[rebootthesystem]

Those of us in computing sometimes tend to forget that there's a whole world of people for whom computers are not a passion, they are simply something they have to deal with whether they like it or not.

I know MD's who have no love or interest in computers at all. No interest in becoming "computer literate" as defined by people like us. These are not dinosaurs. Yet, some of them live in a world where pen-and-paper are more efficient and safer than paging through text boxes in a shitty UI on an equally shitty medical data entry program.

Some of them couldn't scan-and-email a document if their lives depended on it. They screw-up sending links to websites and have crap spread all over their computers rather than organized in a sensible way within a directory structure.

This is either a case of literacy or one where computers and UI design still have a lot to be desired before any human being can walk-up to a computer and get things done. And, BTW, this isn't a Mac vs. PC issue as these people are equally clueless regardless of platform.

I know music teachers who can barely send email and school teachers who get flustered within anything more complex than an iPad.

None of these people are stupid.

And, to some extent, I am not sure anyone needs to actively pursue a "solution". Most of this will resolve itself with generations of people who grew up with computers. Sad to put it that way, but I think there might be a degree of truth in that.

I've made this comment multiple times: I told my son that his generation is likely to be the last to actually drive a car. It is almost guaranteed that his kids will have no need to drive a car and will, instead, use fully automated vehicles. A human driving a car might become a recreational activity. Two hundred years ago nobody would have though of running or jogging as a recreational activity. Today we do.

The point is, things change, some are left behind and some adapt.

[aianus]

> And, to some extent, I am not sure anyone needs to actively pursue a "solution". Most of this will resolve itself with generations of people who grew up with computers.

Well then we should speed it up somehow. People die due to shoddy writing and missing/unindexed/unsearchable paperwork by MDs. Revoke the licenses of those who refuse to join the 21st century.

[threatofrain]

This aversion to software you describe may just be an age / generational thing, because I've noticed that almost all "older" people have issues with technology.

I think that being a med school student today probably means osmosis of cultural information from other med students, including student solutions like Google Drive and Dropbox, as well as Tinder. Along the way, that probably means comfort with email, chat, downloading apps and files, browsing, buying, PDF reading, and so on.