talkingDigital

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.

OK, It’s been two weeks since my laptops were stolen, but I still haven’t completely gotten over it. What makes it slightly worse, is that I had just setup a Mac to take over as my primary desktop computer.

The Mac didn’t actually make the problem worse, but in order to set up the Mac, I had to move my PC to another desk. I didn’t get rid of it altogether.

I was fully prepared to use my Mac for all of my day-to-day functions but turn to my laptop around the house for email, Internet and other projects. I didn’t realize how much I had depended on my laptop over the past few weeks until they weren’t there anymore.

I have have been putting most of my computer time into making my life universal and compatible with all formats. I use Zoho.com for my document creation, NVU for my web editor, Firefox as my browser, Gimp and Picasa for photos and Thunderbird for my Mac and Ubuntu email app. I still use Outlook on the PC but I can’t remember why.

In the past month as I have been using my Mac almost exclusively as my home computer, I have found that it is a habit forming device. Concepts that are difficult concepts on a PC, like keyboard shortcuts and file management, are almost intuitive on the Mac.

When I tell people that I am migrating away from Windows in my personal life, I always get the same response, “Why?” They ask the question with an almost betrayed tone in their voice as though I have told them that I am leaving my wife.

I explain how easy the transition was and how I don’t have to mess with antivirus, spyware. disk cleanup and other utility functions that almost exclusively belong to the PC.

Their next thought is, “Maybe I should do that.”

I am not on a mission to turn people to Mac, but when faced with the option of moving to Vista or moving to Mac, I can’t form much of an intelligent argument for going with Microsoft.

Very soon, the only Windows machine I will be using on a regular basis in my personal life will be a MacBook with Vista loaded as an alternate OS. I still need Windows for when I am teaching my Basic Computer classes via the projector. Other than that, I can’t see myself using Windows personally for any practical reasons.

I have becoming fluent in speaking the language of Windows, I would like to one day speak, just as fluently in Mac, Linux, Google and Windows Mobile. I still don’t want to speak geek, I just call it talking digital.

Every January I post my tech predictions for the coming year. In our last newsletter, I reviewed my predictions for 2007 and pointed out that, with a little justification, I was 100 percent correct.

Now for my tech predictions of 2008…

Ron Paul will not be elected and there will be riots. But, only on blog sites that no one reads. CNN, FOX and other mainstream news sites will be forced to shut off their comment feature when Ron Paul is not invited as a third party candidate after the primary elections are over and he fails to get the Republican nomination.

2008 will be Vista’s last year. Microsoft will announce a new OS that will appear in early 2009 that will not be called Vista. The new OS will be targeted at consumers and will be designed to compete with OS X and Ubuntu. I will not go so far as to say that it will be called MSLinux, but it wouldn’t surprise me.

2008 will be the last year that it really matters what kind of computer you have. Adobe will introduce an online version of Photoshop and other major titles will follow eliminating the need to commit to a single OS.

People will grow tired of smartphones and there will be a new surge in simple phones. Other manufacturers will compete with Jitterbug to create a whole new market of simple cell phones.

The spectrum auction will take place and many big companies will buy in hoping to introduce the world to ubiquitous wireless Internet. Stock prices of companies involved will rise sharply. Soon after the auctions a judge will rule that the technology violates privacy and security concerns – expect a sell off.

Palm will be all but dead as they drop plans to release a Linux powered smartphone. Instead they will release one last generation of Palm/Access powered phones based on the Centro design.

USB 3.0 or a similar connection type that allows massive transfer speeds from external devices will begin to show up in high-end computers.

Canon will release a 12 megapixel budget SLR to replace the Rebel XTi. It will also shoot 4 fps and feature live  preview mode.

GPS will show up in nearly all high-end cell phones and other devices. Two-way GPS will be much more common allowing parents to track children and bosses to track employees.

Non-tech predictions….

Scientists will discover what caused global warming the last 11 times it has happened in the world’s history.

Bin Laden will be found alive in a Home Depot parking lot in southern California.

A long time celebrity marriage will end in divorce.

The world’s attention will be turned to a young person’s sudden, mysterious disappearance.

A high profile court case will take place involving a murder – Nancy Grace will use it as the topic for her show on CNN Headline news for 16 straight weeks.

A well known celebrity will enter rehab multiple times but will continue their dangerous party life.

Perhaps in a related story, a celebrity will be arrested for drunk driving and The Smoking Gun will post their mug shot.

CBS will introduce a new crime drama with social awareness statistics hidden in 60 percent of the dialog. “Lieutenant , I just read in my research on this case that 60 percent of all CBS crime dramas are made up of social awareness statistics!”

Someone will give Sean Connery one ping and one ping only.