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Out of prison after 30 years and people telling him to find forms on the web

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Re: Out of prison after 30 years and people telling him to find forms on the web

#31

Post by sunir »

flohofwoe wrote: post #25
Farbklex wrote: post #7

In contrast, I am sure we all know some older people who were not in prisson for the past 30 years and still don't know how to write an email, what a zoom call is or when it's appropriate to double-click vs single click items on a computer. I know people in their 50s who pretend that "they don't need this technology" or "I can just go to the bank if I need something". Sure, if you're in your 80s you might want to dod…

I'm a software engineer yet I don't do online banking (I literally "just go to the bank if I need something"). I don't consider myself a "luddite", I just don't see the advantage over traditional "offline banking". Same with shopping and all the other little nuisances of daily life.

I would imagine you do understand the advantage of 30 seconds of time from anywhere in the world versus a 20-60min round trip to the bank.

I imagine there are other reasons you value than time and space convenience. Why do you feel the physical trip is more valuable?

Re: Out of prison after 30 years and people telling him to find forms on the web

#32

Post by neartheplain »

Chris2048 wrote: post #15
neartheplain wrote: post #3

My first thought is how the prison system failed him. Computer literacy is a fundamental job skill in the 21st century, one that's relatively easily and inexpensively taught. I'd expect computer literacy programs in any prison system built around rehabilitation.

yep, 30 years is enough time to pursue several degrees, let alone basic skills. What facilities do US prisons provide!?

I'm not an expert, but my impression is that most US prisons provide little in the way of true rehabilitation.

Ironically, while computer skills courses may be unavailable, mobile devices (with Internet service!) are increasingly-common contraband items in US prisons:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/walterpavlo/2020/04/19/will-cel...

Re: Out of prison after 30 years and people telling him to find forms on the web

#33

Post by flohofwoe »

sunir wrote: post #31
flohofwoe wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a software engineer yet I don't do online banking (I literally "just go to the bank if I need something"). I don't consider myself a "luddite", I just don't see the advantage over traditional "offline banking". Same with shopping and all the other little nuisances of daily life.

I would imagine you do understand the advantage of 30 seconds of time from anywhere in the world versus a 20-60min round trip to the bank. I imagine there are other reasons you value than time and space convenience. Why do you feel the physical trip is more valuable?

I have to interact with my bank maybe twice in a year, and rarely do I have to show up in person. Speaking over the phone works just fine ;) In contrast I have to show up at dentist or hairdresser appointments in person, and I don't consider this "wasted time" either.

Re: Out of prison after 30 years and people telling him to find forms on the web

#34

Post by Larrikin »

flohofwoe wrote: post #25
Farbklex wrote: post #7

In contrast, I am sure we all know some older people who were not in prisson for the past 30 years and still don't know how to write an email, what a zoom call is or when it's appropriate to double-click vs single click items on a computer. I know people in their 50s who pretend that "they don't need this technology" or "I can just go to the bank if I need something". Sure, if you're in your 80s you might want to dod…

I'm a software engineer yet I don't do online banking (I literally "just go to the bank if I need something"). I don't consider myself a "luddite", I just don't see the advantage over traditional "offline banking". Same with shopping and all the other little nuisances of daily life.

Budgeting using a tool like YNAB has allowed me to manage monthly funds more effectively, pay off debts faster, and save up more quickly for the things I want to buy. It's possible to use it by inputting all your receipts in manually but it's such a time sink. Automatic importing let's me see exactly where my funds are and budget quickly in a few minutes at the start of my day. When cards are not importing correctly it's such a difference importing stuff manually.

As another example with online banking switching banks effectively becomes zero friction. When Ally slashed rates it took a couple days to move nearly all funds out to a savings account with a much better rate.

Not to mention nearly all brick and mortar stores have savings account rates that are effectively zero. My first interest payment when I was a new Ally customer was basically what I got the entire ten year period I was at bank of america

Re: Out of prison after 30 years and people telling him to find forms on the web

#35

Post by PascLeRasc »

refactor_master wrote: post #19
Farbklex wrote: post #7

In contrast, I am sure we all know some older people who were not in prisson for the past 30 years and still don't know how to write an email, what a zoom call is or when it's appropriate to double-click vs single click items on a computer. I know people in their 50s who pretend that "they don't need this technology" or "I can just go to the bank if I need something". Sure, if you're in your 80s you might want to dod…

That rant, wow. It really resonates deeply with me. People would rather cumulatively spend some 10000 hours yelling at Office for the rest of their lives, instead of spending 10 over the course of some evenings/weekends to brush up on the basics. Even from an immediate-more-important-priorities-perspective it almost doesn’t make sense to me.

Will brushing up help when Microsoft moves all the menus in the next edition? How about when they add in new errors and make File Explorer not return correct results and Windows Search just searches Bing instead of your computer? Or when they add stuff like “you aren’t allowed to attach that file to an email. It’s because it’s open in Word, but we’re not telling you that. Yes, we know this only happens in Outlook and not Gmail.” Its Office’s fault that everyone hates it.

Re: Out of prison after 30 years and people telling him to find forms on the web

#36

Post by whymauri »

neartheplain wrote: post #3

My first thought is how the prison system failed him. Computer literacy is a fundamental job skill in the 21st century, one that's relatively easily and inexpensively taught. I'd expect computer literacy programs in any prison system built around rehabilitation.

The US prison system did exactly what the US prison system is designed to do. It's never been a rehabilatory system and we will have to fight to improve it.

Re: Out of prison after 30 years and people telling him to find forms on the web

#37

Post by [deleted] »

flohofwoe wrote: post #25
Farbklex wrote: post #7

In contrast, I am sure we all know some older people who were not in prisson for the past 30 years and still don't know how to write an email, what a zoom call is or when it's appropriate to double-click vs single click items on a computer. I know people in their 50s who pretend that "they don't need this technology" or "I can just go to the bank if I need something". Sure, if you're in your 80s you might want to dod…

I'm a software engineer yet I don't do online banking (I literally "just go to the bank if I need something"). I don't consider myself a "luddite", I just don't see the advantage over traditional "offline banking". Same with shopping and all the other little nuisances of daily life.

[deleted]

Re: Out of prison after 30 years and people telling him to find forms on the web

#38

Post by dreen »

sunir wrote: post #31
flohofwoe wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a software engineer yet I don't do online banking (I literally "just go to the bank if I need something"). I don't consider myself a "luddite", I just don't see the advantage over traditional "offline banking". Same with shopping and all the other little nuisances of daily life.

I would imagine you do understand the advantage of 30 seconds of time from anywhere in the world versus a 20-60min round trip to the bank. I imagine there are other reasons you value than time and space convenience. Why do you feel the physical trip is more valuable?

I cannot speak for him but kind of understand. Obviously depends on what is it you want to do. You go to the bank and express what you need in simple speech to another human, who handles everything. Depending on the bank, a journey to do the same on web/app may be less preferable, especially if handle a lot of mental load during the day.

Re: Out of prison after 30 years and people telling him to find forms on the web

#39

Post by FpUser »

trymas wrote: post #18

Clearly wherever this is (US?) prisons are not about rehabilitation and inclusion back into society. Weren't there any classes? Books? Library? Computer rooms? It's complete failure of a justice system if person comes out of prison like from a time capsule. IMHO it may just increase recidivism - what can a person do in a "free" world if he/she were not let to know about the world outside prison walls?

>"IMHO it may just increase recidivism"

Keeping people in prisons might be just what the US prison industrial complex wants.

Re: Out of prison after 30 years and people telling him to find forms on the web

#40

Post by matz1 »

flohofwoe wrote: post #33
sunir wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would imagine you do understand the advantage of 30 seconds of time from anywhere in the world versus a 20-60min round trip to the bank. I imagine there are other reasons you value than time and space convenience. Why do you feel the physical trip is more valuable?

I have to interact with my bank maybe twice in a year, and rarely do I have to show up in person. Speaking over the phone works just fine ;) In contrast I have to show up at dentist or hairdresser appointments in person, and I don't consider this "wasted time" either.

how do you check your balance or transaction ? you only do that over the phone ?
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