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Thursday, March 30, 2006

Computer experience

Do you ever stop and think about how far computers have come along? I remember when I first played on a computer. It was a Commodore PET. I had to write up the basic code with directions from a book. I would save it to a cassette tape. Then cross my fingers and see if it runs. The little basic game would be something like 'Cannons'. You would aim your cannon at the enemy fortress and try to destroy it with a bunch of well aimed guesses based on wind speed and trajectory. If I did copy all the basic right and the game ran there was no guarantee it would run the next time. Technology kept improving though. We went from PET to Commodore 64, then they sent in the IBM clones. With our IBM clone and a 300 baud modem we started to BBS. BBSing was like the internet but without long distance, or speed, or instant anything. We used our computer to call up a computer set up for messages. We left a message, other people left their messages, and we all got together Friday nights at The Annex on Bishop street in Montreal. That is all in the past now including The Annex.
*gets lost in thought*
Where was I going with this?
Appreciation of how far computers have come.
Thank God for the Internet.
Get togethers with internet friends is a little harder to do. But I have met some in person.
"Yes Mom I am always careful."

Thank God for spell check! Although this spell check still does not recognize blog, blogger, blogging or bloggist. It bloggles the mind.

I am not a computer expert but I have always lived with one. My boyfriends were always able to take a computer apart and put it back together again. What was it I saw in programmers? What can I tell you. I like a guy with a big IQ.
All I had to do was be a computer user. I didn't even have to be a smart one. I never got past copying basic from a book. I learn the latest sofware on a need to know basis only. I am on my own now and if I run into computer problems I will just have to call DELL. So far so good with DELL though. *knocks on wood*

Lessons:
Now that I don't have anyone handy to lean on for computer answers I might learn more on my own.
I learned to drive and bought my own car when I had no one to drive me around anymore.


How did a not so smart computer user get involved in Blogging?
That is a whole other post.

be as good as you can
Barbara

5 comments:

Barbara Bruederlin said...

How fortuitous that you mention computers on the day that I realise I will indeed need to take mine back to the shop so they can finally figure out the freezing up problem. Computers, can't live with em, can't shoot em (actually I guess you can, but...)

Barbara said...

Barbara B unless you have a IT tech living with you, you should get a Dell.
this ad was not paid for by Dell. I wish they would though...

Jas B said...

My first computer experiences were on a 486, where I learned to use "word Star" and "Word Perfect". Also used to play a lot of "Pacman", in fact I was addicted to it!

Then came the Windows based high speed PCs and the whole wide world of internet!

Can't go back to a 486s. Have to get those faster PCs/laptops with the "duo" technology. I just learned last week, during a presentation, that the "duo" refers to two processors within the same machine that would make it much more faster, and apparently multitask efficiently as well!

Jas B said...

Yeah, I agree with you on Dell. I have convinced many a friend to purchase Dell systems. They should be paying us for all this publicity, and sales! :)

Barbara said...

ooh I remember 8088, 286, 386 then finally 486. lol
Wait a minute, more ways to multitask!? oh... do we need that?