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Me: When I was your age computers were *gestures* big and too heavy to lift. Lillian (9): And you walked up hill both ways! Me: No that is a joke but computers really were that big. Lillian: Wat. How did you take it between classes?! Me: We didn’t have them for classes.
Me: Our school had one computer and each class of children would visit it to watch a teacher use it. Then we got a room full of computers but only enough for one class at a time. Lillian: !! Me: It was terrible… and the best thing I had ever seen. *wistfully stares off*
Lillian: You must have been sad with Internet only once in a while. Me: Oh the Internet only happened after six more years of that. Lillian: … How do you use a computer without the Internet? Me: Ohh you know apps? Lillian: Yeah. Me: We use to put them on plastic cards.
Me: Then when you wanted to use a different app you would shut your computer down, take out the old card, put in a new card, and restart the computer. Lillian: That sounds hard. Me: We broke so many of those cards and they were so expensive you wouldn’t believe it.
While watching her confusion at the concept that the computer had a meaningful depth dimension I realized that just like she has never seen a newspaper she has never seen a CRT anywhere. She thinks all screens are flat screens.