a software system allowing extensive cross-referencing between related sections of text and associated graphic material.  What does that mean for me? I can find things easier, what does that mean for you? You can find me easier, but is this good….

One of my readings pointed to the future saying something along the lines of in the future all texts will have links to eachother.  I guess this could be simplified as cross referencing. My teacher added in class saying that we have become really good at looking things up, but not so good at knowing things by heart.  For example my phone number took me ages to remember because I’ve had so many numbers I didn’t think this one was going to last, but more importantly because my phone number was so easily accessible on my phone. I didn’t need to know it.

But what if in the future we all become a generation of robots who don’t know how to interact with each other because we’ve adapted to this new wave of coding.  I know coding is not something I’m at all necessarily good at.  When I was assessed to code a website I had no idea what I was doing which leads me to my next point of interest..

We may ‘think’ we know technology but do we really?  My lecturer insisted that we need to actually know how to use technology not just in keeping our Facebook profiles up to date but in the template itself, the design, the structure.  Because without such, we’re not really in control of what we’re doing.  He used the example of getting your motor fixed in your car.  You go to the mechanic and he tells you what’s wrong with it.  You just believe him, because he would know better.  The counter argument is of course well no one really knows how a printer works.  I don’t believe that lie because printers are manual, and everyone says well books were frowned upon, but books are manual!

Time for a pun…there is no manual for how to use the internet!  There is a difference between the internet and technology.  Look:

The internet: