Adventures in computer illiteracy

Tuesday, March 16, 2004 » update work

In my time working at the Instructional Computing labs, I've had to deal with a fair share of users who come up to me in a panic because they've only ever used PCs before, so of course they have no idea how to begin using a Mac.

Today's case earns special recognition, though. She rushes into the lab, probably running late on a paper deadline, and sits down at one of the Web Macs. Immediately she calls me over, explains that she is "Mac-illiterate" and glares at the computer (although I can at least relate to that, these being first-generation iMacs running OS 9). I suggest that she might have more luck opening her document on a different machine, gesturing over toward the Media Lab which, while still not a PC lab, at least has OS X and Microsoft Word installed. She grabs her disk, exclaims, "Oh, PCs!" and runs into the lab. I follow at a less hurried pace. When I arrive, she is sitting in front of the monitor, looking more confused than ever, and holding the mouse in her hand like a walkie-talkie.

I couldn't help thinking, "Hellooo, computer!"