When I was at school teachers wrote on blackboards with chalk, and we passed notes round the back of class because no one had ever heard of a “text”. The school didn’t have a website, email was only for academics, and one of the computer networks took half an hour just to start up. No one was into online farming (let the Facebook user understand) – in fact I had left university before Facebook became popular. And when you took a picture you used a £20 camera and waited until the film was finished before you saw the result.
When I was at school, not one child had a mobile phone. Not one. But time marches on, and it is after all quite important for toddlers attending nursery to let their teachers know they’re going to be late. Keeps the wheels of society turning smoothly.
I like to think I do keep up with technology. I just got an Android smartphone, and I like it. But I see a generation gap opening up below me, and it feels a little odd to be using all the phrases the grown-ups used to use… how long before I’m taking tech advice from 12-year-olds? I still feel young, but I must be getting old. I mean, I’ll be 30 before the Olympics. How scary is that?
The depressing thing is Tim, that reading that makes me feel very old! (Plus I still prefer the £15 mobile phone that just texts and makes phone calls… one day it will be cool again!)