In computer news this week, 08/07/2002

Summer days get me thinking about my own vacation I always take in August, away from computers totally, in the wilds of the forest. This year I'm looking forward to another adventure in the Northwoods.

Things slow way down in the Summer also, creating what is known as "slow news days" where nothing newsworthy happens, and news organizations have to scramble for anything that might be considered at all worthy of coverage. You know it's Summer and the news departments are really reaching when an organization as big as ABCnews.com features a piece on the world's burping record:

The world's loudest burper failed to smash his own ear-splitting record on Friday when a sore throat forced him to throw in the towel after three attempts. Solicitor's clerk Paul Hunn, 33, from London was hoping to better the 118.1 decibel mark -- a burp as loud as a pneumatic drill -- a sonic tour de force he set in 2000.

But after chugging back a carbonated drink and gulping mouthfuls of air to build up gas in his stomach, he could only manage 110.5 decibels on a Guinness World Record sound level meter. "Sadly, he didn't break the record and had to stop after a few tries because his throat was getting too sore," said a spokeswoman at London's Science Museum, where Hunn was attempting his record burp.

Summertime is the computer industry's slow time too - not much happens, the first half of the year is gone, everyone's on vacation in August - the computer magazines and newspapers are scratching for things to cover. I read through 5 publications and there's not a bit of real news in any of them.

Then I look at tv and it seems like that guy selling the computer learning video CD is on every channel - an omen that it really is time to take a vacation.

I think we all make the assumption that everyone uses computers and everyone is into today's computer world and the internet. Then we come across someone who isn't, or something that isn't, and it startles us. "How can you possibly function without a computer? How can you communicate without the internet? What kind of simple sheltered life do you live ?"

But the majority of the people in the world don't have computers and don't use the internet, and they get along fine. Maybe they get along better than us.

For one thing, they sure don't have information overload, which I think is exhausting everyone in the computer world. If they need information on something, they can pick up a book and read about it. They don't enter a search phrase on google.com , and then stare blankly at the thousand or so possible responses.

When they get a letter in their mailbox, they don't have to worry about a computer virus being attached to it.

They have a street address, not an email address, and it usually doesn't change for many years. People can find them by remembering where they live

If non-computer world people want to talk with someone, they can pick up that old fashioned device called the telephone. Or better yet, they can walk over to that person's house, sit down on a porch in the shade with a cold lemonade, and communicate with them. See the other person's expressions. Maybe pick up a guitar and play some music together. Just sit on that porch and watch the world go by and just enjoy life. All without the need for computers.

I'm heading off into that world, and I'm really looking forward to it. See you in September.