Community
My mom always says we need to live in a community. Here it is.
Outcrop Acres
Step in to a virtual fantasia of variety. Recognize your own limitations by seeing some here. Outcrop Acres does all. Be part of it. Cast off your chains and shackles. Expect the expected.
Garden of Eden
You know the story. We live in a carefree, amazing world where we have everything we need and nothing we don’t. And all of a sudden, things change. Something happens and we all get the boot. That world from which we are all being booted, my colleagues, is the innocent world of Information Technology as it was in the beginning.
Yes, many years ago, we were able to do what we wanted and needed. First, we could all have computers, Personal Computers! That means we could personalize them. We installed software we liked. We used them for what we wanted. Then we learned how to connect them with each other and share stuff. No worries about what software, what purposes or who could see us. We were ignorant of our vulnerabilities and it was true bliss.
Then someone ate the forbidden fruit – The Internet – Always On Connectivity. Ahh, how sweet, how easy, and how filling. And there was more – everywhere we looked, there was more of that tempting, seductive fruit. Accounting apps, engineering apps, music apps, video games. There were information sites, store sites, even social sites. Mmmmmm. Each more tasty than the next. Soon, we had home networks, wireless, and iPhones. Then . . . Facebook!!!! Bring on some more of that Apple Pie, ’cause it sure tastes fine!
Life was great.
Then a voice spoke from the sky (and through employee bulletins): “You have tasted the forbidden fruit – Universal Connectivity! You can no longer consider your PC personal. It is now a Corporate Computer (CC).” Immediately (or after having a reimage or two), you became aware of your vulnerabilities. You are no longer permitted to personalize. No more personal apps, data, or systems. No more open access to web sites, gambling sites, or fantasy football. You toil through the inconvenience of passwords, firewalls, and waivers. “It, my colleague,” says the voice, “is for your own good.”
The moral? The Internet is a rich and powerful fruit. Practically anything – yes, Anything – can be had via a PC, an internet connection and a credit card. Responsible use can even be nourishing. But it must be used responsibly. Help reduce the need for it’s voice. Practice safe browsing. Remember your passwords, Don’t install software without it’s knowledge and consent. Use it wisely. Even though we may feel as we’ve been robbed of a wonderful place, remember, we are given our material world’s most amazing creation in exchange. Know the difference between good and bad IT.