Based on talks with this title that I give at technology conferences.
Kids pick up technology very quickly. There are several reasons why this is true, but basically they use technology to have fun. If it wasn't fun, they would spend as much time learning to do "technology things" as they do reading an encyclopedia during the summer.
<At this point a "Calvin and Hobbs" comic strip is shown. In this strip they find a snake, and want to know more about it. They run and get a book and start to read. Then they wonder if they should be reading during the summer. The final frames show them saying, "when they read for fun it doesn't count as school.">
Adults need to have fun with technology too. If you do things that you are interested in, you are more willing to put in time to learn how to use technology to accomplish the task. This could be sending christmas letters, sending e-mail with pictures of kids or grandkids, working on the family tree, or making a personal web page.
This is how I motivate myself to learn new software or other new technologies. I usually learn about technology on my own time, so I want to do something that is fun or that deals with my family or hobbies.
There is a tradition on the Internet to honor April 1st. In accordance with this tradition, these pages have been put up on our web site on past "April Fools Days."
Leet Speak - April 1, 2003
Backwards Page
Pig Latin
The converter is at Pig Latin Converter
Windows remover A site that removes Windows and install's Mac OS :-)
My friend Bill
Our basketball coach
My 50th
Our first Football Team
When you go to this page, select “1906 Minot High's First Football Team” The "coach" is actually our recently retired head coach, added to the picture using Photoshop. When asked who took the picture (in 1906), one of my support staff's name was mentioned. The actual page (without the coach's picture in on our web site at http://www.minot.k12.nd.us/mps/cc/history/school.html
Picture of the week
At one of our high schools they put up a picture of the week, usually displaying a staff member is less than flattering ways. In this case, I am the second "member" from the left. The actual "Picture of the Week" is at http://www.minot.k12.nd.us/mps/cc/
Golfing With Gilby
It doesn't pay to have a "friend" that can put up a web site making fun of your golfing ability.
A combination of my "keepers" and web "bumper stickers."
Want to know the recipe for the "Chicken Tortilla Soup" from Ground Round?
CopyKat Recipes
Top Secret Recipes
or the recipe for the Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin Cheesecake from
Eating Nutz? (Click on "Insiders Recipies For Brand Name Foods")
Remember When?
How to tell if you are addicted to the web
Murphy's Laws of Computing
Always Give 100% at Work
Stuck Surfing?
A .jpeg image that I use when giving talks on "Surfing the Net" , "Doing More Than Surfing the Net" or "Don't Just Surf, Make Waves!"
More to come-