OT: How "Tech Savvy" Are You?

[Synthoid]

I attended a luncheon this past weekend with a large number of seniors. (I haven't reached retirement age yet, although it's looming on the horizon). Anyway, I was surprised at the amount of people at our table that didn't own a computer, and I felt like a teenager when my smartphone beeped a few times. Most of them would have been surprised if I'd have discussed what I do for a living (graphic design and internet marketing.)

 

But it made me wonder a bit about today's technology and how many of us embrace it. A good friend of the family built my first computer in 1992 and taught me all about it. Between the two of us, we upgraded everything over the next couple of years. I was very fortunate.

 

Fast forward many years. I have to confess I wasn't sure what to do with an iPad when I first picked one up, but it didn't take long to figure it out with the help of an Apple Store employee. And when I bought my first smartphone I received a quick tutorial from the assistant manager at the Verizon store. Piece of cake. But some folks just don't "get it." That's OK, but a bit sad that they have little interest in technology. If they do own a computer or smartphone, all they do is complain how confusing it is. Plenty of online resources are available, but they don't bother. I remember when my sister-in-law's phone crashed and she lost all her pictures. I asked her if they were backed up anywhere and she said "no."

 

Well anyway, back to my initial question--How "Tech Savvy" are you? Have you turned your OS inside out, replaced a hard drive, or written your own apps? Or would you rather just bash your computer and eat a pizza...

 

[RABid]

I'm from a small country town in SE Kentucky. Far from any hotbed of technology. But, I developed a love of synths and analog sequencers in the late 70's. Was using a drum machine on stage fore anyone else in the area, and later, a DOS computer for sequencing. Ended up going back to school to get a degree in computer science with a focus on programming. I'm the one with the technology. Not just iPads and Kendles. I use Hue lighting, Sonos audio, all three game systems, and a 7.1 surround system on my 3D TV. (Haven't jumped to 4K yet but I am looking.) I've built a few computers. Writing apps does not interest me though I have always enjoyed writing AI into programs.

 

Now I am at a stage in my life where I am trying to change from "the tech guy" in everyone's eyes to "average Joe." Why? Because I am tired of getting calls from every cousin, co-worker and neighbor who has a computer crash or virus.

 

So let me change what I initially said. I'm not tech savvy. I don't know anything about computers. Spread the word.

[Synthoid]

So let me change what I initially said. I'm not tech savvy. I don't know anything about computers. Spread the word.

 

I'll alert the media.

[Outkaster]

Not really in terms of like being a Car mechanic. PC stuff I think you have to develop an instinct for. Anyone over the age of 40 didn't grow up with this stuff so we learned as we went along, kind of like what the OP first described. That said I get concerned Technology is so intertwined with music that it dumbs down learning an instrument.

[lerber3]

I spent my career programming video games on a variety of different computer and game systems... I had to (occasionally) program on the bare metal in assembly to maximize hardware performance.

 

Thankfully, our company had a great technical department, so I never had to become "tech savvy" in terms of setting up systems or (egad!) screwing around with MS Windows or networks.

 

I'm a whiz at Googling solutions to my problems (and all my family and friends who think I'm 'tech savvy'.

[Synthoid]

There are definitely degrees of "savvyness."

 

I'm amazed with people who don't know how to add a micro SD card to their phone or tablet.

[EscapeRocks]

I never had any formal technology training, yet I am very competent with modern technology.

 

A lot has to do with my father who also didn't have tech training, but always explored new things. As such, I learned from him a love of learning. So, I can work on cars, computers, airplanes, and so on.

New tech like iPads, iPhones, etc.. is a natural continuation of my lifelong desire to learn and adapt to new things.

 

Heck, my dad is 78 and uses Twitter, Facebook, etc..just fine.

 

Way back when, my dad got me a Heathkit AM radio kit. I was 10.

He taught me how to use a soldering iron, and away I went to build that little radio, by myself.

 

I guess, in the big picture, my dad taught me how to look at something and figure it out.

 

The biggest thing, for me, is to not be afraid of tackling a project, whether it's a carburetor rebuild, or fixing a PC problem, or installing a ceiling fan, etc...

[Threadslayer]

Consummate geek here. But as Rabid said: "... I am tired of getting calls from every cousin, co-worker and neighbor who has a computer crash or virus."

 

My new lie er... line is: 'Well I used to be, but now I have an IT department to take care of that sort of thing, so I've kinda lost track of the new technology.'

[timwat]

Former VP of Technology for a couple of companies. Was an ad hoc Windows admin for a decade. Learned FORTRAN on card decks. Built my first electronic keyboard. Very comfortable around a soldering iron, inside a computer, under a hood, fixing keyboard internals.

 

Learned that all this tech - merely tools to get human goals accomplished. Folks who still get obsessed with it (to the exclusion of the human goal) are adorable, as puppies and infants are adorable.

 

Now consult for startups, helping them stay on point.

[Theo Verelst]

Savvyness, hmm, that question wasn't really about me I guess. I suppose I've kept savvyness at various levels of technology. I started with getting computer circuits (TTL chips, memory chips, electronics) for Chrismas (well actually probably it was Santa Claus) with which I started to build all kinds of interesting (working) projects, like from for that time advanced library books, at about the end of the 70s when I was like 12. So as I won't elaborate on, I became Electrical Engineer (Ir in Dutch, MSc internationally that was the proper term at the time) at the best Technical University in Holland. At the time, anyhow. I mean something else by building computers, but the more mundane thing I did too.

 

T.

 

[16251]

I'm better at computers then programming my CP4.

[Synthoid]

A lot has to do with my father who also didn't have tech training, but always explored new things. As such, I learned from him a love of learning...

 

He taught me how to use a soldering iron

 

I guess, in the big picture, my dad taught me how to look at something and figure it out.

 

I also owe a lot to "dear old dad" for his instruction and curiosity. He was always tinkering with engines and fixing broken appliances. He started building furniture after he retired.

[timwat]

I wish my dad would have lived longer, and had been closer when he was.

 

He passed when I was a senior in high school.

 

He was an airplane mechanic, knew auto repair, construction, plumbing, electrical. What I now of those things, I picked up from him. Was never much of a hands on father though, which I wish had been different.

 

Still, that drove me to be different when my sons were born. RIP, Dad.

[The Real MC]

I am computer savvy in that I know my way around both software and hardware. My emphasis study in EE college was digital electronics and microprocessors. I took some graduate courses in software languages and found I was a natural. My background in assembly language came in handy for producing robust software. I'm not in the app market - I produce measurement software designed to run in production lines flawlessly 24/7, and I know the tricks to pull it off in that gawd awful Windows OS. I know hardware all the way down to the components (ICs, caps, resistors, etc), any media drive and interface, and the power supply.

 

But that's for my employer to know where I earn my bread and butter, I don't broadcast it to friends.

 

I just seem to be a natural at anything technical. But I'm not a gadget person, never owned a smartphone until a few months ago. I almost never get GAS or want the latest music toy anymore - hard enough to find the time to play with what I already have!

 

I won't claim to instinctively pick up any technology, but I do claim to instinctively know whether it will make my life more efficient.

 

The DX-7 is a prime example. I'm a creative person and I love tweaking patches to get my own sounds. When the DX-7 came out and I started fooling with it in a store, I quickly realized 1) the sounds did not appeal to me at all 2) being an inveterate tweaker to improve sounds, I found that tweaking FM proved to be woefully unpredictable thus 3) FM was not efficient for my needs especially with the lack of an adequate interface. Indeed, nearly every DX-7 owner resorted to the factory presets and everybody sounded alike. I didn't want to sound like everybody else, I wanted my own sounds! When I got a hold of the Chowning/Bristow FM programming book published by Yamaha, I could grasp the math behind FM but it offered no insight on making FM more predictable when tweaking. Yes there were third party patches but that still would not have satisfied my needs.

 

As many friends here know, I am tech savvy around analog gear (synths, mixers, amps, FX, etc). It is a skill that comes in handy for keeping all my old gear running. The newest board in my arsenal is my Hammond XK3c, after that the Moog T3, Voyager, Andromeda... then a big gap to Kurzweil MIDIBoard which I bought new in 1989. Before that it was predominantly old analog stuff. I'm tech savvy to figure out my way around new gear, but I don't want to spend hours learning new interfaces so I made a conscious decision to stay off the upgrade treadmill.

[rockinredeye]

My 90 year-old dad was an engineer and always had cool tech stuff around. We had one of the first stereo phonographs, and a stereo tape recorder. He bought a stereo needle and two separate amplifiers. I think the tonearm was about a pound, though. Much later he had a suitcase computer at home doing spreadsheets on Lotus123 (remember that?) before Apple or IBM decided to get into the personal computing business. BYTE magazine, anyone?

 

A couple of years ago when he got a new iMac, he handed down his old one to me. Being Windows user for the last 30 years, it took a bit of getting used to. After a couple of weeks, I realized I hadn't been chasing down operating system problems. What!? I thought that was how you spent your day in front of a computer, fixing operating system problems; on every IBM, Compaq, etc. system I ever had! Not an Apple fanboy here, but, I'm never going back. Apple machines are just a lot less trouble and I get more done in a day. Now where's that file? Search: May*.doc

 

 

[Song80s]

I attended a luncheon this past weekend with a large number of seniors. (I haven't reached retirement age yet, although it's looming on the horizon). Anyway, I was surprised at the amount of people at our table that didn't own a computer, and I felt like a teenager when my smartphone beeped a few times. Most of them would have been surprised if I'd have discussed what I do for a living (graphic design and internet marketing.)

 

But it made me wonder a bit about today's technology and how many of us embrace it. A good friend of the family built my first computer in 1992 and taught me all about it. Between the two of us, we upgraded everything over the next couple of years. I was very fortunate.

 

Fast forward many years. I have to confess I wasn't sure what to do with an iPad when I first picked one up, but it didn't take long to figure it out with the help of an Apple Store employee. And when I bought my first smartphone I received a quick tutorial from the assistant manager at the Verizon store. Piece of cake. But some folks just don't "get it." That's OK, but a bit sad that they have little interest in technology. If they do own a computer or smartphone, all they do is complain how confusing it is. Plenty of online resources are available, but they don't bother. I remember when my sister-in-law's phone crashed and she lost all her pictures. I asked her if they were backed up anywhere and she said "no."

 

Well anyway, back to my initial question--How "Tech Savvy" are you? Have you turned your OS inside out, replaced a hard drive, or written your own apps? Or would you rather just bash your computer and eat a pizza...

 

I am 63 . while I like computers and have been around them since the early 80's of DOS, I am not a tech geek. We have 3 macs in our house so I am fairly handy with upgrades , transitioning to new machines. Of course, Apple makes it fairly manageable.

 

I have friends ( Kronos owners) who are 70 and they are mostly lost. Its not fair to generalize for that age group, could be just who I know. I bet there are 70 yr olds who are absolute wizards, too.

[The Real MC]

I have friends ( Kronos owners) who are 70 and they are mostly lost. Its not fair to generalize for that age group, could be just who I know. I bet there are 70 yr olds who are absolute wizards, too.

 

When my Dad retired, he started a business and I showed him around computer tools like word processors and databases. He was in his late 60s and he had no trouble grasping it. It was only on the onset of Alzheimers that he had trouble using computers anymore.

 

Much later he had a suitcase computer at home doing spreadsheets on Lotus123 (remember that?)

 

The IBM Portable PC? We called it the "Luggable PC", it was merely a desktop IBM PC computer with a handle on it - and hardly light.

 

Lotus123? I remember VisiCalc!

 

When I was in college, a gadget-savvy roommate had one of the first IBM XT computers, the first desktop computer with a harddrive. He learned not to p!ss off a tech savvy person, as I changed his DOS prompt to read "Error reading drive C:, Abort Retry or Ignore?". I let him panic for half an hour before I clued him in

[Bob L]

I have worked in tech my whole life. I taught my Dad how to use email when he was in his 70s, (I was traveling a lot, and it was the best way to keep in touch). We emailed each other almost every day until he died at 94. So learning tech is more a mindset than age related in my view. That said, my Dad was an electronic technician when he was working.

 

Other than running Setlist Maker on an iPad for setlist and sending MIDI program changes to my PX-5S, I totally shun technology for my music. By that I mean I don't use software synths, etc. I just can't cope with too much technology with what is a hobby that is supposed to be fun. I'm probably missing out on a lot, but at least I'm never troubleshooting computers at a gig.

[Song80s]

I have friends ( Kronos owners) who are 70 and they are mostly lost. Its not fair to generalize for that age group, could be just who I know. I bet there are 70 yr olds who are absolute wizards, too.

 

When my Dad retired, he started a business and I showed him around computer tools like word processors and databases. He was in his late 60s and he had no trouble grasping it. It was only on the onset of Alzheimers that he had trouble using computers anymore.

 

Much later he had a suitcase computer at home doing spreadsheets on Lotus123 (remember that?)

 

The IBM Portable PC? We called it the "Luggable PC", it was merely a desktop IBM PC computer with a handle on it - and hardly light.

 

Lotus123? I remember VisiCalc!

 

When I was in college, a gadget-savvy roommate had one of the first IBM XT computers, the first desktop computer with a harddrive. He learned not to p!ss off a tech savvy person, as I changed his DOS prompt to read "Error reading drive C:, Abort Retry or Ignore?". I let him panic for half an hour before I clued him in

 

hah. This is the 40 lb 'luggable ' I use to haul back and forth to the office

in the 80's

 

http://www.oldcomputers.net/pics/compaqI.JPG

[slowtraveler]

I'm not a coder or a hardware guy, but in the 80s and 90s I got to be a competent systems troubleshooter doing and managing technical operations on TV remote trucks and in post production houses. I did tons of user support and sysadmin work on Windows, Mac, AIX, IRIX, and numerous post production and back-office software tools.

 

Later on I got to be a COO/CFO in various creative service companies, but I still have enough chops to be the go-to guy for friends and family with tech problems.

 

I find noobs and tech-challenged older folks pretty easy to deal with, actually--oftentimes much easier than technical professionals, like the editors who used to tell me, "It's broken," and then stalk out of the edit suite, or the ones who "already know what the problem is."

[Sam Mullins]

I have worked in tech my whole life. I taught my Dad how to use email when he was in his 70s, (I was traveling a lot, and it was the best way to keep in touch). We emailed each other almost every day until he died at 94. So learning tech is more a mindset than age related in my view. That said, my Dad was an electronic technician when he was working.

 

Other than running Setlist Maker on an iPad for setlist and sending MIDI program changes to my PX-5S, I totally shun technology for my music. By that I mean I don't use software synths, etc. I just can't cope with too much technology with what is a hobby that is supposed to be fun. I'm probably missing out on a lot, but at least I'm never troubleshooting computers at a gig.

 

I sympathize with this viewpoint. I have BS/MS in EE and have worked in the telecom software engineering for the last three decades. So I'm not intimidated by music technology and try to use it judiciously. Ironically, for the type of gig I do (which requires lots of splits across a couple keyboards) there is a lot of tech preparation...but precisely because I don't want to deal with the tech during the show. So every song is exactly one button push on my master keyboard to get everything set up. And I've avoided using the computer for live work because frankly I just don't want to deal with the uncertainty and additional computer time. I'm on the damn thing 50+ hours per week already.

 

[Legatoboy]

I'm a Systems Analyst/Project Leader type but the 'coding' and 'programming' type. IBM Midrange iSeries - JD Edwards which is an Oracle product now. I have programmed and worked in world class Financial/Sales Order/Trading systems for over 35 years. I'm not great with PC systems programming though but I can get around on a PC. The RPG language I program in is considered a bit old but there is still many installs around the world and it is still a sophisticated high level programming language, so! In collage for my Degree I studied Assembler, Cobol and Basic languages....years ago....card deck days.

 

I'm above average I guess in regards to Tech savvy.. Though I would have much preferred a full life in music and done without the Tech knowledge....Tech work is good clean work but very cut and dry . . .

 

As far as my gear, probably again a bit above average - I liked my CP-50 interface when most people were bemoaning it, so that should tell you where I'm at with things . . . not good with all music tech stuff though by any means. I still have a learning curve if I'm not familiar with the gear/instrument just like anyone else!

 

 

[RABid]

A lot has to do with my father who also didn't have tech training, but always explored new things. As such, I learned from him a love of learning...

 

He taught me how to use a soldering iron

 

I guess, in the big picture, my dad taught me how to look at something and figure it out.

 

I also owe a lot to "dear old dad" for his instruction and curiosity. He was always tinkering with engines and fixing broken appliances. He started building furniture after he retired.

 

Same here. Dad was one of 12 children in his family. He dropped out of high school his senior year and joined the Navy during WWII. A year later he was the youngest person on his submarine serving as an electrician. A year after that he became head electrician on the sub and was only 19. Uncle Carl beat that. He joined the Navy after high school and eventually was transferred to the missile project. His job was to solve issues of wiring failures due to vibrations during test flights. Something the "degreed" members of the project could not overcome. Uncle Carl was also the source of a valuable lesson for me and my cousins when we were young. Our parents taught us at an early age that uncle Carl was number 1 in the family. (Anyone remember the movie Real Genius?) Even though my cousins tended to be really smart, none of us developed an attitude of being smarter than anyone. Because of uncle Carl we learned that "there is always someone smarter." I've met a lot of smart people through the years that never could accept that concept.

[Synthoid]

I have friends ( Kronos owners) who are 70 and they are mostly lost.

 

It would be nice for Korg to offer a more up-to-date touch screen interface... like on tablets or smartphones. Does the new Montage offer better drag features and page "flipping?"

[RABid]

...

When I was in college, a gadget-savvy roommate had one of the first IBM XT computers, the first desktop computer with a harddrive. He learned not to p!ss off a tech savvy person, as I changed his DOS prompt to read "Error reading drive C:, Abort Retry or Ignore?". I let him panic for half an hour before I clued him in

 

I had a similar incident at community college. After hacking the VAX VMS system multiple times the systems admin finally gave me administrative rights in exchange for me being good and helping when someone did something stupid like sending an executable to the printer. One day she came to be and said a certain student was bragging to his friends that he knew someone that could get the economics exam off of the computer system. I told her that I would never do that, but I would deal with him.

 

A few days later I was in the computer lab and he came in to do some work. I made my move and shoved a few login.bat files into his directory.

 

login1.bat

/printscreen "You have violated computer security."

/printscreen "Your account has been terminated."

/printscreen "Do not log in again."

/pause 5

/delete login1.bat

/logout

 

login2.bat

/printscreen "You were warned not to log in again."

/printscreen "Do not log in again."

/printscreen "Do not mention this issue to anyone.

/printscreen "If you continue to ignore this warning corrective measures will be taken."

/pause 5

/delete login2.bat

/logout

 

He started yelling for the systems administrator to come look at his screen and telling her what was happening. The logout made the screen blank so she could not see the text that had appeared. She had him log in while she was there and everything was fine. She went back to her desk and I shoved the next file into his directory and remotely logged him off so he would have to log in again.

 

login3.bat

/printscreen "You were told not to log in again.

/printscreen "You were told not to notify anyone of this issue."

/printscreen "You ignored my warnings."

/printscreen "You told the systems administrator."

/printscreen "Taking corrective measures."

/pause 2

/printscreen "Erasing all class records. ... "

/pause 2

/printscreen "Erasing admission information. ... "

/pause 2

/printscreen "Registering subject as security risk with local and federal law agencies. ..."

/pause 5

/delete login3.bat

/logout

 

He started panicking, yelling for the SA again. "It knows I told you. It told me not to tell but I did. Now it is erasing all of my records. ... But it DOES know. It KNOWS that I told you!"

 

She is standing there looking at the blank screen, trying to calm him down and assure him that the computer does not know what he is saying and cannot delete his records from the primary computer network. She finally looks at me for help in calming him down. Me and my programming partner started laughing and she immediately understood what was really happening.

 

"I told you I would deal with him."

 

She just shook her head and went back to her desk.

[Song80s]

I have friends ( Kronos owners) who are 70 and they are mostly lost.

 

It would be nice for Korg to offer a more up-to-date touch screen interface... like on tablets or smartphones. Does the new Montage offer better drag features and page "flipping?"

 

The problem is scrunching too much data and features , constricted by the Kronos LCD. a smartphone would make it worse.

 

Its a big wish for Korg to build a video interface into the next Kronos to help out navigation.

 

I read folks like the Montage LCD. But anything would be an improvement from the Motif. I could work it but it was nothing special.

[Michael Wright]

http://sd.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/i/keep-calm-i-know-just-enough-to-be-dangerous.png

[Lindaru]

I probably fall somewhere in the middle of tech savvy.

 

I remember those IBM XT's with the huge floppies, one for operation and one for program. I started working in computers in 1982.

 

I knew how to program macros using Basic and even had a bit of fun with ordinary stuff by adding beeps, screen color changes once we no longer had to stick to monochrome P.C.'s or CRT's. I was familiar with DOS and DISOSS archiving.

 

In the eighties at one job I worked at, there were a couple dozen of us waiting for our department administrator to come in on a Saturday to begin the host so we could start our word processing jobs. Nearly an hour went by. No show. Not reachable by telephone. I hacked in as administrator and got everything going. Otherwise, the company would have paid those people for eight hours of over time doing nothing.

 

In 1993 I began working in the Human Resources Department of the Portland VAMC. We went from Wang word processing to Windows 3.1 then eventually to Windows 95. While still in 3.1 phase, I earned the I.T. person position for the department by being able to assist my superiors with any problems they had. After we switched to Windows 95, I took it up a notch and was able to network everyone in the department as well as show them how to set up and do merge documents. I created standard Government forms that they could print themselves and not need to order them. I also showed them how to do their own web sites using raw HTML.

 

My hacking abilities (as administrator I requested everyone keep their pass words private) were once again needed in 1997 when one of my superiors left on vacation. The CEO was soon at my desk needing a report he failed to print before leaving. I was able to hack his pass word and get into the system to get them the required document.

 

Nowadays, I just manage what I have here at home and also for a few close family and friends when needed.

 

My music is a combination of old and new, E-16 from 1993, MicroKORG and my software music writing program Dr Drum.

 

 

[Ed A.]

I was a computer programmer in the 1980s through the early 2000s. Started with COBOL on IBM and DEC VAX and ended my code monkey "career" with PHP/MySQL. I took assembly language and C in college, but never used them professionally. I'm a camera operator and editor for a local TV station now, so I guess I'm still somewhat tech savvy.

[xKnuckles]

There are definitely degrees of "savvyness."

 

I'm amazed with people who don't know how to add a micro SD card to their phone or tablet.

O.o...................

 

On the plus side.........I guess at least I have finally managed to be amazing at something.......