Kids Can't Use Computers... And This Is Why It Should Worry

[Orbmiser]

You really need to take a break from the internet.

Go for a walk. Get some fresh air.

I do everyday out shooting the world and capturing it's beauty.
Why the need to negate or minimize my opinions?
We each have the right to express our opinions I think.
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[Nilla Wafer]

grimdestripador sez: So apparently they use a computer to accomplish work. And don't use them for the sake of maintaining and understanding. Kinda like cars.

I pretty much agree with your post, and was going to make the same analogy. How many people here can rebuild a carburetor or a transmission? Replace their own brake pads?

I beat both of you to it already, three posts ago, but no one pays attention to us kids, lol.

Before I get the keys to my first car, I'll be expected to demonstrate that I know how to check fluids and add them, how to change a tire, swap broken wiper blades and light bulbs, and change blown fuses. I'm not going to be one of those helpless little whiny schoolgirls that just calls a tow truck and waits in her car. The same ought to be true for computer users! And it would have been in my case, except that my parents never learned how to use one.

No, I won't have to learn how to repair the transmission or fuel injectors and all that. But I will be expected to maintain my car, and handle the ordinary tasks to do so. I'll be expected to know how to handle minor malfunctions and hazards like blown fuses and flat tires. Responsible computer users should be expected to do the same thing. But sensible enough to take it to an expert when there's an issue beyond their skill level. A person only makes things worse when she tries to fix it herself without knowing what she's doing (talking about me now, lol... just had to do a complete reinstall recently because I messed with stuff I was totally unfamiliar with).

~nilla

[Orbmiser]

Good for you Nilla Wafer! taking responsibility to do the basics and learn enough to fix 90% of your own system issues is great.
As to fiddling with that is fine if you employ a backup strategy for your OS and Data.

I use Redo Backup.
[url]http://redobackup.org/[/url]
LiveCD and backup my partitions. That way anything goes wrong can restore your partitions quickly.
It's a easier dumb downed version of Clonezilla which many others also use for backing up their partitions.

I just had my KDE 4.10.5 go bonkers when it upgraded to 4.11 and funny things like my Clementine music player started acting wonky and strange. Also trying to install widgets was broken.

Luckily I had backed up my 4.10.5 / root and /home partitions before allowing major upgrades.
And just now rolled my working great 4.10.5 which took 10 mins with Redo backup.

Also allows your to intall different distro's in same partitions and can even back those up.
I have like 6 different linux distro's partitions backed up to external usb including my Win7,Winxp partitions as triple boot.
And can swap on the fly or restore to latest backup quickly and without Heartbreak!
Or if Hardrive dies can swap in a new drive and restore the partitions ready to go in 30 mins for my triple boot setup
.

[TNFrank]

I learned about computers, well, because I like computers and like to tinker with em'. Same for cars/trucks and firearms. If you're "into" something then you'll generally learn about it, if you're not then you'll just learn enough to get by and that'll be it.
I still think anyone who buys a car/truck should get a basic course in how to change the oil and filter and change the air cleaner AND they should understand the basic idea of how the engine works and what all the parts are, if for no other reason so they can carry on a rational conversation with the mechanic that'll have to fix it. Same should apply to computers as well and IF you're going to own a firearm you should know about it too.
It totally amazes me how someone can own something and not at least know the basic "ins" and "outs" of how and why it works.

[grimdestripador]

It totally amazes me how someone can own something and not at least know the basic "ins" and "outs" of how and why it works.

Ever notice that the occasional person brags about how bad they are with cars/computers; or how cars/computers don't like them?
I can only project my mind to understand how someone would neglect the responsibilities of ownership such as maintenance, considering cars/computers are expensive. But then ponder how people plug their 1080p HD TVs into the VCR tuner through coax cable, I must, in conclusion, just lower my expectations regarding the intelligent decision making that others make toward their expensive purchases. In the end, one must acknowledge that these people are usually asking for some sort of help in understanding, but get overwhelmed for a lesson they were unprepared for.
With aspect to societal expectations, the meta question is: is it morally right for 'us' to be technicality righteous?