Marci Weddle

11/28/05

Elective 12

Silicon Snake Oil

This is an endless topic to discuss. I personally do not like the internet or the computer. I find it very frustrating and I feel it creates distance between people rather than brings them closer. Stoll brings some interesting issues to the table. I agree with him on a lot of them. Stoll raises an issue on the internet bringing us closer together or farther away. I really believe that the internet brings us much father away from each other. Technology just keeps growing and the technological issues keep growing too. I have taken many online classes and I feel so lost. I need that face to face and be able to have the instructor present. I feel the computer just throws stuff out at you and you have to figure out the rest. Also, I believe face to face meetings are more valuable too. I think much can be miscommunicated over the net. These are some of the issues that Stool raised and I agree with him. In the book review done by Rory McGreal has some valuable points. I just do not agree with them. He states that more than 50% of jobs now require computer skills or we use computers. This is so very true but we created that. We did it many years ago without computers. I feel that it has just made things much more complicated. He also states about having a fired up online teacher rather than a lecture room with no windows. I would rather have the lecture room with no windows than an online class. I believe a lot comes from personal experience. I have only taken the required computer class that I need and have never worked a job were I use computers daily. I would be very stressed and frustrated. In the real world we do need to know how to use computers and have the skills so it is something everyone needs to accept but not necessary agree with it.