Saturday, September 13, 2008
Two laptops are not enough
Assalamu ‘Alaikum,
Two laptops are not enough
I thought that having two laptop computers in the house should be more than enough for a household of two adults and 3 preschool kids. We also bought two Girlie laptops for the two sisters to emulate Mama and Papa. And recently an Arab language toy laptop for Zahir so that he won’t feel left out. Truth is we needed to buy time to quietly satisfy our own secret afflictions, Mama suffers from acute Facebookitis whilst Papa the more serious Bloggeritis, but that’s another story.
It worked for a while but then Mama discovered starfall.com, the website that teaches kids how to read and spell with lots and lots of colourful kidstuff. That was the defining moment which ended our full control over the household laptops. I now look forlornly at my laptop which had been my trusted companion all this while and Mama consoles herself baking cookies in the kitchen whilst the kids whizz and burrs on our laptops with how to spell starfish and sea horse and how to put the red triangle buttons on the gingerbread man. And I’m now writing this article using the trusted but decidedly primeval method of putting pen to paper. Oooh, my wrist hurts.
The first time I touched a computer was yorns ago when I was the industrious manager of a department in a bank. I survived many years without anyone knowing I was actually computer illiterate. I had no space to learn anyway with industrious computer literate officers not allowing me anywhere near a computer, volunteering to do all the computing calculations I would ever need to do. But when even the office help was turning out to be some computer wizard himself I said enough is enough, I really have to start learning how to use this new fangled gadget. That was when I forcibly introduced myself into the computer world. Thank goodness there were then already Idiot’s Guide books for the likes of me. I spent weeks reading it before even touching a PC. If there were exams on how to theoretically use a computer I think I would have sailed through easily with flying colours. But how to use one practically was another story. I made the plunge to buy a personal computer. With the best computer savvy look on my face I strided into the computer shop. I’ve always thought a mouse is at most the cousin of a rat; I didn’t know you need to take one home as a pet in order to learn computers. When the guy asked what kind of monitor I want I was convinced it was to keep the mouse company. I don’t like reptiles and had visions of the green spiky creature I saw on Discovery channel last night running all over my lap. To cut the story short I managed to seal the deal without too much loss of face. I suspect the computer sales guy knew I was no Einstein with computers but if he does he wasn’t letting on, being just professional enough to close the sale. If he was rolling on the floor with laughter the moment I stepped out of the shop I didn’t care for I had just made one small step outside the shop and one giant leap out of computer illiteracy.
That was yorns ago; now I’m happy to report I could gigabyte, blue tooth and mobile PC with the best of them. But I was long in the tooth before touching my first PC. Now I just couldn’t help looking with wonder at my three year old boy steering the mouse like a seasoned pro and his 5 and 6 year old sisters moving from page to page on starfall.com like they’ve done it all their lives. Kids! Our parents used to gawk at what we were able to do compared to their childhood. What wonders would our children’s children be up to? Flying toy spaceships over the garden wall?.
Wassalam,
Zahid
Two laptops are not enough
I thought that having two laptop computers in the house should be more than enough for a household of two adults and 3 preschool kids. We also bought two Girlie laptops for the two sisters to emulate Mama and Papa. And recently an Arab language toy laptop for Zahir so that he won’t feel left out. Truth is we needed to buy time to quietly satisfy our own secret afflictions, Mama suffers from acute Facebookitis whilst Papa the more serious Bloggeritis, but that’s another story.
It worked for a while but then Mama discovered starfall.com, the website that teaches kids how to read and spell with lots and lots of colourful kidstuff. That was the defining moment which ended our full control over the household laptops. I now look forlornly at my laptop which had been my trusted companion all this while and Mama consoles herself baking cookies in the kitchen whilst the kids whizz and burrs on our laptops with how to spell starfish and sea horse and how to put the red triangle buttons on the gingerbread man. And I’m now writing this article using the trusted but decidedly primeval method of putting pen to paper. Oooh, my wrist hurts.
The first time I touched a computer was yorns ago when I was the industrious manager of a department in a bank. I survived many years without anyone knowing I was actually computer illiterate. I had no space to learn anyway with industrious computer literate officers not allowing me anywhere near a computer, volunteering to do all the computing calculations I would ever need to do. But when even the office help was turning out to be some computer wizard himself I said enough is enough, I really have to start learning how to use this new fangled gadget. That was when I forcibly introduced myself into the computer world. Thank goodness there were then already Idiot’s Guide books for the likes of me. I spent weeks reading it before even touching a PC. If there were exams on how to theoretically use a computer I think I would have sailed through easily with flying colours. But how to use one practically was another story. I made the plunge to buy a personal computer. With the best computer savvy look on my face I strided into the computer shop. I’ve always thought a mouse is at most the cousin of a rat; I didn’t know you need to take one home as a pet in order to learn computers. When the guy asked what kind of monitor I want I was convinced it was to keep the mouse company. I don’t like reptiles and had visions of the green spiky creature I saw on Discovery channel last night running all over my lap. To cut the story short I managed to seal the deal without too much loss of face. I suspect the computer sales guy knew I was no Einstein with computers but if he does he wasn’t letting on, being just professional enough to close the sale. If he was rolling on the floor with laughter the moment I stepped out of the shop I didn’t care for I had just made one small step outside the shop and one giant leap out of computer illiteracy.
That was yorns ago; now I’m happy to report I could gigabyte, blue tooth and mobile PC with the best of them. But I was long in the tooth before touching my first PC. Now I just couldn’t help looking with wonder at my three year old boy steering the mouse like a seasoned pro and his 5 and 6 year old sisters moving from page to page on starfall.com like they’ve done it all their lives. Kids! Our parents used to gawk at what we were able to do compared to their childhood. What wonders would our children’s children be up to? Flying toy spaceships over the garden wall?.
Wassalam,
Zahid
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