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This is really silly to me. Making computers accessible seems like a completely reasonable, sound priority. Yes, computer literacy is something we all need to
by staticassertion 8y ago
This is really silly to me.
Making computers accessible seems like a completely reasonable, sound priority. Yes, computer literacy is something we all need to work towards, but we'll never be in a world where the average person understands PKI, and saying that we should limit accessibility until they do is absurd.
- gregknicholson 8y agoYeah, understanding the internal combustion engine should not be a prerequisite for riding a bus.
- progval 8y agoMost people have at least a vague idea of how a combustion engine works, don't they?
- gregknicholson 8y agoKids ride buses; I'm pretty sure they don't understand the marvels of engineering they're benefiting from. My point is: it should be possible to use something without fully understanding the minutiae of how it works. We call this “user interface design”. You should be allowed to live in a house without a full understanding of the architectural details that prevent it from falling down.
- posterboy 8y agoI'm sure no single person understands every detail of the diesel engine, arguably nobody so far can solve the Navier-Strokes equation exactly. But even children understand that the car needs fuel and they might now that it has an engine that can break if given the wrong fuel. They could, at least. The fact that there are those who don't only corroborated the fact that there are folks who don't know how ... what was the actual problem? Will be owned by having their traffic captured.
- unexistance 8y agoprobably this https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navier%E2%80%93Stokes_equations https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navier%E2%80%93Stokes_equati...
- userbinator 8y agobut we'll never be in a world where the average person understands PKI 2000 years ago: "we'll never be in a world where the average person can read and write English"
- staticassertion 8y agoI think my point stands even with a loose definition of 'never'.
- chickenfries 8y agoYes, apparently all we need to do is wait 2000 years for people to understand PKI.
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- yzmtf2008 8y agoThen let's re-evaluate the situation in 2000 years. Until then, PKI is still useful without the average person understands it. Just like how languages are useful without everyone understanding it. I doubt this is even the point of GP.
- salawat 8y agoNot what I'm suggesting. More what I am suggesting is that we REALLY need to get away from teaching software products, and start teaching how to use computers. Example: Teaching fundamental abstractions before basing education on one set or another. Teaching fundamental program sets/basics of toolchains (Think scripts, text editors, and intro to program compilation.) Teaching fundamental protocols. Teaching about infrastructure. Teaching how to do X in Windows/Mac/Linux. IN THAT ORDER. Notice that that curriculum, while it would likely have to choose one OS or another based on circumstances, focuses on what you can DO with a computer, and lays a foundation through which the neophyte user can begin to understand what a computer and the NET really are. The NET isn't a pretty screen. It isn't one company's search engine, it's the means by which info goes from HERE to THERE. A computer isn't some mere calculator. It is an extension of our minds (and should be civically treated as such, but that's another post). I can die happy if within my lifetime, my occupation in the tech industry becomes "unskilled" labor. For I will have contributed to finding a way to elevate mankind to a me level.