My Battle with the Personal Computer | Yoko Sato (Dean, Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care)
December 22, 2006
Before my battle with the personal computer, there was my struggle with the word processor. It was a long time ago, but when I first started using a word processor, I couldn't type while thinking of what to write. My process was to first write out the text by hand and then type it up on the word processor. Essentially, I was using the word processor in a way that was even more basic than a typewriter. Even so, the sense of relief and accomplishment I felt when I finished my graduation thesis using that unfamiliar word processor was exceptional. However, at a time when most graduation theses were handwritten, my word-processed thesis became the source of unexpected cold sweats. During my thesis defense, my supervising professor's feedback began by pointing out simple typos and omissions that would have been unlikely in a handwritten document. As I felt the cold sweat dripping from my entire body during that seemingly endless time, a part of me was secretly amazed at how much a person could sweat. In the end, while I was dealt the final blow by his sharp, insightful critiques, I was also given the warm words of encouragement, "You have important work to do for society in nursing and education..." and was allowed to graduate with a grade of A. That sweat-inducing thesis marked the beginning of my happy relationship with Keio University and also led to my parting ways with the word processor.
Soon after, I started using a personal computer. Although I used it in much the same way as the word processor, I also had nightmarish experiences, like the time my computer suddenly froze in the evening after I had spent almost the entire day engrossed in data entry, forgetting even to blink, and lost all of my work for the day. When it was decided that I would be appointed to a position at SFC, my first thought was a truly trivial concern: "Will I be okay on that campus if I can't master the personal computer?" That fear would soon become a reality. About two years after I started, there was a time when a virus launched a fierce attack. That evening, several screams erupted from the south wing of the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care, and I was one of the sources of those screams. But, as expected of SFC, a specialist from the ITC (Information Technology Center) rushed over immediately and resolved the issue promptly. Watching the ITC staff member wiping away sweat as they hurried from room to room, I was greatly relieved to know there was someone to break into a cold sweat on my behalf. By gaining a reliable ally in the ITC, my battle with the personal computer turned in my favor.
(Posted: December 22, 2006)