Much of my time is spent reading or writing. The reading can be sporadic, since these days, reading a remark in a good book immediately makes me want to share it and I can do that pretty conveniently if it is a Kindle book and I share by way of Twitter. The writing is email or blogging and is actually typing, something my 8th grade self would be very surprised by, since I thought I was a failure at typing and never planned to type again.
Because I am committed to making a presentation on the use of electronic gadgets by seniors and because I have been using a Kindle for 6 years, a computer for 30 years, and an iPad for 1 year, I am spending time learning about capacities of tablets and other gadgets, the clouds of Apple, Google and Amazon, and changes, updates and downdates of capabilities of various services, such as Blogger, Wordpress, and Gmail. Small changes in a service can have a big effect on particular users, such as me. Many online enterprises these days want to have a “relation” with the user, which usually means they encourage or force or partly force the user to sign in so they can track the user on the various pathways through their web site. I try to keep an eye on my contacts or address book, since I do not want them to be bothered, or get unrequested ads because of my actions.
My university found that having a computer person in each campus building helped in the puzzle of how to deliver assistance to faculty members. The basic practice is to call the computer assistant and explain the problem, resulting in a visit to her office or her visit to yours, depending on the problem. Computing and related device use can be described as a chicken and egg problem, since sometimes an individual has goals of activity, accomplishment or learning and the task is to help that person see which path to take. But, at other times, the individual is unaware of the possibilities and the aide’s job is to introduce them.
Books can be a help for reaching a goal or learning what a device can do. The best immediate tool is Google. Enter a short phrase or description of the problem or puzzle into Google’s search window. Try at least three versions of the search words.
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Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety
