Too reliant on technology
This is a long one…Sorry.
I have been working in the information technology industry for over 21 years now. I have seen the ups and downs of the field and understand it as a whole fairly well. A co-worker of mine I will call V-Jack, has been in the industry since Star Trek was still running as original programming.
During my time, I have contributed to companies “improving” their processes and procedures by transitioning the pen and paper to the new, high speed, high productivity computer. The conversions save time, money, and make it easier for everyone.
But does it? At what point did we decide that computers were going to replace humans? Let’s go back in time to 1978 (when my wife was born). If you walked into an office, you would hear the click, click of a typewriter. A secretary would write down via shorthand a letter or memo and was expected to complete 3 or 4 letters per day along with the other paperwork that needed to be completed. She was expected to make sure the boss signs paperwork on time, line up telephone calls and meetings, sit on his lap and get him coffee. That pretty much burnt up the entire day.
Now, the boss actually lines up his own meetings using the email system, sends memos via email, and has the online webcam sit in his lap. He still has the “administrative assistant” provide the coffee. I will delve into name changes another day. The boss now receives an email when he needs to “sign” something.
Companies spend trillions of dollars per year on computer technology and support services. There is so much work that work visas have been issued like mad for people to come support all of the computers. Computers have made it so I can sit here in my Spongebob under…jeans and a t-shirt, and buy and sell stuff online or blog. Entire words have been created thanks to computers such as the verbs Google and E-bay.
Companies now consider computers a vital resource and on top of purchasing the initial computer, purchase a disaster recovery set of computers. This means, if their initial computer network is caught on fire by the 12 year old kid managing them, they can flip a “switch” and be back in business in minutes. So, why would I look down on an industry that would provide me everything I have earned? Because, some time or another, we lost humanity.
About 10 years ago, I walked into the Cambridge, Maryland Arbys to purchase my regular heart attack on a bun slathered in heart attack sauce. They no longer carry that sandwich and it makes me sad. Anyway, when I walked up to the counter, nobody stood behind it. My first thought was, “ahem… hello? Hello? Are you going to take my order or what?” Then I noticed it. The registers were all facing the wrong way. They were facing the customer, not the imaginary person behind the counter. That was the point I thought “HOW COOL!” So, I worked my way through the menu’s and options and ordered my food. It was brought to me by a gentleman with a smile thinking “I am glad I don’t have to talk to you anymore, your breath stinks.” My local BP uses the same methodology.
This brings me to my point (as I always have one). Did we make a huge mistake? Are we coming to the point where we don’t need humans? Entire science fiction books and Star Trek episodes have been written about computer taking over the world.
Let me explain what I see as the mistake. If we go back to the 1978 time frame, companies had dozens of people, correcting grammar, spelling, typing, and placing stamps on letters and envelopes. Now to do the SAME amount of work, we can use a single person on a word processor from their computer, which will “autocorrect” the grammar and spelling, and then send it to the print center that prints the letter, sticks it into an envelope, and places a “stamp” on it. What used to take 10 people to do, costing the company about 10 salaries, now takes 1 person. But not really, you see the equipment costs money, the computers cost money and it takes 3 people to maintain the equipment and computers. Yes, you have reduced the staff for the same work, but at what cost?
Weren’t computers intended to make life easier for people? Yes, it made life easier, but now we expect them to produce more. That same secretary is required to make 15 letters, line up 4 teleconference systems, and provide coffee. What would have happened if we kept the same work requirements and gave people the tools to make life easier? People would have more free time and enjoy life (very Star Trek-like). Wouldn’t it be nice if we could employ everyone?
Today, if the computer network or cash register crashes, everyone stops working. Lets think back to 2002. When the big power outage hit half of Canada and the entire northeast portion if the United States companies, restaurants, convenient stores, every one, shut down. In 1978, companies would whip out their pens and paper and (get this) WRITE down your orders. They would use a pen and paper to (ready?) add your bill up and store the money in a metal box. If the power went out, they would break out the manual typewriters instead of the electric ones.
Lastly, we have lost customer service. By providing punch in your own order cash registers, we no longer have someone to actually be able to take the blunt of your anger. It is not like you can duct tape the computer to the ceiling because it won’t answer your question. If you want to ask for a special order, the person behind the counter making your sandwich looks at you with the “why are you talking to me” face. I guess you could duct tape them, but then you don’t know what your sandwich will have on it. Is it really mayo?
As I sit here on my very expensive laptop, I propose we all go back to pen and paper. Instead of having entire computer system backing up the computer systems, let’s have storage lockers with cases of pens, paper and duct tape. And instead of buying all of those secondary computers, try to actually HIRE people to know how to use these archaic devices.
I have been working in the information technology industry for over 21 years now. I have seen the ups and downs of the field and understand it as a whole fairly well. A co-worker of mine I will call V-Jack, has been in the industry since Star Trek was still running as original programming.
During my time, I have contributed to companies “improving” their processes and procedures by transitioning the pen and paper to the new, high speed, high productivity computer. The conversions save time, money, and make it easier for everyone.
But does it? At what point did we decide that computers were going to replace humans? Let’s go back in time to 1978 (when my wife was born). If you walked into an office, you would hear the click, click of a typewriter. A secretary would write down via shorthand a letter or memo and was expected to complete 3 or 4 letters per day along with the other paperwork that needed to be completed. She was expected to make sure the boss signs paperwork on time, line up telephone calls and meetings, sit on his lap and get him coffee. That pretty much burnt up the entire day.
Now, the boss actually lines up his own meetings using the email system, sends memos via email, and has the online webcam sit in his lap. He still has the “administrative assistant” provide the coffee. I will delve into name changes another day. The boss now receives an email when he needs to “sign” something.
Companies spend trillions of dollars per year on computer technology and support services. There is so much work that work visas have been issued like mad for people to come support all of the computers. Computers have made it so I can sit here in my Spongebob under…jeans and a t-shirt, and buy and sell stuff online or blog. Entire words have been created thanks to computers such as the verbs Google and E-bay.
Companies now consider computers a vital resource and on top of purchasing the initial computer, purchase a disaster recovery set of computers. This means, if their initial computer network is caught on fire by the 12 year old kid managing them, they can flip a “switch” and be back in business in minutes. So, why would I look down on an industry that would provide me everything I have earned? Because, some time or another, we lost humanity.
About 10 years ago, I walked into the Cambridge, Maryland Arbys to purchase my regular heart attack on a bun slathered in heart attack sauce. They no longer carry that sandwich and it makes me sad. Anyway, when I walked up to the counter, nobody stood behind it. My first thought was, “ahem… hello? Hello? Are you going to take my order or what?” Then I noticed it. The registers were all facing the wrong way. They were facing the customer, not the imaginary person behind the counter. That was the point I thought “HOW COOL!” So, I worked my way through the menu’s and options and ordered my food. It was brought to me by a gentleman with a smile thinking “I am glad I don’t have to talk to you anymore, your breath stinks.” My local BP uses the same methodology.
This brings me to my point (as I always have one). Did we make a huge mistake? Are we coming to the point where we don’t need humans? Entire science fiction books and Star Trek episodes have been written about computer taking over the world.
Let me explain what I see as the mistake. If we go back to the 1978 time frame, companies had dozens of people, correcting grammar, spelling, typing, and placing stamps on letters and envelopes. Now to do the SAME amount of work, we can use a single person on a word processor from their computer, which will “autocorrect” the grammar and spelling, and then send it to the print center that prints the letter, sticks it into an envelope, and places a “stamp” on it. What used to take 10 people to do, costing the company about 10 salaries, now takes 1 person. But not really, you see the equipment costs money, the computers cost money and it takes 3 people to maintain the equipment and computers. Yes, you have reduced the staff for the same work, but at what cost?
Weren’t computers intended to make life easier for people? Yes, it made life easier, but now we expect them to produce more. That same secretary is required to make 15 letters, line up 4 teleconference systems, and provide coffee. What would have happened if we kept the same work requirements and gave people the tools to make life easier? People would have more free time and enjoy life (very Star Trek-like). Wouldn’t it be nice if we could employ everyone?
Today, if the computer network or cash register crashes, everyone stops working. Lets think back to 2002. When the big power outage hit half of Canada and the entire northeast portion if the United States companies, restaurants, convenient stores, every one, shut down. In 1978, companies would whip out their pens and paper and (get this) WRITE down your orders. They would use a pen and paper to (ready?) add your bill up and store the money in a metal box. If the power went out, they would break out the manual typewriters instead of the electric ones.
Lastly, we have lost customer service. By providing punch in your own order cash registers, we no longer have someone to actually be able to take the blunt of your anger. It is not like you can duct tape the computer to the ceiling because it won’t answer your question. If you want to ask for a special order, the person behind the counter making your sandwich looks at you with the “why are you talking to me” face. I guess you could duct tape them, but then you don’t know what your sandwich will have on it. Is it really mayo?
As I sit here on my very expensive laptop, I propose we all go back to pen and paper. Instead of having entire computer system backing up the computer systems, let’s have storage lockers with cases of pens, paper and duct tape. And instead of buying all of those secondary computers, try to actually HIRE people to know how to use these archaic devices.
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