I'm sorry @Doghouse Riley ... I think you mistook my meaning ... I was referring to the fact that the folk you employed before you retired would be an earlier generation than the one that is growing up now. There is much more awareness in schools etc of how to use IT, social media etc in a constructive way rather than in a way that has a negative effect on the lives of a young person. For example, a young person in my family is currently at Uni ... she keeps her iPad and iPhone on 'Do Not Disturb' for approximately 22 hours a day ... only calls from parents and tutors or her employers will get through. She is then able to study, attend zoom lectures or whatever, and go to her employment without being hassled and distracted by texts and calls ... she retains control ... she assures me that this is the pattern used by most of her peer group.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I think there are a lot of oldies who would go back to playing marbles and skipping in the street, It’s not going to happen, everything moves on, you can’t stop progress.
As a further point. You can embrace progress, most oldies do, but few would indulge in playing marbles, maybe collecting them and skipping is likely to be off the table.
But as an interest for people of all ages, but I suspect particularly amongst older people is the restoration of pre world-war 2 radios, made I guess, long before all the participants were born.
It requires two skills, electronics and woodworking, to produce something like this, which will have limited reception and the wave bands it can access are rapidly being shut down.
Those involved would have to embraced some modern technology to post photos of their handiwork on a dedicated message board.
Absolutely Dove, my grandson’s the same. People seem to think that our children of today are sweet innocents, naive because they don’t mix socially, can’t interact because they’re glued to their devises, they’re not, they have a lot of lessons on these subjects, They all got their places at university, taking their interviews online. They are very IT savvy now. Maybe not as streetwise as we were, they’re not allow to be, that’s not their fault.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
I'm sorry @Doghouse Riley ... I think you mistook my meaning ... I was referring to the fact that the folk you employed before you retired would be an earlier generation than the one that is growing up now. There is much more awareness in schools etc of how to use IT, social media etc in a constructive way rather than in a way that has a negative effect on the lives of a young person. For example, a young person in my family is currently at Uni ... she keeps her iPad and iPhone on 'Do Not Disturb' for approximately 22 hours a day ... only calls from parents and tutors or her employers will get through. She is then able to study, attend zoom lectures or whatever, and go to her employment without being hassled and distracted by texts and calls ... she retains control ... she assures me that this is the pattern used by most of her peer group.
It's horses for courses.
My granddaughter who sells IT sytems, doesn't use social media much. She also keeps a written journal.
I'm talking about the late nineties, computer literacy was quite well spread already. The local authority was even running computer classes for "oldies,"
Which I believe were well supported.
The new technology, which for the most part is just a more expensive update of the old, doesn't improve "face to face" interaction in the workplace.
But that's just my experience.
I'll add to that, as this is common in some big companies. They all have HR departments, most have training departments and keep copious records of an employee's progress through the company.
So when a vacancy occurs, they can make "recommendations" but the files are presented to a manager who will often make the decision.
Quite often they need to fill the vacancies as soon as possible. So someone's progress can depend on not so much what's in the file, but on the memory of say a fifteen second conversation that person had with an applicant on an earlier occasion over something totally unrelated and the impression they made. Not what many might expect to happen, but it has in the past and will in the future.
I think this is the biggest issue facing mankind (Shaun). The problem is that the genie is out of the bottle - and like nuclear power, once there is open to use as seen fit. You say about parents - but that in itself is the issue. If the parent says that it's ok to use computers for 'play' - then what does that teach the child? That machines are the way to pleasure? What if work is also then inside VR? What if life is inside VR? We are only 50+ years into this. Man had existed for 2 million years, computers for what, 70? Man and society hardly changed in millenia. And in 70 years, computers now design computers. Look at computing exponential growth on the web - understand what is happening.
When Boris says economic growth and training, it's not about a clerk issuing an extra couple of invoices an hour - it's about eliminating the clerk. About training on tech - but the goal for tech is the opposite - it's AI. No human. Training computers to do all that man (Shaun) can. The thin end of the wedge is the acceptance of that. If you say 'well it's only a game' - what happens when football becomes VR and people don't play physically any more but play inside a computer? That may sound a joke but there are already Uni courses on computerised VR gaming - and people watch other humans playing computer games for entertainment. Acceptance. The metaverse - a term coined in the 90's I think ,will become reallty. What's humorous is that it may have been invented millennia back and we're already in it, 'n' levels down.
University courses on computerised VR gaming are about making the games not about playing them.
"... and people watch other humans playing computer games for entertainment...." Shock horror!!! were you watching MOTD last night or had you spent yesterday afternoon actually playing ... and if you were playing, does watching soccer on tv stop you playing or does it encourage you?
Everything that mankind invents has lead to similar discussions ... remember the cotton mills ... and the Luddites ... none of us could afford clothes if we relied on artisan woven fabrics nowadays ...
And mankind invented machines to harvest cotton ... thankfully no more need for slaves or the descendents of former slaves to be kept impoverished just to keep the cotton mills of Lancashire turning to clothe the expanding population ...
As I said ... the genie won't fit back in the bottle ...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
When Boris says economic growth and training, it's not about a clerk issuing an extra couple of invoices an hour - it's about eliminating the clerk. //
Despite being a former superstore manager, I won't use self-service checkouts as they are slowly doing people out of jobs. It's just my contribution, a futile effort to stop the tide.
Every big store is increasing the elements of self-service. Our local Asda, a huge store only had two manned checkouts running on Tuesday when I did the shopping. Lots of self-service checkouts being used, plus "Scan & Go."
"What will they do with the time they save?"
The first store with no checkouts has already been opened recently.
I use the self-service checkout if there's a queue at all the staffed ones and I only have a few items/basket and not a trolleyful. More often than not someone has to come and sort it out anyway.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
My kids (younger than yours) both have samsung tablets that they use for gaming. I am probably on the laissez-faire end of the parenting spectrum though! We talk about online safety, as do the school. There are games they can play with friends and we are careful with settings so that they don't/can't chat with randoms. So on the technology point I'm in agreement with most of the posters: this sort of thing is here, has been for decades, and it's not going away. Better to equip kids to get the most out of it safely. Mine love the creativity of Minecraft and the role-play type element of Roblox.
The only thing I would suggest is checking whether the Switch is the right device for your family. It's expensive and small for a device that only does gaming, and you're then somewhat limited to certain games. Though on the other hand I'm sure there are Nintendo games my 2 can't get as android apps, so it depends what she's after.
As game consoles go the switch is pretty tame, they are more aimed at younger children and families. Not that everyone won't enjoy playing them. My personal favourite is Mario Karts, very fun and a great laugh for kids and adults .
I work with children aged 4-12, we have an old Nintendo Wii, a Switch and a PS4, non of which are connected to the Internet (the switch and PS4 do have Internet options). We can instantly tell which children have consoles at home and which don't. I wouldn't say that those who don't have them are behind the kids that do, its just very noticeable.
I would say the XBOX and PS4/5 are more the 'Gamers' choice. I play online games with people from all over the world and i love it, i believe you can make genuine friends with people, just like im sure people on this online forum have.
As others have said it is escapism, just like gardening, crafting, going down the pub, reading or any other hobby is.
Not all toys have to be educational, after all kids learn through play. As for the price, they are very expencive. At work we brought ours in a deal so we got 1/2 games in with the console. If you did this maybe your daughter could then buy some games for herself with pocket/birthday/christmas money?
If you go to the shops like Cex or Game they sell second hand consoles and games. Good for the planet and your wallet.
Also i would suggest that you play some of the games together then its more of a bonding activity.
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Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
People seem to think that our children of today are sweet innocents, naive because they don’t mix socially, can’t interact because they’re glued to their devises, they’re not, they have a lot of lessons on these subjects, They all got their places at university, taking their interviews online.
They are very IT savvy now.
Maybe not as streetwise as we were, they’re not allow to be, that’s not their fault.
"... and people watch other humans playing computer games for entertainment...." Shock horror!!! were you watching MOTD last night or had you spent yesterday afternoon actually playing ... and if you were playing, does watching soccer on tv stop you playing or does it encourage you?
Everything that mankind invents has lead to similar discussions ... remember the cotton mills ... and the Luddites ... none of us could afford clothes if we relied on artisan woven fabrics nowadays ...
And mankind invented machines to harvest cotton ... thankfully no more need for slaves or the descendents of former slaves to be kept impoverished just to keep the cotton mills of Lancashire turning to clothe the expanding population ...
As I said ... the genie won't fit back in the bottle ...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
The only thing I would suggest is checking whether the Switch is the right device for your family. It's expensive and small for a device that only does gaming, and you're then somewhat limited to certain games. Though on the other hand I'm sure there are Nintendo games my 2 can't get as android apps, so it depends what she's after.
I work with children aged 4-12, we have an old Nintendo Wii, a Switch and a PS4, non of which are connected to the Internet (the switch and PS4 do have Internet options). We can instantly tell which children have consoles at home and which don't. I wouldn't say that those who don't have them are behind the kids that do, its just very noticeable.
I would say the XBOX and PS4/5 are more the 'Gamers' choice. I play online games with people from all over the world and i love it, i believe you can make genuine friends with people, just like im sure people on this online forum have.
As others have said it is escapism, just like gardening, crafting, going down the pub, reading or any other hobby is.
Not all toys have to be educational, after all kids learn through play.
As for the price, they are very expencive. At work we brought ours in a deal so we got 1/2 games in with the console. If you did this maybe your daughter could then buy some games for herself with pocket/birthday/christmas money?
If you go to the shops like Cex or Game they sell second hand consoles and games. Good for the planet and your wallet.
Also i would suggest that you play some of the games together then its more of a bonding activity.
Failure is always an option.