It’s happening again too. Gen X, boomers, and late millennials grew up thinking the young had a natural talent for computers, so they cut funding to typing and computer classes. Turns out we (the older tech talented folks) grew up with tech and were taught along the way with how to type and how to use computers.
Kids however are growing up on ipads, with UIs specifically designed to be easy to use. They’re going into college not knowing how to type, how to make a PowerPoint, or even how to navigate a directory structure. Everyone assumed it was now common knowledge and it’s setting them up for failure
So true. I do a bit of teaching and kids have recently lost all computer skills I thought was basic.
“Where’s my work gone?”
“Where did you save it?”
“What do you mean?”
“At the end of last lesson, show me exactly what you did”
“I clicked the X here, then clicked ok”
He clicked OK to the “do you want to close this document without saving?” box. He is 19. I had to give a really detailed lesson on how to save something to not only him, but half the students I taught this year.
Windows has had that feature (without the timeout obv) for a long time. I think it’s the Intel IGA driver and CTRL-ALT-Arrow. A decade ago when I was working for a Community College IT dept, that (and the brightest pink MLP background you could find) was always what you’d get if you walked away and didn’t lock your computer.
It’s happening again too. Gen X, boomers, and late millennials grew up thinking the young had a natural talent for computers, so they cut funding to typing and computer classes. Turns out we (the older tech talented folks) grew up with tech and were taught along the way with how to type and how to use computers.
Kids however are growing up on ipads, with UIs specifically designed to be easy to use. They’re going into college not knowing how to type, how to make a PowerPoint, or even how to navigate a directory structure. Everyone assumed it was now common knowledge and it’s setting them up for failure
So true. I do a bit of teaching and kids have recently lost all computer skills I thought was basic.
“Where’s my work gone?”
“Where did you save it?”
“What do you mean?”
“At the end of last lesson, show me exactly what you did”
“I clicked the X here, then clicked ok”
He clicked OK to the “do you want to close this document without saving?” box. He is 19. I had to give a really detailed lesson on how to save something to not only him, but half the students I taught this year.
Ah yes, not reading the dialog box and getting upset when it does exactly what it said it would do.
An idea that transcends across generations.
Maybe being bombarded with cookie banners and bullshit popups teaches you to ignore dialog boxes.
Yes, that certently doesn’t help, but this was a problem 30 years ago too.
Maybe we need dialog boxes to ocassionally ask to do stupid shit so people start reading them
Now you have to read.
This actually sounds like fun!
I think you just invented Windows 13.
Unfortuanlty if MS does it, they’ll forget the time out part and we’ll be the ones who have to undo it all.
Windows has had that feature (without the timeout obv) for a long time. I think it’s the Intel IGA driver and CTRL-ALT-Arrow. A decade ago when I was working for a Community College IT dept, that (and the brightest pink MLP background you could find) was always what you’d get if you walked away and didn’t lock your computer.
Those kinds of pranks happened in school too. That, and tape under the mouse.
I did IT support at one point, when they have an issue but don’t know what the box said you know you’re having a bad time!
And getting them to replicate the issue and NOT click through the error without reading it was a massive chore
You’ve just activated a form of PTSD in my brain. Stood next to someone and you see the box appear and they instantly click.
“What did that say?”
“Dunno”
Why click on it if you don’t know???