The Dark Side of the Cloud
My first experience working with a computer was in 1988 for a company called “Alpha Beta”. It was the first grocery store chain to introduce UPC scanners at the registers. I input the bar code data into the system, assigned item names to the codes in eight characters or less, and inserted prices. The computer took up most of the office with my work space being in a tiny corner; the monitor was monochrome.
My first experience with a home-based computer happened in 1993. It was a “rent-to-own” machine. It was much smaller that the computer I used to work with at the grocery store. I spent countless hours learning DOS and playing solitaire.
When the Internet became publically accessible, it was a great adventure. The only connection available was dial-up and the only browser was Netscape. The slow loading times were just a part of it so I thought nothing of leaving my chair for 10 to 20 minutes at a time while pages loaded. High Speed Internet became available in 1998 when DSL service was offered by our local phone company. Microsoft made Windows more user friendly with every version and Internet Explorer replaced Netscape. The Internet was growing.I have not given up anything. I have gained because I get things done more quickly, and conveniently, by doing them online. Among those things, I pay bills, get my Christmas shopping done early, communicate with others, and keep up with my kids’ progress in school. I have saved a lot of gas and postage which has been good for my wallet, but not necessarily good for the current job market.
In the future, I see even more jobs being transformed by this age of electronic communication and commerce.
While my experiences with technology have taught me there are virtually no limits to what can happen in this age of electronics, we should remain diligent in our efforts to protect our personal data because there is always someone out there just waiting for the opportunity to steal it for their own personal gain.
