Computer Literacy
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The Age of Instant Gratification

The desire for and expectation of immediate satisfaction and success is more and more a defining characteristic of our times when it comes to technology. And while it does not take much to learn what is necessary to become a self-sufficient computer user, the critcal first steps are rarely taken into consideration in most classes, books or courseware.

The real basics, as defined by CL-USA, involve a solid understanding of the following:

Analog & Digital
Bits & Bytes
Binary Information
Input & Output
Hardware Functions
Programs & Data
Basic Application Procedures
File Management
Operating Systems
Networks/Internet

Each of the above items requires an understanding of a preceding concepts. Any deviation from the proper learning sequence makes the learning process unproductive (see "Setting Standards").

Many people balk when some these terms are mentioned, believing them to be arcane and irrelevant. This is often because of their experiences in dealing with complex programs and incomprehensible books and "help" features that lead many to believe that a true understanding is obtainable only by a chosen few.

Just like turning off the Spanish language TV programs and picking up a book on the basics of the language is the only way to make progress learning Spanish, we must turn our computers off and understand them for what they really are and what they really do.

1. It is possible to draw one and only one straight line from any point to any point.
2. From each end of a finite straight line it is possible to produce it continuously in a straight line by an amount greater than any assigned length.
3. It is possible to describe one and only one circle with any centre and radius.
4. All right angles are equal to one another.
5. Through a given point not on a given straight line, and not on that straight line produced, no more than one parallel straight line can be drawn.

CL-USA promotes the idea of getting down the equivalent of these basics for computer use.

It is not possible to be proficient in any area of science, mathematics, reading and writing or any major area of study without a firm understanding of the fundamentals.

In geometry for example, all the many and complicated theorems and proofs derive from five simple basic axioms. No matter how complex, everything in geometry can be broken down until all that is left are the five simple building blocks. It is not possible to learn geometry in any meaningful way without starting with the basics. Step by step the whole body of knowledge is built. Each step requires an understanding of the previous step. To start off trying to learn geometry by studying complicated proofs would make one believe that this subject is beyond the comprehension of most people. Many people are put off by subjects like this because they see only the end results of a long process involving many simple and often clever steps.

The same is true with reading and writing; first we learn the alphabet, then the sounds, word spelling, sentence structure and grammar. It would be impossible to learn to read and write by starting with a study of literature. Or imagine trying to learn a new language by looking at books or watching TV programs. After a while it would seem that learning a new language is impossible.

Like so many other subjects it is not possible to function comfortably and effectively with a computer without a solid grounding in the basics. Until now there has been no universally accepted standard for learning these basics (in fact, there is no agreement on what actually constitutes "the basics"). So, like trying to learn to read by looking at books, the general approach to learning about computers is to begin using complicated programs. After a while it begins to seem as if computers are impossible to understand; the simple principles and concepts which would make everything clear and understandable are completely obscured and never become apparent.

Like math and reading, computers must be understood at their most basic level to prevent them from being perceived as magical and incomprehensible beasts. No amount of wrestling with them by trying use their programs will make them cough up their simple secrets. This requires taking a completely different approach.