Ask Lemmy

I already am.

This is something I worry about as well (mid-thirties millennial), but I'm really hoping it won't be a problem. Anecdotally, I don't notice any appreciable difference between myself and my dad (technically a boomer) when it comes to technology, but my mom isn't as comfortable. I think it's because my dad spends more time using various types of current tech and is willing to troubleshoot on his own, so maybe it's just a matter of continued exposure and a willingness to learn.

At the same time I see my grandparents really struggle with digital interfaces because they didn't grow up with them and don't find them intuitive, in a way that can't be explained by lack of curiosity. It's almost like they're not fluent in the language because they missed a critical period of learning in childhood? If a brand new, extremely different way to interface with the world takes over, I guess I could see myself and my peers struggling as well.

I’m rounding mid 40’s. I use linux all the time and I am becoming increasingly bad at troubleshooting or fixing windows issues. I don’t really have that problem with my current OS and I’ve never used Win 11 once.

I think the opposite actually. We had to live through rapid changes in the way we used and interacted with technology in our early years. I think we may be slower to adopt certain things than the younger generations because of "fuck change", but on a whole I think we will be more technically competent with newer technologies as they emerge.

Careful about generalizations. I've been using computer technology since 1975.... #COBOL 👨‍🦳

Some probably will be, but others might be geniuses.

It's actually the same today there are older people who are tech geniuses (ever heard of the GNU foundation) and there are also others who might not even know how to use a pay terminal.

It all has to do with their exposure to the technology, what they use it for, and how much they use it. The thing is though just because of technology is around while somebody is growing up in that generation doesn't mean that they have experience with it, a person could have grown up during the technological boom of the late 90s and not know anything about computers because they never had one.

So some people who grew up in the 70s, 80s, and 90s are going to be very good with computers because they will have had a lot of experience with them and the problem solving needed to operate systems back then. Though other people who may have grown up in the same time probably don't have those skills because they never had experience with computers due to the circumstances they grew up.

So it's not necessarily a yes or no question it's really based on whether or not they have experience and interest to learn. Though also it will depend on how many of them are willing to change with the times. Though with the direction that technology is going towards more mobile simplified interfaces it might not necessarily be not understanding it might be more not wanting to adopt that style. Which I can totally get behind in my opinion.

Not likely. You have to remember that Boomers grew up with zero computing in their lives, thus they never did get a general education on computing.

That general education instils the foundational knowledge and habits, and is extended by new technologies, not replaced by them.

Gen Z is already worse with the tech that they grew up with because it is so simple and "just works" without them having to learn even simple things like file structures or how to type. So, I guess, no, you're looking at the wrong generation. Millennials grew up having to learn new tech as it developed, so adaptation is a skill among our generation.

Yes, at some point there will likely be a change you don’t follow. Then you’re stuck

My grandfather was an electrical engineer. Very comfortable with technology. Built TVs and ham radios for fun, fixed people’s appliances on the side. He helped build the first TV station in Baltimore. After he retired, he built one of the first TV stations in San Salvador. His thing was power electronics and I could never keep up with all the facts, the formulas and math, the circuit architecture that just poured out of him at will. A very impressive guy.

Then as a summer project, he helped my brother build an amplifier so we had great music …… and realized his thing was transistors. So much technical skill, knowledge, interest, that didn’t make the jump from vacuum tubes to transistors.

We’re all thinking computers, since that’s what we do, but technology is so much more. Think of car guys. Huge, impressive, emotional technology that changed the world. But a lot of them got left behind with ignition electronics, more efficient engine design, exotic alloys. Think how many will be left behind as we transition to EVs. We’re no different

To all you guys bragging about which Linux you use, let me tell you about my lord and savior: cloud computing. Will that be the jump you can’t make?

Some new tech thing will come along for us to not understand.

Probably not but social media trends have got me fucked.

No

Yes. I think the big jump will be with biotech. Some people will have trouble with organic interfaces and organic machines.

Meanwhile I love watching kids who have used touchscreens their whole lives trying to navigate a mouse.

No. Was born in the 90s and I'm doing fine