Genealogy Jottings

I really do not like modern technology, mostly because I do not find it to be intuitive to use. Computer workings just make no sense to me. This week, to my irritation, I had to spend time re-learning things I already knew how to do. I wish they would  quit with the constant “upgrades”, which I prefer to call “worsifications,” and spare me this tedious waste of my time. So what is sending me on this rant this week?

First, my husband/technical adviser changed the software I use for this blog without checking with me first. Although I do like what he did, I wish it had been my decision to make these changes, not his. The timing for doing this was not great with lots of family stuff going on. The new screens look different,  and I have to take extra time to figure out how to use them.

Secondly, I encountered trouble when I tried to do my genealogical duty and volunteer for the effort to index the 1940 U.S. census that will be released shortly. The tutorial for downloading and installing the necessary software made the process look simple. Not! Where I was supposed to see icons and installation wizards, I faced a blank screen.  Had the download gone wrong? Should I try again? After taking time to consult with the same husband/technical adviser, I find that during the past year, my computer had been “worsified” to suppress the icons and wizards I needed. How is that helpful, and why did the folks who wrote the tutorial not know about this new security feature of Windows 7? Or do they expect only people with old equipment and operating systems to help with the census?

It all made for a frustrating week genealogy-wise. I tend to be an independent sort of person, and I resent constantly having to ask for help with computer issues. I am looking forward to focusing back on my genealogy research (pun intended), and using technology as a tool, not an impediment. I just wish we could stop with the constant worsifica–, er upgrades.