3 interviews (not sure why this didn't post 2 weeks ago!)

Below are paraphrased interviews:

My brother - 29
How do you use the internet? I use the internet to do nearly everything. I work as a software engineer and focus mostly on computer networks. I spend most of my day setting up internet networks for companies and then making sure that no one can hack into them. I also use it to do all of my bills and banking. I can’t even remember when I went to a store last – I buy everything online.

What are your primary uses of the internet? Primarily I do work on the internet. I set up online networks for companies, which takes up most of my day.

How comfortable are you with communicating on the internet? I would much rather send an e-mail than call someone on the phone or have a meeting. It’s easy because it means that I do not have to drive anywhere or inconvenience myself.

What do you think of the internet? I like it.

Mom-
How do you use the internet? I use the internet for work a lot, and then I use it at home to send e-mails and shop

What are your primary uses of the internet? I use it a lot for e-mails and when I come home from work I use it to pay bills, shop, by plane tickets, and check the weather.

How comfortable are you with communicating on the internet? I like sending e-mails because it is easy to do. Sometimes they go back and forth too many times, so I pick up the phone and call the person.

What do you think of the internet? I think it is good, but sometimes there are too many pop-up ads and other junk that shouldn’t be there.

Grandma – 70 (lives in England)
How do you use the internet? I do not really use it. I like to write letters or go out shopping with my friends. I do not really understand the computer, and the internet seems very confusing
What are your primary uses of the internet? When I do use it, your cousins help me check my e-mail. I would much rather write a letter though because it is hard for me to look at the computer screen.
How comfortable are you with communicating on the internet? Like I said, I would much rather write a letter because the glare hurts my eyes. Also, I have a hard time typing with the keyboard so it takes me a long time to write a …. What do you call it……e…..mail?
What do you think of the internet? I think it’s hard to use. There are lots of buttons and it is difficult for me to use. I would rather have tea with my friend Margret down the road.


In this weeks Postman reading, he says “… we tend to believe that only through the autonomy of techniques (and machinery) can we achieve our goals” (142). This reflects on the overall tones of the interviews I had. The younger people were a lot more familiar with the computer and internet, and believed that the computer was vital to achieving goals. The older generations, that did not grow up with computers, thought that they were OK without the technology and that they did not need to learn this “high tech stuff”.

I think that the impressions I got from the 3 people I interviewed, were what I expected. My grandmother still believes that when you e-mail her a digital picture, she needs to send it back to you, so that you can have it back. It is funny to think that she really believes that she needs to do this- and there is no convincing her that it is untrue! I think that as generations grow up, technology will become more and more important, but I do wonder if we will be accepting of new technology and change as we approach 60…