COMPUTERS IN OUR DAY-TO-DAY LIFE

Nowadays, computers take a large part of our lives. Every household have at least one if not more! And who doesn’t have one at work?

Computers are not what they use to be: big machines with all kinds of numeric stuff or punching paper. Today, laptops can be handled like a small brief case. We can use it where we want and when we want. Place and time doesn’t exist anymore.

At home, it’s just like furniture or a tool. We use it in the way we operate our finances, order stuff and all kinds of things like that. As for our finances, everything regarding banking activities goes through our computer: car payment, taxes payment, utilities payment, credit cards, and so on. As for ordering things, we like to do camping. So all of our camping gear comes from L.L.Bean or Great Outdoors. Everything is ordered through computers: tent, light, sleeping bag. Everything about camping gear!

The process is so simple that even a child could do it. You order and they tell you when you’ll receive the product, the date and time. Can you imagine? Everything is there waiting to be ordered.

As for our children who live in other provinces, it’s nice to talk to them without having to wait for the best time to call. Most of the time, we send email at any time and in just a few minutes, here comes the answer. Amazing, isn’t it. Most of the time we talk about computers, new stuff, how it works and how important it is to buy it. Actually we just bought a new camera, a Canon PowerShot A610. It does everything and the best part of it is that we don’t have to run to bring the film rolls to the store anymore. We print everything at home when we want. With the video feature on the camera, we don’t need to put movies on VHS anymore: with the press of a few buttons it’s on the computer. I’m telling you, it does everything.

Yap! Computers, it’s the next best thing after television. Oh! By the way, I’ll be on Jeopardy tonight. On my computer, of course!

JC

DID 911 HAD AN IMPACT ON IT?

In my point of view, 911 was the biggest disaster that could happen to America. When I first saw it on television, I really thought it was some kind of disastrous scenario. You know, like nuclear scenario.

After realizing what was really going on, I took the phone and called a cousin of mine who lives down Manhattan. Actually, he works in Tower one as a stockbroker. I left a message asking him to call back as soon as possible. I also try is cellular phone, but no answer. At 9h00 pm he called me and told me what was going on and that everything was upside down in New York. During our conversation, he did explain to me that he couldn’t call earlier because all IT services were shut down because of national security. Everything in America was shut down and only National Security was allowed to use IT services.

The impact was tremendous. We couldn’t even make a call to anyone. Can you imagine for a second what you could be thinking in a situation like this? The fact of knowing you might have relatives caught in such a disaster that you can look up on television is the worst thing that could ever happen to somebody. Where were they? Where are they hiding? Are they still alive? Was my cousin working at that specific time? And badly enough, not having any IT services to contact him.

A few months later, I saw this documentary about 911 and how it did affect us, here in Canada. The whole flying network was shut down. No flights were allowed in the country. Actually, one flight was still in the air and it was because the Vice-Premier, The Honorable John Manley was in it. He only had a working cell phone because he was in constant contact with the Premier, The Honorable Jean Chrétien.

So even here in Canada, 911 had a huge impact on IT. It means one big thing : IT is an important part of our lives nowadays and we really depend on it whatever the circumstances.

JC

MY FIRST WEBLOG EXPERIENCE

I have to admit, this fist Weblog experience was very scary. Not knowing how to start, I thought it would be an adventure, a real adventure. You know, the one that makes you chill because you’re in the dark, the unknown, the real McCoy. Ha! Ha! Ha!

I read a lot about Weblogs in less than 72 hours on how to build one. I find out it was easier and less scary than I originally thought. I went on Blogging101 and everything was there, waiting for me. It looks like something easy, but put it online was another story. I had to start and start and start so many time that I thought that my computer was the problem. Anyway, to tell you the truth about it, I was the problem clearly because I was not taking the necessary time to read all I needed to know.

I did realize that Weblogs are something very personal. So I did put a photo of me and some personal information. You now, like the one you put on dating sites. It makes me laugh just by thinking what my classmates will think about this. You know, letting people know what your Chinese horoscope is. Hope I’ll win a trip to China. Ha! Ha! Ha!

I also found out that you could rely on other blog creators such as Skyblog, Myspace, Blogger, etc. where all kinds of data and information are waiting to be used. I did found out that there is even a Weblog called Jean-Claude Poitras. Go to Google and write Jean Claude Poitras. Would you ever imagine? He’s a designer from Montreal. Actually, I knew about that guy and I always thought he was a good designer.

This is my experience. I wish that everyone could have one as good as mine. Just be smart. Go ahead and try it.

JC