A Humorous Look at a New Breed of Computer Experts – 10 Year Olds
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We probably all experienced this at some time or another. Our 10 year old or for that matter someone else’s 10 year old explaining the virtue’s of the latest 50 gig computer feature while we make up our minds on our latest computer purchase.
How do these kids get so smart? For that matter, when did they learn to teach? Give a 10 year old a computer and access to the Internet and they soak up knowledge like a sponge.
I recall a time when I was part of a very technical discussion with some sales people and a very intelligent youngster half everyone’s age. Well this youngster knew all the web sites where more information on the product under discussion could be obtained and knew what features were compatible with what back level features. It was amazing not to mention it turned a few of the sales people’s faces red in embarrassment.
Maybe these kids should have their own consortium. Are their rights protected when they give out advice on technology? If you are lucky enough to possess a techno savvy wiz kid, the key is patience and a lot of it. Trying to stay one step ahead of these kids can be a challenge. I remember a friend reciting a story to me about purchasing a lap top computer for her son. No sooner did he have the computer set up and it was turned into an Internet server inviting players around the country to play his latest video game.
It is always so entertaining to hear stories from parents about how their son or daughter helped them with a computer challenge. In one case a computer challenge turned out to be a cost effective solution for a work place. I am sure there are many other stories around like this one.
One day my curiosity started to get the best of me and I needed to know what sources the kids were using to stay so up to date on computer technology. I learned of several interesting web sites. Engadget.com is a great web site containing news on new gadgets. I recently spotted news on this site about a discount on iPhones. Slashdot.org advertises itself as a web site containing news for Nerds. I saw a good article on this site about learning to write computer games by watching Star Trek. Zdnet.com contains technology news and a lot of information on software downloads. Cnet.com has software download information as well as a tips and tricks section that contains free online courses.
Of course there is always word of mouth. In the old days we use to exchange baseball cards or doll clothes. Now the kids exchange the latest tips and tricks on computer games and how to solve them. Some of the hand held computer games actually allow kids to play with their friends via a communication cable linked to both hand held
units. This may require some supervision on the parent’s part. The hand held games permit kids to share and keep gaming characters. This is something like possessing the get out of jail free card in Monopoly. I remember one situation where a child took a gaming character from another child via the communication link and would not give it back. This is where parents really have to be knowledgeable about how the computer games they are buying work.
So the next time you decide to purchase some new technology it might not be a bad idea to consult your nearest 10 year old. You’ll be surprised with the results.