REPORT 2
TRYING TO ADAPT TO THE INTERNET
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Before the first day of class, I was really
looking forward to taking this class. The class description in the
psychology departments list of WI course was written in such a way that
anyone that didn't know a thing about computers would be suckered into
taking this class. The statement that this class was designed "for
computer novices" is what interested me to take this class since I am very
knew at working with computers. Another thing that also got my attention
was the fact that I would finally get a chance to work with the internet-
something I knew absolutly nothing about. I had just bought my first
"Power PC" 1 month before taking this class which gave me a chance to
familiarize myself with some kind of computer. What was to come next was a
real shocker and eye opener. THE FIRST DAY OF CLASS
Week 1
The professer seemed very enthusiastic about starting since he is in the
process of writing a book and our contributions will maybe help him out.
He gave me the impression of being a very computer literate person. He
started off by making us go get out UNIX accounts if we didn't already
have one and to go get a copy of PPP and Netscape. I had already gotten
my UNIX account a few years back. A few years ago, I had no idea what the
hell I would be using my account for since I had no use for it. I only
remember that most of my past instructors suggested that I get one. After
Proffesor James passed out the course outline, shock set in. The
confusion started when he started taking obout commands that we would have
to use to know how to basically operate "pico" and "pine". The part on how
to use e-mail was even confusing to me. Being a double major in
psychology and spanish, I thought picking up the computer language would
be a breeze. That defenitly wasn't the case. I knew I had my work cut
out for me since the first day of class and what really got my hopes up
was the fact that I would be able to work from home using the software
that I was to get a copy of at Keller Hall. When Proffesor James told the
class that it was though getting through with a modem, I thought he was
exaggerating because I had been subscribing to "America on Line" and I never
had any problems trying to hook up with them. I didn't realize that I was
bound to find out that I had alot of "ADAPTING" to do. NEVER ENDING
FRUSTRATION
Weeks 2 and 3
The frustation strated
when I had to buy
a few blank disketts from the U.H. bookstore. I didn't realize that the
disketts I had bought were the older types that didn't hold enough memory.
After walking all the way to Keller Hall, I had to walk all the way back
to the bookstore to get the right diskette. Things seemed to go well when
the students working at the PC lab in Keller Hall made my copies of PPP and
Netscape.
Trying to install the software into my computer was
hell! My computer runs with Windows 95 and the "install new software"
feature was letting me down. Thats when I tryed to do it using the
instructions that the PC lab gave me to install the software. IT
WORKED!!! I started to believe that Windows 95 had a few useless
features.
After I tryed to get through to UNIX using what was
given to me, I realized that Dr. James was not exaggerating at all when he
said that it was though to get through to UNIX and that the best time to
do our work was at 3am. Well, I wasn't about to wake up at 3am to do
anything! My schedule consists of working full time, attending school
full time, being a father full time, and after all of that, I half to be a
husband full time. Not only did I have to adapt to the internet, I had to
adapt to be inconvenienced in my schedule so I can get my work done.
After hours of trying to get through for the first time, I hooked
up to
UNIX at approximatly 1130pm. Then more frustration. Everything took
forever to load and when something finally got loaded, something wrong
would happen and my computer would just completely lock-up. I had to
constantly re-boot until the programs finally worked. Netscape was
working well and the first time I browsed the internet while using it, I
thought
that it had many similarities to the browser that AOL ("America on Line")
uses. I surfed the internert for a while enjoying the free service that I
don't get through AOL. I played around with PINE and did as much as Dr.
James wanted us to do (send ourselves mail, make a signature file).
DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A CLUE
Weeks 3 and 4
I just couldn't see the
big picture of anything. The commands were all still strange to me. I
noticed some people were far ahead in computer knowledge which didn't
surprise me because there are always those that like and need to show off
their skills to a bunch of novices to try to feel superior. What was
frustrating was that many people were starting to catch on much faster
than some of us. It is very rare that I don't pick up on something fast
but I realized that most of the students in the class had all the time in
the world to learn what was needed to be learned. Even after getting a
little help, I still couldn't see the big picture. The class as a whole
were running into a few problems: We didn't our CSS accounts for a while,
e-mail wasn't functioning, and to add insult to injury, a computer virus
started to set us back. I felt I was starting to to fall behind to the
point that I could not catch up until Dr. James took a survey on how the
class was doing. My confidence went up a few points when I realized that
there were students in the class that knew less about computers and were
more behind than I was. I decided to do what I always resort to when I
don't understand something: DO RESEARCH. Dr. James didn't require a text
book for the class which was decieving. I thought I would be able to
"wing it" like the people that were ahead but my internal learning process
just doesn't fucntion that way. I am one of those people that need to
have a base for anything that I learn. In other words, there has to be a
beginning and an end for me. I just can't "jump-in" in the middle of
calculus without first understanding the basic math that leads up to it.
To make up for the biggest flaw of not having to buy a book, I went to the
bookstore and bought a complete guide to HTML book that came with a CD
which came in very handy. The book cost me 40 dollars which is steep
for any lousy book but I would rather pay now than really pay later. THE
ENLIGHTENMENT
Weeks 5 and 6
Ahh!!! I finally saw
the big picture.
I spent much time reading about the technical stuff that was not taught in
class which I needed to learn about to understand this HTML internet
stuff. I felt a new sense of confidence when I finally learned the
commands and strange terms that Dr. James used in class. Now I had some
idea what he was talking about. I still couldn't fix the problem of the
big fight everybody has to go through to hook up to UNIX using a modem. I
had to accept the fact that I would just have to go to the computer labs
on campus whenever I had a chance...something I dearly dread since I
alreadly have no time for anything. TIME TOWARDS MIDTERM DUE
DATE
Weeks 7 and 8
By now if someone
hadn't caught on, they would
of dropped the course like in one students case. Not bad, only one. By
now, Dr. James expects everyone to have "adapted" to the internet and know
what they are doing. As we getting closer to midterm due date, Dr. James
has shown a public display of frustration towards the majority of G3 due
to the appearance of procrastination since most of the students haven't
yet put anything in their files. I think procrastination is just part of
the problem the biggest problem is that we are still "Trying to Adapt to
the Internet."
TO THE FUTURE
Good Luck!
To all of you future students that have made it to this part of my
report:
If you feel there is no hope for you in learning how to adapt to the
internet, hang in there and be patient. I never would of thought that I
would make it this far. In fact, at one point, I almost droped the
class. I decided that since I have never quit at anything, this would
not be a good place to start that bad habit. I suggest you all hang in
there and do what you have
to do to make it through the end of the class. Dr. Leon is very helpful
when he is not to occupied helping some other poor student. Adapting to
the internet is just more than learning how to use a computer in this
class, but also how to overcome cyberphobia and lifes little twists and
turns that one must learn how to overcome anyway. HANG IN
THERE!!!!!!
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