Learning computer speak....

[osodecanela]

Learning how to get your computer to do the things you want it to do, is little more than learning another language. I've been clear on that concept for a long time. Perhaps, its why I've been able to take in stride the times, when its balked at what I want it to do. I figure its my lack, not the computer's. In general, it doesn't frustrate me. I realize the machine does NOT speak English, although it might appear so, to many casual users.

After we finally got the encryption and digital ID certificates installed and working properly, on our respective E-mail programs, so that transcription can flow between us across cyberspace, while remaining secure, confidential and HIPPA compliant, James, aka ogambear walked me thru setting up a filter on my mail client, that will now sort our communiques into a separate folder as they arrive. Sweet! No more searching for things; they'll all be right were I can find them with ease. This may not seem like much; however, while I knew it could be done without much difficulty, I myself did not know how to set it up. Though I knew it would make my life easier, the opportunity to set it up simply had not presented itself until tonight. Now that it has, I'm grateful.

Many here, particularly folks a number of years my junior who've been doing this stuff for years, likely find it all second nature. I however, do not (not that I'm proud of it) and this realization is giving me new appreciation for my parent's generation, who wince at the thought of trying to change the LCD flashing midnight on the VCR, um, make that the DVD player/recorder. I remember programming my Grandmother's extra large, push-button phone's speed dial entries, back in mid-90's, as doing it herself was beyond her capabilities. Bubbie had just turned 100 and knew what the phone could do, but "Dahlink, I don't know how to tell it vut I vant it should do. Make sure your mama is #1, and your uncle Sid is #2."

After setting up the first folder and corresponding filter tonight, I went ahead and set up a couple of others, leaving me with a streamlined email inbox, and making the clutter that much easier to reduce. Amen, amen, amen.

Oggie ogambear also walked me thru a few commands (I'm assuming html speak) I need to make Live Journal look, well, like other live journals. (note the lj user icon!) Now we'll see if the instructions for all these things stick in my head longer than just tonight.

Comments

[tmaher.livejournal.com]

Oggie ogambear also walked me thru a few commands (I'm assuming html speak) I need to make Live Journal look, well, like other live journals. (note the lj user icon!)

Yay learning computer stuff!

Strictly speaking, <lj user="ogambear"> isn't HTML, nor is <lj-cut text="somestuff">this would be behind a cut</lj-cut>. They're proprietary HTML-esque formatting commands that only work in LiveJournal land. Their HTML-esqueness is intentional, and makes the confusion completely understandable.

If you're curious, you write a "<" or ">" by typing "&lt;" for less-than, "&gt;" for greater-than. You write ampersand as "&amp;". Those are called "HTML entities", and are regular HTML.

[osodecanela.livejournal.com]

Tom, thanks for heads up on the 'html-esque' commands. That they're proprietary and only work on LJ doesn't surprise me. I'd dare say though, the number of folks journaling/blogging that are html proficient is likely much higher than the public in general. Using commands of this style likely phases few of them. For me its still learning another language.

As one of those Americans who actually does speak another tongue with some frequency (se habla español) and who learned it post-puberty, I know firsthand that language acquisition generally comes with more difficulty the older one is.

And YES, yay!!! learning computer stuff! Its a good thing.

[furr-a-bruin.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!

I know what you mean about previous generations - my dad turned 98 this year; he remembers the beginnings of commercial radio! That's kinda hard for me to wrap my brain around...!

Still, some people take to technology and some don't - my mother took up computers in her 60s, and the guy who ran the local computer shop she liked used her as an example to whiny people much younger who said they "couldn't learn this stuff." In terms of doing computer tech support, there are some people - of all ages - who either want to learn, or not, and trying to deal with the latter can be infuriating when what they're refusing to learn is fundamental to them getting their job done....

[osodecanela.livejournal.com]

I like your mom! I wish I could get my mother to do the same. For some the task of learning technology and techno-speak is just too daunting.

I would point out again however, my personal belief its really an issue of language. We are a predominantly monolingual society. How many people gristle at the idea they SHOULD learn another language? It's a point they MIGHT be able to justify if they stayed in the US exclusively, but I've seen Americans abroad, who appear to expect people to be able to speak with them in English, no matter where they are. It's much easier for many to be self-indulgent and lazy. (so much for that rant.)

As for age and the forward march of technology, we do take for granted what we're used to. The reality of there being a time when something simply did not exist (ie commercial radio) seems either foreign or novel. I look at the candlestick phone on my desk and treasure its novelty. For my mom, it's a piece of her childhood.

[gryphons-hole.livejournal.com]

The rich text option offers a way around typing some of the html command in LJ, but I find it sometimes frustrating, since it seems to have some glitches in it that impact line breaks and such in ones post...

So, I slowly taught myself the html I needed. Most of it can be found by searching the FAQs under LJ's help tab.

I created an MS Word document that lists all the html code I need for a post, that why when I compose an entry, I can just open the file and cut and paste code as needed... It has been a convenient short-cut.

[osodecanela.livejournal.com]

LOVE IT! The last thing I did last night was create a Word document to reference the comands for future use. Nice to know mine is not the only head that works this way. Unless I use them often enough or record them in some way, they will be gone like so many fallen leaves in the wind, when I need them.