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> The ability to take their computer apart to the boards and put the parts
> back together again. Seriously. I am working on an article right now about
> the fact that for the several years (4?) I have been teaching Frame and
> RoboHELP, 20% of my students cannot create a directory and copy the contents
> of a floppy to the directory.
I don't see the connection. Is taking a computer apart and putting it back
together really necessary? I don't think so. I've never done it, but that
doesn't affect my ability to pick up and learn any software I want/need to
learn. That's like saying I couldn't drive a taxi for a living because I can't
take an engine apart and put it back together. Or am I missing the joke?
I agree that basic computer skills are extremely important. I know someone who
made it through her first year of a graduate program in tech writing without
ever touching a computer (and would have gone all the way through if she hadn't
accepted a job where they taught her to use a computer). Scary, isn't it?
