source: @n7gifmdn@lemmy.ca
this post was submitted on 28 Mar 2025
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Yeah. Late gen x to late millennial seems to be the sweet spot for understanding how technology works.
I don't think that's necessarily the right way to look at it. We understand computers very well, but desktop computers are not the end-all be-all of technology. What is happening here happened in Japan before because they did the leap straight to smart devices well before the west with computers outside of offices being a very expensive and nerdy niche hobby. Their proficiencies lie in other technologies in which we fall behind as our parents typically do for technologies that we know.
There is the old saying that in the 80s Japan was in the 2000s but they are still stuck in the 2000s today.
In a broad sense yes, but in narrow ones, no. Japan leads in certain things like some robotics and elder support technology. Faxes are still required to do even get internet through NTT here. We're slowly being able to do more electronically, but definitely have a long way to go there. I had to go in to get help with my taxes and they had me do it all on my smartphone, which I think started in the last couple of years.
Mobile operating systems (Android, IOS) don't give the user enough freedom to understand how the system works, the best you can hope for is an understanding of how to use the technology. Knowing how technology works is very different from knowing how to use technology.
I mean, the OP mentions using a technology, not understanding everything that underlies it. I grew up entering programs on the C64 and such, but I certainly didn't understand exactly how everything worked under the hood then nor has knowledge of assembly or even circuits really done anything super helpful in my life that isn't hobby-related. At some point, it becomes less important for most people to know the level below and be able to use well the level they need (or to develop it).
When I posted, I was thinking more about things like using the technologies of social media and, probably not yet but eventually, things like AI assistants to their advantage regardless of any device or OS. It's too soon to say for sure, but I'm thinking beyond the chip-filled boxes themselves. This of course also ignores other technologies that are more mechanical, but I think that would be going too far into the weeds.
Listen if you can teach yourself to set up Linux and keep it updated then you can run any kind of computer out there. You can’t get that level of abstraction from an android.
I'm very early Gen X and take issue with being excluded from that - we were in our early 20s as computing really started to develop. Maybe I'm biased because I worked in IT.
Also IT here. I also lead teams of university students it really comes down to experience and training. My CS and INFO students know how this stuff works.