Digital Immigrant

I am a Digital Immigrant. Technology entered my life in college. Growing up in a small town in the 80's and 90's, computers, cell phones, and other technology was scarce in our area. During my first year of college in 1999, I was first introduced to a PC. It was something amazing I thought. The class was computer literacy. The professor was explaining how to use a floppy disk, how to copy and paste, how to change fonts and sizes, and other stuff that today we think is easy, but back then was for a grade. I was all excited and went home to tell my mom that I needed a computer and I had to go get one ASAP. We went to SEARS and I applied for credit and purchased a brand new HP computer.  I was all excited, but I didn't know what to do with it. I didn’t know what Internet was.

The following week I asked the professor how can I connect to the internet. I told him I had just purchased a new computer, but I couldn’t connect to the internet like in class. He said that I needed a modem and I had to contact an internet provider. I said "ahh, OK." Of course I didn’t know what he was talking about, so during class I searched for internet providers. I came across "NetZero" and I was like "OMG" I found one. So I tried to save the download on a floppy disk, but it didn’t work. I thought it was a free service and all I had to do was put it on a floppy disk and install it on my computer. Well, I was wrong.

I asked a friend about it and he said to contact AT&T and they could hook me up. So I did contact them and they came in and installed a second phone line in my room to connect to the world. Finally I had internet. All I knew was hot to chat on yahoo, WWF chat room, and email. I didn’t know anything about the new technology that was emerging rapidly in my life.

The first month's phone bill came in and it was over $300. My mother was asking why it was so much. Who have I been calling long distance? I said no one!! Well come to find out that the dial up number I was connecting to was from out of town, because my hometown didn’t have a server. WOW!!!

We fixed the problem and I soon moved to a bigger University. I became interested in computers, so I took several courses and I was learning how to program them. I was using MS.DOS. I found it very difficult to remember all those codes, so I dropped out and became a full time employee moving myself up to management. 

I left technology behind for several years, but as soon as I went back to college, everything was new to me. I didn’t recognize the new programs that were on the new commuters.  It was Windows XP. I was used to Windows 98. And what's this Microsoft office???  Do I need it? I have to spend how much?? I was getting discouraged once more but I calmed down and asked for help. I bought the Microsoft Office and tried to install it on my computer, but it wouldn’t take it. I called my buddy Alex and he came over to help me with it. Well apparently the computer I bought back in 1999 had a Hard Drive of 6 gigs. And it was full. He advised me to get a new computer with Windows XP.

I had to learn pretty quickly, because I was falling behind with all this new technology. I was soon introduced to Microsoft Office and using Word, PowerPoint and everything. I was so intrigued with all the fancy displays and everything. I was even more impressed with muti-media sites I didn’t know, such as YouTube. 

As the years went by, I felt as if I wasn’t catching up with technology. I had to ask for help for the simplest things, such as making new folders on the desk top. Little by little, I started getting a little better with this technology. But then the era of the cell phones kicked in. I always had a flip phone, that’s all I needed. I didn’t know much about texting, I knew how beepers worked but not texting. It was not a feature on my flip phone. So I upgraded to a standard phone. My younger employees taught me how to text, but I didn’t know that there would be a charge. So I blocked all incoming texts.

Soon I had to upgrade yet again so, I got a Blackberry curve. I loved that phone, but hated it at the same time. I was useless without it! I had all my contact information, emails, I was in a texting groove, the internet; everything was in that phone. I became more dependable on technology. I needed that new technology. I was hungry for it.

To make a long story short, I now own an iphone and I am lost without it. I taught my boss how to text a few years ago and now we can't get him to stop. I am in a world where my job, school, social life, and everything rely on technology. From emails, to video calls to everything. No more paging someone at Wal-Mart to meet you in register 7. Now we just text or call them on the cell phone. No more remembering phone numbers, now they are in the contacts in your phone.

We have come to a world that revolves in technology. Our young generation is growing into this new world. The children no longer have an imagination or imaginary friends because all the games are interactive and so realistic. They no longer go play outside like we used to, they spend countless hours online, or on their PS3 or X-Box. It is a different world.

I am still learning how to stay up-to-date on all of this. This is my first blog. And I hope I get better at this. I know that there are much younger kids that know much more than I do in this virtual world. That’s ok.  As long as I keep up or know a bit of it I will be fine.

My life has changed to the extent that whether I like it or not, I need this new technology. I need my GPS, my iphone, search engines, Bluetooth, MP3, ipad, ipod, nook, ebooks, Amazon, etc. technology makes life easier, but at the same time, it makes us weak.  We no longer go outside to pay our bills or go shopping. We no long buy CD's or DVD's as much as we used to. Now we have Pandora and Netflix. It is very unhealthy, but with today's busy life, technology is there to help us ease out those complications. Technology keeps the family and friends in touch. Technology offers help and motivation in so many good ways, but it also harms people in very harsh ways. Technology is a life changer, and it's still not over, not in a million years.