Gather round the flickering monitor as I regale with a tale of the olden days of the Internet. I remember it like it was yesterday, when the high pitched garble sound of a modem connecting meant success. As well as, the defeated feeling when it just wouldn't work and several codes had to be added to dial in. When we often had a book by our side to keep us busy as we waited for the pages to load or crash before our strained eyes. None of this broadband, instant connectivity nonsense for us. No, we were pioneers on this information highway. Okay, not really, but I'm a fan of hyperbole. I should do a fan page for it on Facebook.
It's so strange to me that I can say I've been using the Internet for about 15 years and computers for even more. Basic computer usage was a required class in my undergrad and I don't believe it is anymore. It's assumed you know what you're doing now a days. Silly assumptions. In a high school computer class, eons ago when we still used DOS prompts, I crashed two computers. Not that I'm proud of that, it's to point out that it takes practice to be familiar with computers and some cliches are true- failure is often the best teacher. No one was born with a mouse and keyboard in hand. It does seem to be becoming an evolutionary adaption.
There is such a pressure to evolve in to that(de-evolve, whatever)and be instantly available to anyone. This is where social networking can resolve and create the pressure. Most of the time, I don't mind it. I've been a user of most social networking sites including the new favorites of Facebook and Twitter. I'm pretty boring, but there I am, accessible 24/7. This is especially true when my children have trouble sleeping. The way I try to keep myself out of the social networking constant stream of information is to be as private as possible with some exception. I think that its the way to choose how to use these tools even if it feels like you're going against the stream, the tides of change or however you want to look at it. The new trend of society at large, it seems to me is to customize to your needs and wants. Let the Internet work for you. Personally, I like it to tell me when my friends have found an interesting article, funny site or want to show off their children's pictures. I'm happy to be an audience to the changes in their life- their evolution so to speak.
Anyway, this posting is becoming TLDR (too long didn't read it) worthy so I'll log out. Thanks for reading
Library Antics (another 21 Things blogger) found and posted this great article on Mashable - http://kvgon.blogspot.com/2010/07/marshable-on-social-media.html - on how social media can actually make us more productive. There is no doubt though for me, when i get overloaded, my participation in social media is the first thing to go!
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