Is Technology Getting Away From You?

When computers were first available, there was a definite learning curve. This hasn't necessarily gone away as our comfort with the programs we work with limits the scope of our abilities. I've heard dozens of complaints as a SharePoint administrator with people who finally get comfortable with a new system in the program and then have to change. It is these moments when we find that the technology is getting away from us.

Technology is something that is always going to be around as long as there is intelligent life. Sometimes it's not in the general form which we think of as "technology". For some people, new technology is the latest gadgets which have come out for the contemporaneous soul, but for others it's something as simple as a new refrigerator or hand-held tool. Think back to the first use of the back-hoe. This enabled individuals to improve their farming exponentially, but farmers who were resistant found themselves obsolete.

With programming, there is a different dynamic. COBOL is one of the oldest languages and pervades the IT world more than we would think. As an entry-level programmer, you begin to use languages such as C++ or PHP, which to non-programmers doesn't mean a thing, but COBOL gets neglected. COBOL will always be around, but it will soon be a specialist ability which exists only by those perceptible enough to realize its use, just like the back-hoe for farming.

Sometimes it isn't the newest technology which is the most important, and in fact, the newest gadgets are probably based off of the oldest systems, but we shouldn't let technology get away from us moving ahead or falling behind. So how to we do both?

First, don't get discouraged. Each of my classes in college seem to require some new gadget, such as MatLab, Mathematica, or R. Each time there are new scripts, processes and problems which arise and it takes time to learn. The best method is to learn how to explore each programs functionality.

There are thousands of new programs which people have probably never heard of. In an earlier post, I mentioned all of the capabilities of Google that you've probably never looked at on the top of the screen. Many of us are so used to the old system that it hardly phases us, but what abilities are we missing out on?

In terms of the old tricks, new dogs can learn them too. Business professionals thrive on their leadership abilities which they've acquired over the years. The general practices that come with conversation and sometimes the formalities which accompany them. Most of the time it shouldn't be the excel spreadsheets that you try to dazzle people with, but the framework of the project at hand.

There will be programs that become outdated. This is inevitable. Some people relish in the older video games and styles of the past, but in reality, the systems have expanded. We need to be aware of all of the things which are coming so that we are best able to use our talents which we have developed. In order to allow yourself to grow, you need to explore what is out there. You'll find solutions which simplify your life, but it is always smart to remember the basics.