Aaaarrrghh! (computer issues)

kazky wrote:

Val I used to take puters apart & rebuild them, now I feel like i’m computer illiterate! I don’t know what’s happened

Yep, my ancient machine was a broken hand-me-down that I repaired myself at minimal cost. There was always a strange satisfaction and pride that came with doing it youreslf. And I don't think age is the only issue now. With the exception of the Raspberry Pi, devices these days are generally much less configurable, partly due to the obsession with thinness that seems to have removed the clunky modular structure that computers used to have. And they'd much rather have you buy a new model than tinkering with the stuff you've already got.

I remember only having two computer lessons at school and only one of them involved an actual computer, it was one of those BBC Micro Models that had massive keys. Or maybe they just seemed massive because I was small.

The first lesson involved learning to draw a "flow chart" using those little plastic templates then the second lesson (with the computer!) was about "programming" a crane to load containers on a ship. Or more accurately, considering the graphics of the time, making a tall block move small blocks onto a wide block.
Didn't see another computer after that for about three years. Yes, we were at the cutting edge of technology back then.

They didn't offer anything computer related back when I was in school, that I can recall? Only typing class, but I didn't take that since I wasn't involved with either at the time. I didn't get into computers until 1990/1991, but have been using them predominantly since, with it being sometimes around 95% of my regular duties. ... I believe the only art-related programs back then were Harvard Graphics and possibly Paint? ... I actually used Harvard Graphics in 1992/93? to put together a United Way Poster requested of me by my office, that actually came in second place in the Country. ... Lost out to a little 6 or 7 year old, who did a finger painting!

I also did a lot of IT work for my entire department for many years, until the IT folks decided to shut everything down and made their department sole administrators over everything. (apparently someone shared admin passwords with some other folks (to make it easier on them I guess?) and after some major screw-ups, they decided to keep everything within their office and we no longer can do pretty much anything.) Makes more work on them, but they feel it's safer.

Well, I was born in 1965, so the only thing I can recall in that time-frame resembling a computer, was an Etch-A-Sketch.