Still Extremely Relevant Twenty Five Years Later Poem by Jonathan Goldman a.k.a JGthepoet

THE NEED FOR 'ON-GOING' COMPUTER 'END-USER' EDUCATION

How would you rate a person who buys a car without knowing how to drive, or a camera without knowledge of its function or how to use it? Similarly, how good is a professional who buys equipment but relies on his/her staff, but not himself/herself, to undergo training to operate the software to produce the work? Why do people ignore all the media reports about V.I.R.U.S. [Vital Information Resources Under Siege ] Attacks and Computer Crashes with the hope that it will never happen to them? Surely, prevention is better than having to find a cure, and the first step towards prevention is the road to End User Education.

The recent Computer Press reports about the Universities of Oxford and the City University of London having spread 'The Spanish Telecom Virus' throughout their Computers could have been prevented if all diskettes loaded were checked for viruses before being allowed into Disk Drives of host computers. If Computers had 'Belt and Braces' systems of Computer Anti-Viral Software loaded, then anyone found in possession of a Diskette on which there was found to be a VIRUS could be liable to prosecution under the Computer Misuse Act of 1990.

The need for Computer Security and Computer 'Crash' Avoidance is paramount. Backups that can be recovered on other Hardware in the event of a Disaster can differentiate between the continuation or its demise.

End User Education is as important to the Computer User as Continuing Professional Education is to the Accountancy or Law Fraternity. The knowledge of the usage of 'the tools of the trade' to make the Practice or Business more cost-effective, to avoid time and non-profit cost wastage should be as important to the employers as that of finding work for the Staff, or staff for the work.

To be aware of the damage that can be caused to the Computer or Word Processor by Operator Error, through loss of data, the accidental deletion of files, and how to overcome any of these or other Problems should be Ingrained into all Operators and Employers.

In-house Training and Consultancy on an on-going basis does not have to be expensive. Surely, the cost in terms of money and time must be worthwhile if one were to consider the amplified cost or time incurred when the Computer 'Hangs' or even 'Crashes', when data or system files are deleted, when Access Times and Close-down Times are so stretched that the Operator who is rushing to go to lunch, or home at the end of the day, loses patience and turns off the Mains.

The result of these Actions over a period of time can create 'Bad Blocks' or 'Unrelated Files' on the Hard Disk. Too many of these can cause other problems, such as 'Killing the Computer, damaging the Hard Disk, the loss of valuable data which has not been backed up - - - - or even worse - - - a 'Computer CRASH'.


Now is the time, whilst Professional Firms and their Clients are caught in this Recession, when Computers are replacing more senior staff, for the Employers to initiate a system of 'Computer Husbandry'. To utilise the services of an Economical Computer Consultant who can check for Viruses, and Bad Blocks, Optimise Hard Disks and Educate the End - Users to operate the tools of their trade more efficiently for the mutual benefit of themselves, their Businesses and their Clientele.


Copyright [c] - Jonathan Goldman - MAY 1991