Ever Changing Menu

“Computer is an intelligent machine”. I smile at these words remembering when I first heard them in a computer class about a decade and a half ago. The smile was because I used such a mobile intelligent machine to write this article you are reading right now.

While the technology revolution is brilliant by itself, growing with such a revolution takes the experience to a whole new level. For example, I created my first email id in the year 2000 and I still remember the day when we first bought our own personal computer, back when I was in 9^th standard. Amidst strict rules of timings on when to use the computer, my brother and I still had a great time playing Dave and my parents through solitaire. Oh, and I almost forgot, there were floppy disks back then (those tiny black square things).

Then came the CD’s and when all the production houses were busy trying to reach homes through movies in 2 and 3 CD packs. I still remember that Hum Aapke Hain Kaun and Jo Jeetha Wohi Sikandhar were among the first movie CDs we bought. Then the inside of the discs turned blue with the DVDs and a DVD seemed to capture one whole movie, which seemed incredible at that time.

In my opinion, the period in college plays the transformational role in a student’s life in increasing awareness about the latest technology trends. Like, I came to know about social networking only when I joined my Engineering College. Gmail and Orkut became part of my everyday checklist, much to my parents’ dismay. But, luckily for them, I was slow to catch on to technology. I didn’t even know what a blog was till about 3 years ago. I was hesitant to open a facebook account till a year ago, and now I have about 400 friends on facebook.

I find this evolution very fascinating. Every time I log onto the internet, since my first time, I feel like I am sitting in a digitally encoded restaurant, like in the movie Matrix, and servers offering me menu cards to choose my meal from. But I am more of a standard menu fellow and take fewer chances with new items on the menu. Ever since gaining access to this wonderful world, my favourites have always been Gmail, Orkut and Facebook, although it has been a while since I tasted Orkut.

Now, being a recent graduate, on a job hunt, I find myself at the crossroads once again. As my friends have become focussed on building their jobs and careers, the number of facebook updates has fallen dramatically and my tongue now finds this meal boring. The obvious question is what I shall do next in this vast paradise called the internet, for I have to do something to keep myself active in this invisible hemisphere. I have no idea, what my new favourite is going to be, but one thing is certain, it certainly isn’t going to be my favourite forever.