In one of my classes at the Renaissance Society at Sacramento State University I got to talking with a delightful woman named Leila. I was showing off my "Book on a Chip" which is also known as a Playaway that I've described on this blog before. I compared it to an I-pod or a laptop computer and asked what she had for a computer. Her answer did not surprise me a bit. She said, "I'm hoping I won't live long enough to need a computer."
I've been thinking about that answer for several days now. Do any of us "need" a computer. Could we live the lives we're living without the connections, the speed, the capacity for collecting and disseminating information as we do now. And retirement is no excuse either. I know retired people who spend hours each day on the computer staying in touch with old friends, making new friends, and pursuing hobbies that may not have even been possible pre-computer.
Of course what Leila is really saying is that a computer is either too expensive or too complicated to learn to use. She was thinking computers cost $1,000, $2,000 or more. When I indicated there were entry level computers cheaper than $500 to $600 her interest increased.
What would you suggest for Leila? I really wouldn't want to see her die to escape having to use a computer.
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