Many, many years ago, Penn Jillette of Penn and Teller fame, or infamy as the case may be, had a column in the back of PC/Computing magazine. It was funny and irreverent and doomed because it told too many truths to power.
In one classic column (which may be this one, but I can't get the link to work), he compared using a computer to using a toaster. Once everybody caught on, all the gurus and tech-wizards would be out of jobs. His advice was to cement your expertise as a 'computer expert' as quickly as possible before it calling yourself one became as lame as calling yourself a 'toaster expert'.
As this xkcd comic shows (and I predict it will be the most e-mailed, Facebooked, and Twittered link of the year), that day is not upon us yet.
Worse, my brand new toaster oven has three different knobs that all have to be precisely arranged to toast a bagel properly. Not only aren't computers getting any easier, toasters are getting much harder.
(h/t to TBG and ScienceSpouse)
5 comments:
Wow, based on that flowchart I am a computer expert! Though, I usually try for an hour or more because I hate asking for help!
Yellojkt, have you seen "The IT Crowd?" I discovered it by way of Noel Fielding who is an occasional character on series 1 and 2. I'm not saying it's funny, especially, but it does kind of remind me of Office Space sometimes and they do a pretty good job of covering the basic IT cliches. Also, I like Roy's Irish brogue. I've been watching it on Netflix but it's probably on YouTube, too.
Another strange result of the Russell Brand Influence at our house is that my daughter has now watched the entire Freaks and Geeks series. (Judd Apatow is the common denominator.)
The IT Crowd is available on demand from Netflix through my Roku and I've watched several episodes. It is funny in that inside-geek/droll British humor way.
And whatever path takes someone to Freaks and Geeks is all good.
I'm printing this out and giving a copy to my dad. Then maybe he'll stop calling me . . .
Great readding your blog
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