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US's Slow Embrace of Information Technology
mattnyc99 writes "To motivate his new column, Popular Mechanics' Glenn Derene takes research data from a discussion here of his last column. He analyzes a new study released this week — revealing that fully 49 percent of Americans 'only occasionally use modern gadgetry' — to compare the rise of the PC with that of the TV and ask a big question: What keeps the most important and powerful communication tool since the telephone from being universally embraced?"
Are we really comparing the rate of TV adoption to computer adoption? When is the last time you had to do more than press the ON button to operate your television? There's no learning curve, and no risk. People are afraid of computers, and as usual are unwilling to overcome even the most modest of barriers to learn a new skill.
Making you think you're crazy is a billion dollar industry.
Who are 10 years behind the rest of the world in bandwidth and services and cost. Blame the cable monopolies who are only a little less horrible than record companies in the rape and pillage the consumers department. Blame Microsoft who, let's face facts, sees you as a wallet. They don't really care how well their crap works and their prices go up not down in contradiction to everything we've ever been promised about the 'digital age.'
I would have thought the neo-Libertarians here would be cheering for state controlled corporatism. Isn't that what you've been working for?
Television is easy. You turn it on, maybe select a channel, and you can sit there for hours. You can change the channel if you really care about what you're watching, but it's also ok to select one channel and leave it on forever. Television doesn't care if you walk away or lay down. It will dutifully drone on in case you happen to be there. Broadcasters are even nice enough to increase the volume on the commercials to make sure that you get exposed to advertising, even if you're in the kitchen cooking dinner.
It's much harder to use a computer the same way. It's a much more interactive experience. Not only do you have to have some basic knowledge of how they work, you have to click on stuff or something. Take poor people in third world countries as an example - how long would it take to teach them to use a computer well enough to keep themselves entertained? Compare that with the level of training needed to use a television.
In both cases, the vast majority of users utilize the technology for entertainment. There are a lot of educational uses available for both technologies, but most users have no interest in that. Mindless entertainment is TV. Interactive entertainment is games/web browsing.
Not everyone wants interactive entertainment. There are a lot of people who get up, go to work, perform some dull, repetetive task, come home and want to continue their zombie lifestyle with a few beers and some background noise/visual stimulation. There's no way for interactive media like computers to compete with television in the zombie market segment.
What keeps the most important and powerful communication tool since the telephone from being universally embraced?
Simple. Human stupidity and laziness, especially the reluctance to take the time to learn key concepts such as computer security and e-mail attachment limits.
I don't blame the ones who are truly unable to adapt and learn to work with the new technology, but the ones who are clearly capable, but ignorant enough to not care, are the ones who contribute to a nation-wide, condescending attitude towards the technologically-trained. Some could say that technology has pampered the public enough to the point that they expect computers to do everything for them and denounce it if they cannot open a bootleg copy of Spiderman 3 because of a lack of video codecs.
A computer is just a tool like a chain saw or a sewing machine. If I need the tool I will get it and use it. If I don't need it, and for day to day living it is really not required, I will not get it. Unless I am a normal guy then I will buy one a put it on the shelf next to the combo-wrench-screwdriver-hammer I bought last week.
Undetectable Steganography? Yep, there's an app fo
IT gadgets are ultimately not that important in the overall pursuit of happiness. What's the point of keeping up with all of the IT gadgets if all it ever does is give you a constant chore of learning the next new (questionably useless) thing? The general public is not interested in being under a constant challenge to keep up with gadgets that have little affect on their personal lives. Most people don't need a PDA, or a GPS, or a video iPod. The happiest people I know have limited to no access to IT gadgets outside of cell phones. The most stressed and unhappy (add broke and unhealthy) people I know are the ones that are constantly trying to keep up with the latest in technology. A TV is easy...if you're not making a living in IT you just don't need all of the gadgets.
You don't think this is a problem on the 'net? There are thousands of little groups that hang out with each other, online, because they re-enforce each other's beliefs. Look at profiles on MySpace or other sites and see how many people are looking for a "safe" place to talk about things. I see that as code for "think like I do".
All that the Internet has enabled is that people can now hang out with other people just like them - Regardless of Geography.
The Tao that can be spoken is not the one eternal Tao