We’ve just returned from a couple of days of child-care, looking after our grandson so that his parents could attend a social event. It’s been an enjoyable experience–including the obligation to walk their dog twice a day. It seems to be the case, however, that I return from these occasions with something to think about.
An 8-year-old boy decided that he wanted to show me how he uses Power-point in the preparation of his class projects. My mind has not stopped boggling! I have just begun to think about the content of a presentation of this kind I have to make for a lecture I’m due to give in November. The idea that a child in junior school is working as a matter of routine with this sort of soft-ware is truly astounding.
I did explain to him that when I was preparing my MA thesis in Canada, during 1963-4, there was the University computer, for which it was necessary to register in advance. I was doing relatively routine sorting of punched cards. I expect that his Dad’s machine, on which he was showing off his skills, is a good deal more powerful that the one on which I had my first experience of something called a “computer” (as opposed to a “calculator”.) Sadly it reallyiq the case that I am beginning to feel left behind by history. On the other hand, pastels are still basically the ones used by Degas. I’ll hang onto that idea.