Actually I'd argue that everyone should be able to understand the difference between analogue and digital
simply because it's not that hard and their failure to do so is because they are a sweaty mouth breathing twunt who probably blames the state for their inability to get a job that pays more than £2.73 an hour
(Bazongaloid, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:05, 2 replies, latest was 15 years ago)

*keeps shtum*

( girlinthehole, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:07, Reply)

And WOMEN

( Kroney, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:23, Reply)

I'd like to agree with you
but the country IS full of sweaty mouth breathers and we have to deal with it. Failure to understand that difference is not, effectively, important. Failure to understand that crossing a railway line when a train is coming might be a bad idea, or that stepping into the road without looking is your own fucking fault are crucial things, but this country not only tolerates those but panders to them.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:09, Reply)

They NEED to know the difference
between analogue and digital because if they don't they see less Katie Price.
(Set your faces to Stunned Bigly, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:14, Reply)

not really, though
they need to understand that there IS a difference but not what that difference is. I do continually get annoyed with the condascending attitude, particularly amongst some of the very IT literate, that you're stupid if you don't understand computers. For example, all the "LOL what a retard he hadn't run a defrag or a backup and he's got lots of viruses what a cock" .. Why should people understand? for 90% of us a computer is a tool. If you need any specialist knowledge to stop it breaking, it isn't designed well enough.

This attitude needs to change, or else people like me are going to start going "what, REALLY? you don't know the cell surface signalling markers for pluripotency in stem cells? You fucking TOOL. Has anyone else seen this idiot? Well, I'm not fixing your leukemia for you now. AS IF, man."
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:24, Reply)

It's not a tool in the same way as a screwdriver, though.
It's not as simple as either it works or it doesn't. It's more like a car. If you can't handle the idea of putting the oil in it yourself, you'll pay a mechanic to do it for you. The mechanic will think you a fucking idiot for paying him to do it, because you are.

Nobody's expecting the lay person to remove and recondition a gearbox, but you ought to be capable of some basic maintenance.
( Kroney, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:26, Reply)

I just made the same comparison

(Bazongaloid, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:29, Reply)

It's a good comparison.

( Kroney, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:29, Reply)

I thought so.

(Bazongaloid, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:31, Reply)

your analogy is partially valid
except it breaks down on complexity and modern-ness. As in, I've rebuilt a couple of my classic cars from scratch, but the the last two cars I've owned are brand new, and I do get mechanics to change the oil for me, because I want to. These mechanics don't think I'm a tool. Well, they probably do, but certainly not because I don't want to change the oil in a brand new car myself.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:35, Reply)

*jumps up and down*
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOBS
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:36, Reply)

Oh my.
And all covered in 20w50. *goes for a lie down*
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:38, Reply)

haha
I think I still have a couple litres of that in my mums greenhouse. Hopefully her eyesjight isn't bad enough that she starts watering her planst with that
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:40, Reply)

I wasn't using the "you" personally
but the fact stands that if you use something as complex, expensive and needing as much maintenance as a car or computer, you ought to be capable of doing some of the simple maintenance functions yourself. Because you're an adult.

If a person breaks it because they can't be arsed or are too scared to learn how to do these simple tasks, then that person is a fool.
( Kroney, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:47, Reply)

the difference is
between what you and I can "simple maintainance" and at what level that person is regarded as a fool

Look, just simply look at the "idiots" /QOTW to understand what I mean. Every other post is "LOL he didn't understand the basic TCP:IP parameters, what a fucking tool"
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:59, Reply)

OK, well I mean the stuff such as occasional virus scans,
defrags etc. Housekeeping, basically. In our analogy, the equivalent of checking your tyre pressure.
( Kroney, Thu 12 May 2011, 15:04, Reply)

Modern-ness? Is that like modernity?

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:51, Reply)

In a perfect world a computer would be a tool
but if you think of cars, 30-40 years ago cars were nothing like as reliable as they are now, and to drive one it really helped if you knew a thing or two about how they worked, if you just drove and drove it and then when it broke you took it to a mechanics, they would probably criticise you too.
(Bazongaloid, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:29, Reply)

No, they generally wouldn't
and anyway, your point is only valid in comparison to computers 20 years in the past. Owners don't and can't touch modern cars now, and they mostly work. The same, sadly is not true of modern computers. Unless you buy a mac, and then everyone calls you cunt.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:37, Reply)

The Mac is the Prius of the computing world.

( Kroney, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:39, Reply)

But computers have only been around for a limited time
and as they progress, you need to do less to maintain them.

So my point is entirely valid.
(Bazongaloid, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:39, Reply)

bollocks
so far, as they've progressed you've need to do and know more. regression.

Anyway, I didn't say it wasn't at all valid. I said it wasn't entirely valid.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:56, Reply)

That's clearly incorrect
Back in the days of MS-DOS you needed to really know what you were doing to get programs running, let alone networking. Most home networks now can be set up with the bare minimum of technical knowledge, you just plug it in. Installing new hardware is virtually always plug in and reboot, no installing drivers, no reconfiguring your set up or anything.

So I think you should retract that comment.
(Bazongaloid, Thu 12 May 2011, 15:01, Reply)

Also I bet you if 30 years ago I took my car in and said a light came on
and it was because I needed to put oil in it, they would laugh behind my back and call me a twunt.
(Bazongaloid, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:42, Reply)

They'd do that today.
I got a smirk from a tyre man because I asked him to change a wheel for me not so long ago.

Until he realised how stuck the locking nut was. He needed a five foot extender bar to get the necessary leverage on it. I had tried and failed. Lack of tools is not the same as being an idiot.
( Kroney, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:48, Reply)

I know nish about IT.
And if any of these fucking IT geek get fresh they'll get a dry slap.
(Set your faces to Stunned Bigly, Thu 12 May 2011, 14:34, Reply)