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March 31, 2008
Momma Mia!
All this talk that we have been doing about the digital divide has really been quite relevant to my life right now. My mother recently made the switch from PC to Mac (with a little persuasion from me), and the phone calls have been nonstop. The transition for me was relatively easy, though I am still finding a couple neat new tricks I can do with mine, but she is not having quite the same experience. Her being the "technology immigrant" while I am a "technology native" really has made a huge difference. She is having tons of trouble just handling the basics of her new operating system and computer. I feel like she would like it more if I could show her all her computer was capable of, but i'm afraid it would blow her mind trying to learn everything too fast. As a "technology native" myself, it's very difficult for me to imagine why she is having so much trouble with the change. When I first got my Mac, I explored the computer, pressing different buttons and seeing what I could do with everything, so I could more effectively use it. Even when I needed to do something that I wasn't quite sure how to do, I just followed what seemed like the logical order of things to do, and I was able to figure it out fairly quickly. My mom doesn't seem to have this intuitive sense that I do, which is interesting, because we've both been using computers and technology for the same amount of time. The closest thing I can relate this to is how people say that it is easier to learn a new language when young, than when you are older. It's interesting how things work out that way. Any other takes on why this might be are welcome. I'll accept any advice that might help me figure out why my mom is so hopeless, haha.
Posted by btrues at March 31, 2008 09:33 PM