Should there be a course in "How to google"

veryangryman

I see alot of people on various social media asking simple questions like "What time is the match on", "When is the next bus to Dublin" or variations of above, usually with inbred/text speak highlighting their moron-ness (yes it's a word).

Would a course in "How to google" be of use? Or even a general "How to use the internet" course help at all? It is 2015 and this scary (yet very very accessible) world is only going one way -> technological. Is it fair to say that people need to be dragged along before they fall even further behind?

I'm talking about young people especially. Older folk you can make some allowances for. No excuse not to know how to check a chain stores' opening hours etc.

henryporter

What's google?

keithclancy

http://bit.ly/1t6C1Pd

Grayson

I had to sit through a class in how to use google to research for a history class.
I just sat there looking at the lecturer thinking "Fecking noob"

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

You know rightly, I'm sure, that they already know how to google. It's just laziness combined with a need to feel part of a community like boards. It drives me mad at times to see some of the questions raised when a simple google would have answered the query but younger people seem to be conditioned nowadays to being spoonfed and also like to broadcast their lives online rather than just getting on with them.

And no excuses for older people. I'm in my 70s and I'm quite capable of googling, thank you.

Custardpi

I think a lot of times people are perfectly capable of using Google, it's easier than setting up the social media account they're using. Asking questions like these are just a way of trying to spark a conversation with the people on their feed or simply to get some attention.

snubbleste

I yahoo. Frequently.

LorMal

Aidan Moldy Spice wrote: »

You know rightly, I'm sure, that they already know how to google. It's just laziness combined with a need to feel part of a community like boards. It drives me mad at times to see some of the questions raised when a simple google would have answered the query but younger people seem to be conditioned nowadays to being spoonfed and also like to broadcast their lives online rather than just getting on with them.

And no excuses for older people. I'm in my 70s and I'm quite capable of googling, thank you.

I agree.
What time is it?

Yamanoto

Aidan Moldy Spice wrote: »

younger people.......also like to broadcast their lives online rather than just getting on with them.

You'll love this :pac:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3K0CJ8usPU

The Backwards Man

Aidan Moldy Spice wrote: »

You know rightly, I'm sure, that they already know how to google. It's just laziness combined with a need to feel part of a community like boards. It drives me mad at times to see some of the questions raised when a simple google would have answered the query but younger people seem to be conditioned nowadays to being spoonfed and also like to broadcast their lives online rather than just getting on with them.

And no excuses for older people. I'm in my 70s and I'm quite capable of googling, thank you.

Is this you?

evolving_doors

LorMal wrote: »

I agree.
What time is it?

Its 2 minutes ago... anyone watching the match?

Ya don't get too hung up on it OP its an irish way of asking a pointless question to get a conversation going.

BTW , Have you tried googling your own question first OP before coming on here and wasting our precious time.
... but shur seein as youre here pull up a chair and in the wise words of that sage Ryan Tubrdiddy "tell me about your mother and father growing up".

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Is this you?

Not quite. He has no hair. I use a tablet rather than a laptop. And I rarely get so ecstatic over something online.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

LorMal wrote: »

I agree.
What time is it?

By the time I reply it won't be that time anymore.

2.40pm

thelad95

They actually have classes on how to google in my college library. There's a freshers page set up on Facebook and there's always stupid questions like 'can anyone tell me how to reference' when if you just Googled it, there are thousands of tutorials online.

I think it's an attention seeking ploy by some people. If you put up 'what time does the airport bus leave at on a Sunday morning?' on Facebook, all of a sudden everyone knows your going abroad.

UCDVet

There isn't enough material to fill an entire course. MAYBE you could fill up an hour or so if you went into some advanced features.

PizzamanIRL

Let me Google that for you

RobertKK

thelad95 wrote: »

They actually have classes on how to google in my college library. There's a freshers page set up on Facebook and there's always stupid questions like 'can anyone tell me how to reference' when if you just Googled it, there are thousands of tutorials online.

I think it's an attention seeking ploy by some people. If you put up 'what time does the airport bus leave at on a Sunday morning?' on Facebook, all of a sudden everyone knows your going abroad.

Handy for the thieves too.

johnciall

Absolutely not, i work tech support, if more people knew how to use google i'd be out of a job

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

There's no need for a course. If they google "how to use google" it explains it all.

wendell borton

Ask Jeeves.

Grayson

UCDVet wrote: »

There isn't enough material to fill an entire course. MAYBE you could fill up an hour or so if you went into some advanced features.

Easy class to teach.
Everytime someone puts up their hand to ask a question you could just say "google it"

The Strawman Argument

Aidan Moldy Spice wrote: »

a need to feel part of a community like boards.

It's very much this with a lot of things. "What time does the match start?" is generally something closer to a clumsily asked "anyone else interested in the match on later?" Everyone does it a little bit, I frequently ask other people the time in person when I could just take my phone out.


Regarding how to google, this isn't exactly what you mean, but I find it weird how many people don't get that the way you search for things online should be done by using relevant keywords instead of a well phrased question. Google's gotten pretty good at correcting that stuff but most everywhere else hasn't.

Son Of A Vidic

Aidan Moldy Spice wrote: »

Not quite. He has no hair. I use a tablet rather than a laptop.

Ah, tis yourself then.

shruikan2553

johnciall wrote: »

Absolutely not, i work tech support, if more people knew how to use google i'd be out of a job

This. As long as we keep the masses away from such education they will continue to believe we are machine gods.

How do I do this?
*I google it for them and explain what they need to do*
Wow, you're so good at these things. Here, have my wife as a thank you.

COYVB

johnciall wrote: »

Absolutely not, i work tech support, if more people knew how to use google i'd be out of a job

The difference between people who are good at their jobs and those who are not these days is mostly down to who knows how to google properly and who doesnt

Karl Stein

I must admit that I do be does be exasperated when I does be watching other people searching for something.

Desolation Of Smug

Karl Stein wrote: »

I must admit that I do be does be exasperated when I does be watching other people searching for something.

Or watching someone else type out an e-mail...jasus, how come you aren't living on a park bench somewhere....

johnciall

COYVB wrote: »

The difference between people who are good at their jobs and those who are not these days is mostly down to who knows how to google properly and who doesnt

I Honestly maintain 90% of tech support is being able to google faster & better than the customer and being able to remember common results

COYVB

johnciall wrote: »

I Honestly maintain 90% of tech support is being able to google faster & better than the customer and being able to remember common results

I think it's more down to being able to use the correct terms. That's the difference between tech support and consumer troubleshooting - knowing the proper words for the problems

Karl Stein

A friend asked me to take a look at his colleague's laptop because it was running slow. I had a quick look at it and told her I'd have to take it home with me. She'd no antivirus, firewall or browser security so it was teeming with hundreds of viruses, worms, trojans, spyware and adware the poor thing. I had to run about 6 anti-malware programs on it to clean it out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDNmyyrEZho

Here's a link to the site that gives a guide to giving a windows computer a comprehensive cleaning if anyone is interested.

Venus In Furs

Karl Stein wrote: »

A friend asked me to take a look at his colleague's laptop because it was running slow. I had a quick look at it and told her I'd have to take it home with me. She'd no antivirus, firewall or browser security so it was teeming with hundreds of viruses, worms, trojans, spyware and adware the poor thing. I had to run about 6 anti-malware programs on it to clean it out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDNmyyrEZho

Here's a link to the site that gives a guide to giving a windows computer a comprehensive cleaning if anyone is interested.

Thanks for the link. My laptop also has no antivirus, firewall or browser security, d'oh.

Ruu

Still use Doras here.

Karl Stein

Venus In Furs wrote: »

Thanks for the link. My laptop also has no antivirus, firewall or browser security, d'oh.

Run those programmes (it takes a number of hours) and then install Zonealarm free AV and firewall. Make sure you install the free version and not the trial version.

Then install WOT on your browser and run MBytes about once a month and you should be fine.

irishgeo

google already has a course

http://www.google.com/insidesearch/searcheducation/

http://www.google.com/insidesearch/landing/powersearching.html

efb

There's this thing called a conversation starter OP...

Karl Stein

Karl Stein wrote: »

Run those programmes (it takes a number of hours) and then install Zonealarm free AV and firewall. Make sure you install the free version and not the trial version.

Then install WOT on your browser and run MBytes about once a month and you should be fine.

You're great Thanks for all that. I have an AV but I'm obviously not vigilant enough.

veryangryman

efb wrote: »

There's this thing called a conversation starter OP...

Mine is hello how are you.

I don't state the obvious. Or need to ask an obvious question. Stuff like 'traffics terrible today' or 'i think im going to win the lottery' usually lubricates things nicely.

Karl Stein

Candie wrote: »

You're great Thanks for all that. I have an AV but I'm obviously not vigilant enough.

You're welcome. It's important you have a half-decent firewall. I like Zonealarm (free) because it combines AV with a firewall, it's easy to use, it doesn't use a lot of power/memory and it doesn't nag.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzX65Z52moc

Venus In Furs

You really are the Terminator... of computer viruses!!! :mad:

Karl Stein

Venus In Furs wrote: »

You really are the Terminator... of computer viruses!!! :mad:

Lol, yeah, somewhere between Homer and Terminator.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pf_eW8Qnsw

fineso.mom

Aidan Moldy Spice wrote: »

Not quite. He has no hair. I use a tablet rather than a laptop. And I rarely get so ecstatic over something online.

Ah sure, you must not be doing it right so. Check your spelling,try using different key words or phrases .......;-)

TheBeardedLady

Armelodie wrote: »

Its 2 minutes ago... anyone watching the match?

Ya don't get too hung up on it OP its an irish way of asking a pointless question to get a conversation going.

The Strawman Argument wrote: »

It's very much this with a lot of things. "What time does the match start?" is generally something closer to a clumsily asked "anyone else interested in the match on later?" Everyone does it a little bit, I frequently ask other people the time in person when I could just take my phone out.

This! Conversation starter pure and simple. I do it meself.

francois

Karl Stein wrote: »

Run those programmes (it takes a number of hours) and then install Zonealarm free AV and firewall. Make sure you install the free version and not the trial version.

Then install WOT on your browser and run MBytes about once a month and you should be fine.

If you are just browsing use Mint Linux

Karl Stein

francois wrote: »

If you are just browsing use Mint Linux

That's a completely different OS though isn't it?

My next laptop will be a chromebook. I've paid for MS Windows 4 feckin times now.

irishgeo

Karl Stein wrote: »

That's a completely different OS though isn't it?

My next laptop will be a chromebook. I've paid for MS Windows 4 feckin times now.

windows 10 will be free.

Karl Stein

irishgeo wrote: »

windows 10 will be free.

They must be getting worried about free alternatives eating into their market dominance. It bugs me that I paid for MS software 4 times.

Edit: It'll be a 'free' upgrade for people who've already bought Windows 7/8/9.