My father has worked for National Semiconductor pretty much all my life. So, from early on I was semi-aware of technology. It is a little silly, but I was 4 or so before we got our first VCR or color television. (Yes, much of my childhood was in the 1980s.) To be honest, I really didn't mind not having one. Even through this paradox, I was always interested in electronics, "inventing", inventions, and computers. Around the time I was 5, I believe, things really picked up and I became heavily involved in computers.

When I was 5, we got our first computer. It was a KayPro 2000. My parents got it for genealogy work, though I am not sure we ever used it much for that. We kids used it to write papers, letters, play games etc. Nothing too fancy though. It was an 8088 with 768K ram, 369K 1 1/4" floppy and a 720K 3 1/2" floppy. It was a laptop with CGA resolutions black and white LCD.

My brother and I probably used it the most. The summer before he had learned BASIC in "summer school" at the local elementary on Atari computers. He was soon writing little games and things on the KayPro with GW Basic. Needless to say, I was soon intrigued and start learning from him and from viewing software written in BASIC. At one point, I asked him a question. I believe the story goes like this: He couldn't answer, so he told me off. I thought, "I will show him." And I did. To this day I am largely self taught. I learned C, some C++ and some x86 assembler when I was 12. I am very rusty with assembler and C++, but since that time my C has become fairly refined. I have also learned PHP, Pascal, and a few other odd languages.

So, now that you might no where I come from and know that I play around with electrical components and invention ideas, I can now share with you my views on technology. Please, understand, these views are based on my religious beliefs and life's experience. Feel free to disagree, but not flame. I do, however, ask that you keep an open mind and think about what I say. Also, note, if I find life disagrees with my beliefs, I change them. I do not wish to be attached to fallacies.

I am sorry, but our modern life style is just plain wrong. It is against Nature and the designs of God. We spend too much time in an idle/fixed position. Our bodies and minds are happier and healthier when we are active. We also spend too much time working to get 'stuff.' In doing so, we spend too little time socializing, bettering ourselves, and enjoying this wonderful planet God gave us! It is time we change this!

The hunter/gatherer and farming lifestyles promoted the physical motion that was good. They also tended to help families be tight-knit groups. In 19th century United States, farming also helped people to socialize. Clearing a farm or building a new barn were reason for a party and a community effort to help each other out. No, this is not Communism! This was simple, I help you, you help me and we are both better for it. In some ways, this was like our modern coo-petition. However, we have lost the socializing and physical motion aspects.

The owners of manors in post-feudal England had time to pursue many interest. They could pursue music, art, science, and the enjoyment of life. However, this was often done at the expense of their hired hands' life-style. This posed a problem that exists today: How does one free themselves enough to enjoy this kind of life-style without imposing limits on another.

I personally believe the reason God not only allowed us to discover what leads to computers, but also helped, is that we are supposed to use them for good and to free our time for more important things than picking our noses doing things that should be 100% automated. Yes, there will have to still be some work force, but this would be more limited and would require fewer hours.

We should put our robots and computers to work creating food, clothing, other textiles, and residence. We should be using robots to do the more menial parts of yard work, such as mowing the lawn. We should then spend much of our time bettering ourselves; moving art and science along. We should spend more time socializing; i.e. barbecues, mild parties, etc. We have had over 100 years to put technology to use, but we have failed to at every point. Sorry, but this is a joke. Humanity needs to grow up and learn to work together and solve problems. The difference between one man and another should not be measured in possessions, but in what he knows and what he can do. This measure should be made moot by helping each other. Heck, yeah, I am a capitalist, but this is a joke.

Go ahead, have your computers for entertainment, but don't complain that you have no time for family, friends, or personal interests. That is, unless you get off your butt and start helping to make computers do the majority of our work!