Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Network use by non-nerds?

[NEVETS2 (NEVETS2]

Pablo, Hi!

I'm not saying that computers have gotten to be as easy to use and own as
cars, but if you're a MAC user and if you use a friendly GUI network, you
don't have to be a rocket scientist or a nerd to use one.

and even if you believe in the potential of a computer network to make
community communication more efficient and therefore to enhance community -
but you're afraid of the nerd factor, you should be assured that the
nerdiness is constantly being wrung out of the computer world and that if
it's not user friendly enough for you today, it may be tomorrow.  

I'm assuming from your address that you're on either a unix based system or
close to it and that you know about computers from work.  You may not have
had the need to acquaint yourself with newer generation software (First Class
BBS, for instance) to see how friendly it can be.  And in a Cohousing
community, much of the fear of computers can be allayed by the fact that
everyone would be struggling with the same system and that the more
experienced could be helping the l;ess experienced.

Assuming the "middle class" clientele that's the average cohousing family, a
decent home computer and decent software isn't unreasonable.  The whole thing
just requires those who know to gently lead those who either don't know or
those who resist to see what's possible.  The medium more than sells itself
to those who give it a fair looksee.

Steve W.