The “New Kid On The Blog”
As a newer member, yet the most — uh — “advanced in years” of the SIOD Family, I thought I’d take us all on a little stroll down memory lane to help the young’uns appreciate the technology we all have at our fingertips. And, maybe, help with a few old-timer tricks to hopefully help your everyday workday flow a little more smoothly. So empty out the previous shavings from your hand-crank pencil sharpener, sharpen up that Dixon Ticonderoga #2 pencil, enjoy my reminiscences, and maybe learn a trick or two.
That New “Windows” Phenomenon
Having built my first website in the previous millennium, that whole World Wide Webs thing was new and awe-some. Who knew where it would go? Having previously worked in software technical support, I recall when a common questions was, “By any chance, do you have a fax machine?” At this time, our software was written in DOS and just being converted to work on this then-newfangled operating system that some company way out in Seattle created. They called it “Windows.” In order to see a customer’s data or help them, the option was either to fax a copy (if they had one yet) or to make a backup onto floppy disks, send it in the mail, and hope they didn’t get damaged in transit. Now, of course, there’s desktop streaming or attaching a PDF to an email.
Virtually Meeting “For Real”
I’m guessing most people have experienced or know of desktop streaming by now? Being able to see someone’s screen and control their mouse is an amazing joy, especially to a support tech or for two people wanting to look at the same thing, but who aren’t sitting in the same room. Amazing stuff! And whether talking on the phone simultaneously or using computer microphone and computer. Mind blowing! I recall the days of people traveling all over the country to train others how to use a software program or make a presentation. Location is now irrelevant. How else could I be sitting right now on my front porch typing away. (Sitting in my favorite rocking chair of course.)
Shout It Out Design Does It Right
One thing that I’ve enjoyed about Shout It Out Design right off the bat is paper. Or, should I say, the lack thereof! While I may admit that I enjoyed the smell of a freshly mimeographed copy of a document, cloud drive sharing is so much simpler. And searching by typing a relevant word is sooo much better than sorting through the stack of who-knows-what I would typically have piled on my desk in the past.
Throwback Tricks That Still Work!
Being a self-proclaimed old-school code monkey, I’m still not big on what I call “the keyboard ballet” where one bounces back and forth between the keyboard, then the mouse, then back to the keyboard to type. Luckily, many DOS and older shortcut remnants still work great on computers today:
- Next time you want to highlight a word or phrase, try Alt+Shift and the arrow keys. One word at a time, highlighted!
- Want to copy it someplace? Ctrl+C puts it into the computer clipboard, then Ctrl+V to paste it where you want. I remember Ctrl+V by thinking of the downward point of the V as kind of saying “put it there.”
- Now if you are a mouse person, a simple double-click on a word will highlight it. Then also, a triple-click on a word will highlight the entire word or sentence. But there again, the keyboard ballet.
- Want to skip from one word to the next easily, Ctrl+arrow (left or right, as you’d like to go) skips from word to word like magic — no rabbit or hat needed!
- Hop (pun intended) to the end of a line? End key. Hippety-hop (Ok, now it’s getting old)
- All the way to the beginning of the line? Home key.
How Many Ws?
When doing internet surfing or online research, do you ever get tired of typing “www” and “.com”? Well here’s a handy, helpful trick: Open your browser (Edge, Chrome, Firefox) and type the website name (just the simple, middle part) into the address bar at the very top. On your keyboard, press Ctrl+Enter (probably with your right hand) and *boom*! The www and the .com pop into place and away you are to your desired website.
Landlines Going Into The Sunset
It wouldn’t seem fair to have musings of past and present technologies without summoning the memory of Mr. Alexander Graham Bell. Ahhh, the telephone. According to some online research from theverge.com, more than half of all American households don’t have a landline. And some 60% of younger adults have never had anything but a cell-smart phone.
Tangled Up Again
Recalling the days when an 8-foot cord that didn’t get tangled was a phone luxury, the smartphone is definitely a modern wonder. Though not typical for my generation (older end of Gen X, for the record…slightly too young for baby boomer), I personally use my phone for communication with friends and family plus some social media. But I primarily pay my bills via phone apps. And track bills via inline spreadsheet. And, of course, send money to my kids with my modern-wonder gizmo box.
“Pedaling” My Technology
I think one of my greatest uses of technology all at once comes into play during the cycling class which I instruct. My music is downloaded to my phone, every song for that class in order. I Bluetooth to the gym’s sound system aaand music! Though all digital, some older recordings aren’t as loud as modern-day songs. The solution? Smartwatch! With a simple tap on the wrist, I control the volume or skip a song if needed. As a person who remembers 8-track players in cars, technology has definitely changed music, for sure. Though I miss my old aftermarket car stereos (mainly since I could get my name on my stereo because it was a brand name — Craig!), Being able also to bluetooth to my car stereo or use satellite is some pretty cool stuff.
Throwback To The Future
I’m a big fan of the technology that makes my life easier. But don’t think right now, I’m not listening to my 80s station streaming to my little bluetooth speaker right here next to my rocking chair on the front porch. “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” Though Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, this Blue Collar Man is Walking On Sunshine and gonna Jump on the Crazy Train — gonna rock down to Electric Avenue. Until next time, Don’t Stop Believin’. Embrace technology!