Learning the World of Computers

Posted January 27, 2014 by Jill Silverberg

As we all know, last Tuesday’s snow storm caused Simmons to cancel class that night. As I stayed nice and warm inside, I decided to do the responsible thing and do some reading for class. It was while I was reading through one of my two books for LIS 488 (Technology for Information Professionals) that I realized that I have a lot to learn in regards to computers. Now for those of you who might not know, LIS 488 focuses on the conceptual foundation and context of computing, Internet, and other technologies used within information-based professions. Besides learning the concepts and skills related to various pieces and aspects of technology, we are learning about the inner workings and history of computers. Considering that I grew up in the 1990s and had a front row seat to all the changes that occurred within the world technology, I figured that this course was going to relatively easy. Boy was I wrong. But not for the reasons that you’re probably thinking.

I’ll be the first to admit that I am not a computer expect. While I can definitely use different operating systems like OS X and Microsoft Windows, my skills are limited to those of an average user. Although I know how to customize the appearance of my Internet browser, I certainly don’t know anything about the inner workings of operating systems, let alone the tech specs of my laptop. It is because of this rather large gap in my knowledge related to the world of technology that I find this course to be so enlightening. For example, this past week our readings included a conversation discussing the nature and functions of cloud computing, an overview of the development of computer technology, and an explanation of computer basics (networks, WiFi, connection technologies, etc). As I continue to read more about computer and Internet technologies, the more I am realizing that I have a lot of things left to learn. And it’s because of this reason that I am enjoying this class. In today’s modern age, so many things involve possessing a knowledge of computers that is more than just computing 101. Having the skills to create HTML pages or use Photoshop could be the deciding factor in regards to getting a position that might require experience with using different computer or Internet technologies.  Sure, sometimes some of the computer jargon is way over my head, but I am enjoying the reading and online discussions nonetheless. I’m looking forward to learning more this semester. Hopefully by the end, I can confidently boast about my mad computer skills to all of my friends.