The way we learn

It’s often a much avoided subject, that of learning at least in blog posts. But there is a follow up to this that will be posted shortly, entitled the way we talk which, will link in and fill out the gaps in this one. So if this doesn’t make sense, just bare with me and read the next one before you pass judgement.

On the subject of learning, it amazes me the way in which we find our information. Ten years ago we didn’t really have the internet, and almost certainly had to rely on our friends, colleagues or books from the library. Now of course with the internet we have a plethora of information at our eager little fingertips. I often wonder how many people out there in the real world could attribute most of their success and knowledge to the internet. I know I could.

Let me give you an example for you to get your teeth into. Using computers, and working with them on a day to day basis, I need to be able to perform tasks that are… shall we say ‘beyond the needs of regular users’? An example of which would be, Internet Explorer not working properly. I would know to look in the System32 folder for various drivers that might affect internet explorer (printers for example) and indeed the Application Data folder.

That of course, is information I learned from the internet. In fact most of my computing knowledge is found from the internet. In contrast I’m often asked “How do you know so much about computers?” when the reality is, that I know because I have to know. When an application breaks, I refuse to ring a premium rate telephone number to get a resolution and nor do I wish to subject myself to the infernal and ultimately fruitless task of reading manuals. So if Windows has a problem, I Google it, and often find a suitable resolution in half the time.

Such is the case with Mac OS. Having only just got it, I know nothing about it, however after experiencing a problem with Tweetdeck and indeed Googling the resolution, I now know that application settings are in the Library folder, and in the root library folder.

Ok so it’s more information than you probably need or want to know, but without the internet, and what my friends tell me, I wouldn’t be in the same position. Similarly it answers the question, how do I know so much about computers. Simple, because I have to.