Sunday, March 12, 2017
Tech Wisdom From a Tech Averse Dad
Tech Wisdom From a Tech Averse Dad
Hi
THERE CAME A MOMENT in the early ’80s when my dad realized I was a lot more interested in computers than trying out for the high-school baseball team. Rather than fight it, he bought me an Apple II. Over the next few years, I became the massive nerd I was always meant to be: I wrote software, built my own computers and ultimately made a career of writing about it all.
In the 30 years since then, I’ve become my dad’s own personal-technology consultant. During our regular phone calls, the conversation breaks down along these lines: 33% life updates, 33% gripes about the Yankees and 34% his questions about technology.
Even though I’m the one with the technical know-how in the relationship, I’ve come to realize that my dad is still a huge source of wisdom about technology—much of it counterintuitive. Here are a few of those pearls.
If you want to enjoy your vacation, leave your smartphone at home
Sounds like bad advice because: Aren’t smartphones essential vacation tools? They provide access to maps, travel guides, restaurant recommendations, your favorite books, music and more. Plus, they let loved ones reach us in an emergency.
The hidden wisdom: When my dad and his wife visited Costa Rica earlier this year, they agreed not to bring their smartphones; instead, they consulted printed guidebooks (gasp!), asked locals for advice, and didn’t check their mail or social networks once. They said it was the best vacation they’d ever had.
Vacations, Dad reminded me, are a time to disconnect, recharge and reboot. And if we’d really needed to reach him, we could have called his hotel.
Wait before upgrading to a completely revamped operating system
Sounds like bad advice because: Overhauled operating systems promise to deliver better features, improved interfaces and, most important, security fixes.
In the 30 years since then, I’ve become my dad’s own personal-technology consultant. During our regular phone calls, the conversation breaks down along these lines: 33% life updates, 33% gripes about the Yankees and 34% his questions about technology.
Even though I’m the one with the technical know-how in the relationship, I’ve come to realize that my dad is still a huge source of wisdom about technology—much of it counterintuitive. Here are a few of those pearls.
If you want to enjoy your vacation, leave your smartphone at home
Sounds like bad advice because: Aren’t smartphones essential vacation tools? They provide access to maps, travel guides, restaurant recommendations, your favorite books, music and more. Plus, they let loved ones reach us in an emergency.
The hidden wisdom: When my dad and his wife visited Costa Rica earlier this year, they agreed not to bring their smartphones; instead, they consulted printed guidebooks (gasp!), asked locals for advice, and didn’t check their mail or social networks once. They said it was the best vacation they’d ever had.
Vacations, Dad reminded me, are a time to disconnect, recharge and reboot. And if we’d really needed to reach him, we could have called his hotel.
Wait before upgrading to a completely revamped operating system
Sounds like bad advice because: Overhauled operating systems promise to deliver better features, improved interfaces and, most important, security fixes.
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