Child of the Information Age

Even though I'm way too old to be a child, I'm a child of the Information Age. I bought my first computer around 1983 - a TI 99-4A. I used it to write my own *very* BASIC program for averaging my students' grades. Since then, I've taken a few computer courses, some associated with my library science degree, some offered by the local school district where I worked, and some offered by the consortium our district belonged to or by the SC Department of Education. I've also learned a lot just by using the computer and by interacting with other users, some local and some I've never known except by Internet. Also since my first computer purchase, I've moved first to the Apple IIc, then to the Compaq Presario, and eventually to a Microsoft-based operating system in a generic, non-propietary case, put together by friends or local dealers. Like many users, my computers have experienced viruses, freezes, zaps by lightning, and much more. One particular machine which I won't name had to have everything replaced, as every time I started it up, it crashed. I think the customer service reps must've come to my Shoebox-in-the-Field six times before they decided to replace the motherboard, the memory, the processor, and whatever else goes into the guts of the box. Then it worked. But leading up to that...Quelle frustration! These days, most people and most businesses feel that computers are an absolute necessity. I personally don't know what I'd do without mine. I use it as a creative outlet, as a means of communication, as a shopping center, and as a printing office... and when I'm doing none of the above, I use it to play games or to learn about all sorts of things.