgrounds from photos, etc. You will discover that all large processes on your computer are actually made up of lot of short processes.

Eat it the same way you would an elephant – one bite at a time.

Before starting takingDigital.org, I contributed regular computer tips to HelpMeRick.com.

While, I have moved on to other projects, HMR (as we like to call it) lives on and continues to grow in popularity and content. Below are 10 computer tip topics that are covered as many as a dozen times over at HelpMeRick.com.

1. I have a flash drive, I just don’t know how to use it.

2. I don’t have any backup of my files.

3. What program should I use to get my pictures out of my digital camera and into my computer?

4. What is msconfig?

5. I have heard of Cut and Paste, but I don’t know what it means or how to do it.

6. Should I turn my computer off or leave it on all the time?

7. What is the best way for me to backup my files?

8. What registry cleaner should I use?

9. Why don’t you guys like Windows Vista/Norton Antivirus/AOL?

10. Should I let my kid fix my computer?

I have had to fight back tears of joy as I put the newsletter together. At times I could barely read what was on my screen. The anticipation for changes in my life has probably lead to many misspellings and errors, but you may not notice as those errors probably still fall within our guaranteed 78 percent accuracy range.

I have looked forward to this day for almost a year – and it finally has come.

Early this year, Microsoft released Windows Vista. I knew that it wouldn’t be great, but as a computer guy, I felt compelled to use it so that I would understand how too work on it.

I didn’t want to commit my desktop to it just in case there were problems. So, I put it on my Averatec laptop with 1 gig of RAM, a dual core AMD Turion X64 and 100 gig hard drive. It seemed powerful enough.

Many Averatecs didn’t come with recovery CDs, but I didn’t see a problem with erasing Windows XP to make room for Vista.

It only took a few moments of using Windows Vista to realize how much slower my computer had become. The bootup time had more than doubled and I would get all shake y as I waited for it to shut down.

Programs opened slowly. I was sometimes able to connect to a wireless connection, yet I was not able to actually browse the web on networks that I knew were open because the XP systems right beside me were working fine.

Then two weeks ago Rick showed me something that would change my life. Averatec had posted Windows XP recovery disks for my laptop. I wasted no time and for $20, I ordered the disks.

Today, my disks arrived in the mail. I haven’t installed them yet because I can’t bring myself to stop hugging and kissing them. I should get to bed early tonight, but I feel like a kid on Christmas. I don’t know if I can wait any longer. I must install XP back on my laptop and make it feel loved again.

Thank you Averatec. Thank you for giving me back my Windows XP.

I will not be a bit surprised if no one is using Windows or Apple Operating Systems’ (OS) in five years. In fact, I thing the OS as we know it could be strictly used for business and enterprise in a lot less time than that.

Imagine powering up a computer in a matter of seconds then going straight to the Internet where all of your programs are found. Your computer would have a massive amount of storage, but you probably wouldn’t use much of it as most of your data would be kept in your online account.

Welcome to the future of Web 2.0.

Rather than simply using the Internet to read news and lookup recipes, the Internet is now an extension of your computer. Since it is online, that can mean that any computer can work just like your computer.

My wife does medical transcription. Every time she has to buy a new computer it means weeks of moving her customizations like dictionaries, spell check, and document settings from one computer to another as many of those can not easily be moved from an older system to a newer. Believe me we have tried – with mixed success over the years.

In the Web 2.0 world, she would use an online word processing program like ZoHo or GoogleDocs. Where she could get online and type in a username and password – suddenly a word processing program would open along with all of her customized settings. She could work from any Internet connected computer in the world.

Today if you have a massive hard drive crash, fire of theft of your computer, all of your data will go with it – unless you backup. Tomorrow such a disaster will be hardly a disaster at all as online storage services like AmazonS3 and OmniDrive provide affordable – if not free – online storage of files.

Why use Quicken to manage your finances when you can manage your bank accounts and online portfolio at sites like Expensr.

These are just the online applications, Web 2.0 will bring you maps, shopping guides, classified ads, market tracking and more. There are two primary differences between a standard website and a Web 2.0 site.

1. The site is customized to your needs and

2. The information can come to you wherever you are.

If you are watching the classifieds for a new tandem bike – you can receive an alert on your cell phone or email when one is posted. If you are waiting for a house to hit the market in a given neighborhood, you can be notified. If you need the phone number for the nearest tailor, simply text the word “tailor” and your zip code to a special number.

The more the Internet evolves, the more we realize that it is only in its infancy and every age becomes the golden age.