The first computer in our house was my father’s office computer for Word Processing and Accounting software provided by local Indian software developer, excel programs, used with electronic calculator. I never got to use the computer unless it was to help my father with typing task. So, until the 1990, I was called to type on rare occasions only. I used the word processing which ran on DOS version.
I often typed project proposals, reports, and wordy document on the second-hand manual typewriter which belonged to my Periappa (my father’s eldest brother and my uncle). For a long time, I was not allowed to use the computer for fear of shutting it down or messing up the application that my father used for his accounting purposes.
Around my high school days, the computer had Microsoft products. The products were GUI-based and relatively easy to use than the DOS based programs. By 1991, I became a regular user of my father’s computer for Word Processing purpose.
Generation of Processor Chips
First chip in our office computer was the ‘486. It could compute and process at a level that supports the DOS based applications that my father had on his computer. Later when it became GUI-based application the computer was upgraded to Intel Pentium processor which was an initial version. Though the speed seemed okay there was still a lag in Hardware and Software response and interaction
From there on, I worked on application for low processing requirements. The computer was upgraded to Pentium I, and II. Beyond which we did not upgrade the CPU but choose to get a Dell computer with Pentium III chip. In all this it was still not my first computer.
It was a timeshare computer which belonged to my father and for office work. It was in this that I self-taught Word, Excel to some extent, Power Point Presentation, Publisher, and some of the other MS products.
I was more interested in the Word Processing application, which was first MS Works, then MS Office all of which was given to us by my brother. But the MS Works used to crash sometimes while I was learning. I was not allowed to crash the application when my father was dictating an official letter to suppliers, clients, and other unofficial letters.
So, I used to sneak into the computer room downstairs and learn the word processor’s option and crash to my heart’s content and keep a mental file of all crash instances and avoid them in front of my father.
Laptops Generation
Then, we got a laptop from Dell which gave us the needed space on the desk. But my father still preferred the Desktop. So, until 2013, we had the Pentium 4 desktop until I instigated the selling of it. My father was aging and was not able to remember the various steps for opening computer and the applications. His interest was on cricket and watching it.
The first laptop that I had was Lenovo and it was still a family share until it was handed to me second-hand by my father. I used it extensively during my MFA and later too. I again got a second-hand Lenovo laptop and when it crashed miserably, I decided to get a new laptop but Lenovo brand that happened to be my first computer.
Later in the 2023, I got a different company product. So, I got myself another Laptop in exchange for the old one and it was a Macintosh company product. Now I am faced with learning even the keyboard all over again.
Entry of Internet and the World Wide Web (W3)
In 1990, BSNL internet service started in Tamilnadu using the phoneline for connectivity. Back then opening one single webpage would be such horrendous experience. Yet we continued using little of this resource.
The DOS-based internet was simply tiring, and all the emails had to be one-liner to few words at the most. I was someone who never wrote one lines and I was faced with the hard time of uploading and sending messages via the single line 8 bit communication format.
For a long time, we worked with BSNL connection and until after a few years, a marketing person visited us from Airtel. Airtel had initial troubles too and their support was good in times of drop in the net connectivity. At least the connection seemed more reliable, but not yet strong and stable.
Naturally, over the year and in the current world of telecommunication using Optical Fiber connection has been good, or rather CS has improved, and the technology has advanced to a considerable level to have a steady internet connection.
But with every passing year there is an innovation in computer science industry. With each MS Office versions, or other products either local or International, all of them had its own strength and weakness.
Learning Never Stops
I feel that I loved all the products that I used and regret that I could not learn everything. Since, not stopping to learn is one of my aspirations, I am thrilled every time when I encounter hurdles in my learning of the products of this industry. There is a new thing to learn every single day!
Every progress in the technological field says what we need to know is not just the practical application of the product in our life, but also, how to effectively get things together for common benefits.
My Dream for the Future Technology
I wish we no longer have differences in the various applications and every application has a built-in power to understand each other. Already the people around the world have different lingo at least the computers around the world would be able to seamlessly talk to each other and understand it without any difficulty.
Moreover, these progresses should bring about unity. The unity in diversity should be achieved at all costs. The progress that I made to the present of having my own computer took me many years but the hard work that went into learning new system and application is unbelievably incredible for me.
Whether I learnt them while working for my father or when working for others, I know that the lessons were priceless and eternal. Whenever I worked as a Technical Writer, Content Writer, and now a retired Content Curator, I am happy to learn more about the advancing era’s products.
There is a joy when you move out of my comfort zones and work on a new path creating new neural paths, I am happy to look back with this article, I see my own tracks of footprints on the sands of time. There is much joy and happiness to know that progress will be a continuum for all.
Itinerant Storyteller 