I spent some 35 years in the computer mainframe and mini computer businesses, so you’d think I’d have a better grasp of the accelerating technological changes seemingly overwhelming us (or is it just me?). Unfortunately, the Fortran/Cobol world of those monster machines bear little in commonality with the marvels of today. Ok, the logic of the application software remains somewhat similar and comprehensible, but there have been so many automation-driven drivers, software and hardware, for developing software and making it applicable to enterprise management, that it makes the old software systems appear rudimentary.
When I was in the “game”, simulation and optimization software concepts were breakthrough, state-of-the-art, “miracle” solutions. In the early 70’s I sold a linear programming-based, gasoline mixture price optimization system to Shell Oil (then headquartered at Rockefeller Center) that ran on a room-filling 3-4 million dollar IBM system. Today, that kind of software is probably running on a laptop at 10X the speed.
But it’s not just the PC/Apple world I’m addressing. As a matter of fact, I have self taught myself in that world to the extent that I am somewhat self sufficient for what I use it for. And, having been involved with a start up company developing wavelet-based software for video transport, I’m ok if not proficient in that area. No, it’s in all of the new products rapidly crashing in on us that I have quickly lost touch.
Like all of those cellular phone products. Take the iPad for example. I use my simple, prepaid Tracfone for making and receiving calls. That’s it. I mean when I see people walking in the street, sitting at Starbucks or even at a ball game brushing their fingers against the screen of their device for new sites and new applications, I realize I’m out of it. I can’t even take a photo with my phone. Oh, it has the function; I just don’t know how to use the damned thing.
But it’s not just the new phones. I read recently that Apple has a product out there for a year or so that allows you to downstream programs of your choice and show them on your TV. I never saw one of those nor did I know they existed. Even on my PC I am about 3 levels behind on my Microsoft system. I mean the stuff works, why change it?
To tell you the truth I probably can’t tell you what half of the products in a Fry’s ad are used for. I mean what do you do with a Black Ops Precision Aim Controller, VCLIP Pro 2GB, an SX58J3 Barebone, a 1TBLaCieHard Disk Quadra, a mini display port-to-VGA monitor (what the heck is a VGA?), or SD and SDHC cards. And what’s the difference between an iPad and an i Pod anyway? Hey, if I don’t use it often enough, I forget how to use my digital camera.
Frankly, I believe the industry if not the distributors and retailers are missing the boat. They should try to educate old geezers like me who would like to stay somewhat current. Why not have classes at places like Fry’s or Micro Center where we might even buy some of the mysterious stuff once we learned what it’s used for.
Look, I haven’t covered 99% of the innovations that many are using now, and it’s only going to accelerate. So, I guess I’ll somehow have to make a concerted effort myself, or be out of it forever. What concerns me is that odds on it will be the latter.
Arnie Silverman, Laguna Niguel
