Charles Handy - Philosopher and Management Guru talked about the Digital Divide about 10 years ago now.

He predicted that there would be those who have access to knowledge and learning via the Internet and those who don't and this will divide society.

The Government is doing a good job of pushing Broadband Britain and all that free access stuff to everyone at schools and library's.

But is enough being done?

We are all fortunate on this forum we have access to PC's and access to the Internet, I still see many young kids coming through school who have no exposure to computers or the web. The sad fact is that these kids are going to be the one disadvantaged when it comes to finding jobs, getting on in life.

Any comments?

My nephew down in Devon has used a computer since he was around a year old. (as best they can anyway)

He has just come out with SAT scores above his year and two years in front of him.

It is difficult in the shop we may have a certain subject matter int he boosk out of stock. I normally refer people to the internet as the pagan communities are using it to full advantage to spread information - but those without are stuck and have to rely on printed matter or face to face.
This is alright bu they do miss out on so much.

Moon Maiden

Don`t let kids spend all night communicating on forums like this, coz they should be doing something more constructive. I should be doing the washing up, but I`m getting addicted to this!

Originally posted by Moon Maiden
My nephew down in Devon has used a computer since he was around a year old. (as best they can anyway)

He has just come out with SAT scores above his year and two years in front of him.

Moon Maiden

I’ve been using computers since a VERY early age (like your nephew) and I did a GCSE a year early and a diploma in "Text Processing" the year before that :)

Generally, people who spend more time on computers are more intelligent, but that’s not to say people who don’t spend time on computers are less intelligent

I think that kids shouldn't use computers at school until they're at secondary school (i.e. 11+) ... well, at least not like they do today.

At my primary school we had one BBC computer. We had to take it in turns and were lucky if we went on it once a month!

I realise computers can be a useful learning aid, but it's more important to teach young children how to read, write and "do sums". Let's face it - t'Internet isn't exactly helping kids learn how to spell properly is it? ;)

Just as the use of calculators has stopped people learning how to do simple arithmetic in their head, spellcheckers are making people become more relaxed in their spelling and grammatical abilities. (Myself included to some extent!)

I don't know what they're using computers for, but I suspect it's for making posters, etc... and not really for anything that couldn't be done using paper, pencils, pens and crayons...

I used computers from an early age (but only a Spectrum and BBCs) but I don't think they ever made me "more intelligent". I tend to disagree with RPG's statement above. I realise he said "generally" ... but surely someone who plays computers games all day isn't going to be more intelligent than someone who spends all day in a library reading books... :? It's all down to how you use computers - not just the fact that you use them.

When i say use computers, i mean it in the purest sence, as in PROPER computing, not playing games.

As said by me in another thread, I have a console to play games (admittedly not often :( )

Me too ;) - and that's what I do...

But I can't help thinking that kids in primary school are simply "playing" on them (albeit Encarta or whatever) ... either way, I'm sure whatever they're doing could be done without the use of computers. I know it's good that they get a feel for computers as early as possible, but let them do that at home in their own time until they can read, write, spell and do their maths properly!

yes, i agree.

We too had a BBCmicro at school which was rarely used, but my affinity for computing is down to the home/family

we had a BBC at home, and Amiga's etc

I study computing at College, and I Love it :D