...or just being one from an earlier generation?

I find that when I proof read text on the screen, I inevitably miss some gaff (even with (or because of?) spell check), but when I print it out, I usually pick most typos out easily. The younger folk (I call them ‘kids’) at work do everything on screen and live a virtual paperless existence. I’m 51, not exactly ready for the nursing home, but far from the youngest on the block. I once heard from an old air force helicopter pilot that his age group would not be able to fly the modern military helicopters because of all the video technology they now employ, and that the kids nowadays are brought up on this stuff and are totally in tune with it. What has been the experience of others?

karrietoBe (imported) wrote: Sun Apr 27, 2008 7:53 pm ...or just being one from an earlier generation?

I find that when I proof read text on the screen, I inevitably miss some gaff (even with (or because of?) spell check), but when I print it out, I usually pick most typos out easily. The younger folk (I call them ‘kids’) at work do everything on screen and live a virtual paperless existence. I’m 51, not exactly ready for the nursing home, but far from the youngest on the block. I once heard from an old air force helicopter pilot that his age group would not be able to fly the modern military helicopters because of all the video technology they now employ, and that the kids nowadays are brought up on this stuff and are totally in tune with it. What has been the experience of others?

As a geezer, I find that keeping up with rapidly evolving technology is a great challenge. I've gotten to the point that I don't even attempt to keep up with it all. If I have a need to know, I am perfectly capable of learning (or if not, then I am brain-dead, fossilized, or just frustrated). I am reasonably technically skilled, but am no IT expert - not even close - but I can function and can learn. When I need video to drive my truck, then I think I will learn how to use it... I think the pilot above is self-limiting; the only deterrent to advancing with such systems (notably as a pilot) is one's physical capacity, and willingness to engage mental capacity.

As an aside to writing, I find that my best ally for proofing a document (virtual or paper) is time. I will always pick stuff up in either format, but I seldom get it all the first time I proof (spell and grammar checkers only are good for about 50-60% of editorial needs, in my experience). An additional pair of eyes is usually of great value, as well. Writing is an art, seldom a science, and nearly always has the imperfection of human frailty. That is what makes literature so fasacinating.

I don't know if it's a decline in our generation (I'm of Medicare age) or an increase in the abilities of the younger generation.

A few weeks ago I was taking care of my FIVE year-old grandson. He wanted a new video game to play and I refused to download one for him. While I was off in the kitchen, he went on-line and used Google to find a game he wanted and downloaded it. He was playing it when I got back from the kitchen. He's only in kindergarten!

When i get someting new i mostly read the howto's or the manuals before i even start with it. The younger generation is not afraid to push buttons and just see where it ends. But i'am still smarter then my kid's.

Before you make reservations at the nursing home you might take a look at the ergonomics of your computer. The fact that you have no problem with written copy may be more a reflection of the fact that most computers are set up to impede productivity for a lot of us.

A little background, the movement of the eyes in their sockets are controlled by six different muscles. Two opposed to move the eyes in three different orientation, one looking down about thirty of forty degrees from the horizon line (and turning the eyes towards the center to focus close), the second for scanning straight ahead on the horizon line and the third above you Most of our generation learned to read from books, which we held about like a chimp holds a stick it wants to look at, in front of its chest, looking down. If we graduated to typewriters they too involved reading well below the horizon line. The muscles for looking towards the horizon are much more comfortable scanning slower and not focusing close. You can illustrate this. Print up a paragraph on a sheet of paper. Hold it like you would hold a book and time how long it takes to read. Then, without moving your head hold the paper above you and time how long it takes to read. You will probably have trouble scanning from the end of one line to the beginning of the next, either skipping a line or going back and reading the same line twice, and probably feel the strain. Looking straight ahead, the time will usually be between the other two. Comprehension will vary similarily. Kids who have spent more time in front of a video screen then a book on the other hand may well have trained their straight ahead muscles to scan a well as we do in the more usual position.

How was this relate to setting up a computer? Most computers have the monitor too high. A previous generation of computers often resided on our desks with the monitor sitting on top. Even now many computer desks have the monitor sitting on a riser. This combined with the increase in monitor size keeps pushing the monitor higher into the central area of our vision. To get the words where we can read comfortably we lean forward and bend our head back, immediately cramping the muscles at the base of the neck, and then hold that position for hours. Which is why many software firms have masseurs on staff. So try to get your monitor lover closer to where you would read a book.. You may be surprised at the increase in your productivity.

Transward

The first symptom of getting is when you say, "I remember when....."

At 52 years young I find that I can read the printed page better than a computer screen. If I really want to digest what someone has written I do better if I print it out. Getting those bi-focals just right is a pain.

Of course now if a young person wants to buy a turntable to play records who are they going to call? Me of course and I run over and install the cartridge properly, align it and explain why I did what I did. We all have the technologies of our generations. Slide rules anyone?

I'm not saying any of us are ready for the nursing home, but I have heard my parents and those of their generation say that it seems like each generation has its day and time. I'm in my early 50's, part of the baby boom generation.

Many of my generation have grandchildren in high school, or college, or beyond. The oldest baby boomers are in their early 60's and some even have one or two great grandchildren. So there are 2 and starting to be 3 generations beyond mine. That means 2 generations of technology beyond the baby boomers, and the speed at which technology grows and evolvs keeps speeding up faster and faster.

My generation grew up with TV and cartoons, and by age 2 or 3 knew how to turn on the TV and go to the channel we wanted because we grew up with that. Today's kids that same age of 2 or 3 or 4 know which buttons to punch, what simple words to type in, and how to work the mouse to do what they want because they are growing up with that, it has always been there as long as they could remember.

I'm not saying we can't learn, and some people in my parent's generation can do more with the computer than I can. But it's harder to learn, we didn't grow up with computers in the house doing everything at the click of a mouse.

But it does seem like each generation has its day and time, and then that time passes and it's a lot harder for them to adapt to new technology. Accepting new things does seem to get harder as you get older. These are things others have often experienced and talked about with this, especially those much older than I am.

You didn't mention if you wear glasses. If you use bifocals you might find that switching to progressive lens or asking your eye specialist for glasses just for reading your computer. You are only to old for technology when you refuse to give up old methods and adopt new ones.

The other problem with paper and screen is resolution. Even worst printer nowadays gives at least 300 dots per inch.

Monitor only gives about 75-100. Not to say that printout usually has more contrast.

Personally I like to use printout when I thoroughly read something or solder some electronics/program it (in this case I print some chosen places from documentation and write comments on them as I go through). But manuals in electronic form are also good - for quick search.