Front Page • Latest • Perspectives • Slide
Computer Knowledge: Only Bounded Within Videos Games and Facebook
Eshan Maitra
So the other day, one friend of mine came to me asking about which ‘desktop’ computer should she buy. Well, if you happen to be a computer geek, you already know what a noob question that is. Despite the fact, I asked about her budget and for what use she wants to buy. She said, “I have about 1 lakh. But not sure, if this would be enough. Cause, I am on Facebook and YouTube 24/7, while playing games on Facebook too. I really need a computer with high internet speed.” Believe me, I never face-palmed myself that hard in my life! First of all, Computer is not a single piece of toy. It has several parts from multiple brands, and barely none of those parts will increase your internet speed! And, God! With such expense behind a computer gig, you can do heck lot better things with it. But, I doubt, most don’t get it. The Government has done a great job in improving our IT sector. Lots gadget and latest technologies are so available all over the country. Even the price is great. But, we still lack the knowledge and education behind it. Many even thinks, computer use is still some kind of rocket science. Then, if any of them gains even a little shit equivalent of knowledge, they think of themselves some kind of Mark Zuckerberg or Bill Gates. Though, the bad thing happened in Bangladesh, as the easier, fun but useless things became more popular rapidly. Facebook and video games. Once, anyone gets hooked in any of these easy things, they stop being curious about the rest of the computer and the verities of possibilities of a modern computer. Mostly because, they lack the basic ideas behind a computer. Even the internet is a vague idea to them, that only has few websites like Facebook and YouTube. I have plenty friends, who can only play video games, that they don’t even know how to install in the computer. One of them has a 2 lakh taka laptop, that he uses only to log in Facebook and to play ancient low quality games. That laptop’s huge HD screen have not even seen a movie in its lifetime. Stealing it not only give me happiness, but also sure will save that super-laptop from its shameful existence.
I could go on and on about, such short minded and dull
headed virtual world consumed teenagers. About their social media and hours of time wasting behind video games. But this happens in the public offices as well! Everyone, always has Facebook logged in, on a tab in the browser. I really don’t get it, why people are so obsessed about it. Even, if you go to Nilkhet, the service shops with computer and printers’ stuffs. The guys working in front of a pc, always has Facebook opened. Everyone hooked with internet, anywhere, has Facebook opened. But they have such little knowledge about the computer. Even the tech guy or the photo editor employee only has little sets of skills, and very short bounded knowledge about particular things. If anything ever goes wrong, they just simply cannot do anything else but just force restart the computer. Speak to a computer expert at some tech support once, the level of stupid problems they hear from their customers has no bound! Einstein was right, universe and human stupidities has no bound; and he was not so sure about the first one.
The problem is at our root. We introduced IT to the society, but provide no form of education before it. Everyone should not only be taught of the basic operating knowledge, but also the basic operations and troubleshooting. They should be educated about the extent of the use of a computer, and be aware of about the consequences. Unfortunate, the so called ‘professionals’ of tech at the offices, are poorly trained. Do I really need to remind you about this year’s pathetic Bangladesh Bank Heist? The ‘computer’ subject in the high school curriculum is a joke! A 5 years old could finish the one-year lesson plan within a month, and learn to do all that in practical. Cause, I did learn that equivalent of stuffs within a month, and never was anyone extraordinary. Being ordinary is enough for you to learn about computer and IT. Just need to have the eagerness and proper guidance. Speaking of that, the computer basics should be taught to students from kindergarten. After a recent study, an Australian teacher and child specialist strongly mentioned this to a press briefing that, the robotics and computer programming should be included in the curriculum of Kindergarten. Whole world is computerized. Mechanized age has passed, way ago. Now, the post-modern civilization is on the show and everything is programmed on a computer.
Back in 2014, the time when Doel laptop came to market. The Government has started a campaign of several mandatory computer courses in every sectors. Even the nurses had two go through 2 months’ course. But over the time that spirit of digitalization kind of faded. I am repeating this again, the IT accessories are all over market at really cheap prices. They do not cost more than international market price. Still, without the knowledge nothing can be maneuvered. The instruction manual always come in English. Some even in Chinese only. If our importer could translate those into Bangla, people would read those at least. Or there could be more educative Bangla websites of such. Everyone loves to visit their native websites. But seriously, the authorities least should improve their poor looking gov.bd websites. Many media and news initiatives have done a great job at starting online news portals. People do not only like funny pictures and gossip on Facebook anymore, least they are getting to know about what’s going on out there in the real world. We need more private initiations like that. Some, good quality websites, or even children friendly educative games. I really appreciate, the quiz based on school lesson explaining games the guide-book brands such as, Lecture and Panjeree put up on their websites. Did you also know that, the creator Khan Academy is a Bangladeshi. He probably, made his work possible because he was not born in Bangladesh’s misguided environment of education. Even attractive computer training courses could be made public by the Government. Certified institutions should be given help and encouraged to spread their reach as well. But, speaking of the computer courses. There are countless coaching centers for this. Basic operating courses, basic office etc level of bullcraps. That are nothing but business reaping from desperate people, and the teachers teaching there have very poor knowledge. Some even only finished the higher secondary. Most of these tech teaching institutions have no certificate what so ever. Though, our authorities have never bothered to investigate and test their capability of teaching. They should look into the matter, and particular level of standards should be set for them. Also for any other teaching institution regarding IT. Because, vague or misguided knowledge can be much more dangerous than void of knowledge.