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?"

Comments

Blindingly obvious

[fatduck]

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.

Re:Blindingly obvious

[gEvil (beta)]

And that's exactly the conclusion he comes to at the end of the column...

Re:Blindingly obvious

[fatduck]

So if this Harvard professor had submitted his question to Ask Slashdot, he would have saved himself a lot of research.

Why, you ask?

[beavis88]

Maybe it's because, at the end of the day, both computer hardware and software are generally troublesome pieces of shit.

I'm going to go with...

[Moggyboy]

Terrorism.

I was going to say "Windows"

[benjcurry]

Maybe it's because, at the end of the day, both computer hardware and software are generally troublesome pieces of shit.

I was going to say "Windows," but I see you beat me to it.

I was going to say "Windows"

[benjcurry]

Terrorism.

I was going to say "Windows," but I see you beat me to it.

Because people don't need them.

[arthurpaliden]

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.

Because were are not all the same.

[Shivetya]

Look, outside of work, if I really wanted to, I could live without my computer. Hell I can live without a cell phone too. It just takes discipline. I lived through the 70s and 80s without the access I have these days as did my parents and their parents before them.

Rural America has more pressing issues than the net, let alone the people with manual labor type jobs. Don't classify them as ignorant either. Many of them do a far better job at raising their families than the so called "educated elite". They don't need the net as a subsitute for life and friends. They don't need TV shows for entertainment, let alone care to see the violence in big cities portrayed in fiction and fact.

Its America stupid, we are not one giant homogenized horde. We are little tight knit groups spread out across a large area all enjoying the freedom this country affords, and that freedom can and does mean not doing what everyone thinks you should be doing. Hell there are times I wish I could live back on the farm, work 12 to 14 hour days, and never see a computer. Somethings the simpler life is actually better.

Re:Because were are not all the same.

[benj_e]

Variety is indeed the spice of life, and simply living with people that you adapt your values to in exchange for feeling a sense of belonging is a false one.

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.

Re:Blame the phone companies

[anjin-san 3]

You're blaming Microsoft for the slow adoption of computers inside the U.S.? What operating system do you think they use outside of America?

list of reasons

[egburr]

What keeps the most important and powerful communication tool since the telephone from being universally embraced?

• Price - hundreds to thousands of dollars for a computer versus tens of dollars for a phone
• Ease of use - I can make and complete a phone call in less time than my computer takes to boot
• Ease of maintainability - virus checking, defragmentation, spyware, trojans, etc. Need I say more?
• Expected lifespan - Growing up, we had the same phone for 15 years. Even the cheap phones last 5 usually. How long is it until a computer is obsolete? Two years? Unusable in four?

Well...

[sheldon]

My father was an engineer at Zenith, back in 60's and 70's... We had one of the first color televisions in the neighborhood. It also just happened to be a engineering prototype. But don't worry! My father had the schematics!

So in my family, we had what we called the yearly "Fix the Television" event. This would be somewhat akin to reinstalling the OS in your computer. It involved taking the back off the television and with a combination of compressed air and a vacuum, removing most of the dust. Sometimes it involved replacing weak solder joints. But it always involved replacing worn out vacuum tubes.

Each vacuum tube, of which there were perhaps 20 total, was removed one at a time and carefully wrapped in kleenex and placed in a box. This box then was taken down to Radio Shack where each tube was placed into the tube tester to verify it's performance characteristics.

After buying the new tubes to replace the old ones, back home we came to reassemble the television.

People today lament about how there is no longer a need for television repair men. Instead people keep their televisions for 10-15 years and when they die they throw them away. Some day people will be complaining about how you don't need a help desk, and desktop support teams.

That day can't come soon enough for me.

There is a reason.

[mlush]

I have always wished for my computer to be as easy to use as my telephone; my wish has come true because I can no longer figure out how to use my telephone. Bjarne Stroustrup

Re:Blame the phone companies

[operagost]

I don't know who coined that term "neo-libertarian" (I'm guessing you) but we already have a word for someone who wants to entwine corporations with government: "fascist." Don't make up some grabage term just because you don't like libertarians. Libertarians are opposed to most forms of government control of corporations, positive and negative.