Ignorance is Bliss

I’ve heard it said a million times, in various situations: “technology is wonderful…when it works.” Usually this phrase is in response to some kind of glitch, such as a cash register not doing what it’s expected to do or a slow computer system on a customer service line.

Blaming the machine is a popular pastime, but nine times out of ten it’s operator error.

I’m not exactly an early adopter, nor am I up to date on the cutting edge of technology. I’m one of those “if it works, it’s good enough” people. But if there’s a new gadget, application, or utility that does something truly helpful, I’m right on it. Generally speaking, I don’t need elaborate tutorials. I learn as I go. And in my world on the Internet, by definition, most people are familiar with the tools I use most: e-mail, web pages, file transfers.

In the real world, it’s not the same. But it’s getting better. Just a year ago, you couldn’t count on the average business contact to use e-mail regularly. He might have an e-mail account, usually with some freebie provider, but would only check it once a month or so. Today, it’s not surprising to find that same businessperson toting a Blackberry and checking e-mail hourly.

He might not completely understand how to use it, but he has one. Which presents an interesting dilemma for those of us who conduct a good 75 percent of our daily lives via the Internet. These people see the value in these technologies, want to use them, and don’t want to look stupid while they do it. But on the other hand, trying to do a simple thing like get them to open a file attachment for an invoice can make you bang your head on the desk and reach for the old fax machine.

Sometimes it’s easier just to pick up the phone. Or put a stamp on an envelope.

The proficient users – and I categorize myself as one of these, only marginally – spend a good part of their time trying to make these transactions foolproof. Instead of sending a file attachment, we might put the file on the Web and just send a link for the client to click. Or paste relevant info into the e-mail body.

I have a suspicion, however, that “I can’t figure out this newfangled stuff” is really just an excuse. When someone says that he never got your e-mail, you worry that you typed his address in wrong. Asking for an item to be sent in the “snail mail” adds another two days or so to the schedule. It’s always convenient to blame it on the machine.

I recently overheard a conversation between a mom and a young teenager in the electronics department of a store. The kid wanted an iPod; mom said no. The kid asked why, and mom explained that to use it, they’d need to get on the Internet and download stuff, and that was just asking for trouble. “I don’t believe in the Internet,” she said, as though it was a ghost or fairy that may or may not actually exist.

The kid rolled her eyes, but mom’s ignorance saved her a good $200. Bliss, indeed.