ya “¢ ROUTS The update on updates: IF I were the sort, who made New,” Year’s . resolu- tions, which I’m not, | would.. probably feel com- _pelled.;to do something “about: my almost complete _ disinterest i in technology o y am, 1, thashamedly low-tech: and’ can’t: see any hope. of a’ ‘change! J _just can’t seem’ to establish rela- “tionships with machines. Asking -me to. program the VCR to record a future television program is hike | plunking .me.“down! in Mission Control and saying: ““Now you fly this baby!”” -E- prebably wouldn’ t bes as con- ‘scious: of my’ apathy about ‘main- ‘“¢cames,. modems’ and the like if 1 ‘weren't married to a: man who makes his’ living. working on com-" Her operating systems. «The /gulf between our ‘respective - grasps: of. technology is:as' wide as ‘the, jPacific. He can’t understand at I won t settle down and -read ilities ‘ of. ‘the “terms. : of: expanding | my “knowledge and ‘keeping | up. with the’ changes ‘we'll’ see next millen--- nium, lL know he’s right. , But spending an ‘evening , tucked “up with? a. computer. manual ap- als to me about as, much as be-’ ng. stuck’ in an elevator for three listening ‘Hum tdinck; ns “Unless. you've spent: some time types, you can't “Noel “Wright's “Column of. Dec. 216. on’ the; Infants Act: contained : ‘factual errors. :..... 1: often, fi nd ‘myself. ‘disagreeing: th the."positions taken by your ‘columnists ‘and’ editorial. . writers, , h is the: nature of | opinion : a. ery different matter ‘when’ those. opinion pieces spread alse information. » : “Wright: wrote ‘that the: original ‘act . permitted ° only : children aged . 6"and_up “to grant’. consent: for medical’ procedures and’. that | the: : mendment extends that authority : lown. ‘to babes.: ‘The exact | opposite “children s S:TO | editor | must be: legible": (preferably: ; andinclude your:‘name, «full: a dress and telephone ne sumber ‘each of you. sitting in to; Engelbert - “of nasty ¢ comme , was : extended : ‘birth tolS.0 Fs typewritten) ' de: really . appreciate the fact these individuals are on a differents planet a lot of the time. They work in strange, ‘unintelligible languages and most. will look at you-blankly when you ' mention down-to-earth considera- tions like going to a movie or fix- ing the toilet. If you.ask them a perfectly rea- sonable. question — like, ‘What the heck is a server anyway?" = they look at. you as if you "re from a different planet.- In my own defence, [I’'m.not as low-tech as some people ! know. “IT can.-think of at. least one friend who is definitely one or two ae rungs below me on the technolog-: ical ladder. Despite comments from people that they can never ‘reach her, this friend stillrefuses ~ to get an answering machine. What’s the reason?..Her truly Woody Allenesque response is: ‘'! ‘ couldn’t bear it if: 1 came home ard found there were no messages Y on the machine.’' f guess I have problems with the frenzied attention given to’ téchno- logy. For “one thing, technological impossible for anyone to keep up. The computer industry “has /given “new meaning to that: truly awful. six-letter addition. to the English language: update. y ‘My husband receives ‘more up- dates in a month than the!viewers. of Newsworld. He’s.so up:to his neck in. : floppy > disks* 1 that. 7 changes ‘now come so ‘fast that it’s . have ‘that. | mistakes, . it’s the people using /- them who do. actually punch your lights out. There's a message here for. those of us who only ‘sce’ each other by telephone — we miss all sorts (the experts claim 70% pilus) of! other communication which might actually: improve our long-distance relationships. ‘Technology, { assert, lets! human beings off the ‘hook and allows them to avoid responsibility for their actions. ; ’ We've. all had drilled. into us computers don’t) make However, a. lot’ of people: still piste got wee: a Wi “blame the technology. ; ' “Gee, I’m sorry you couldn't get your invoice through by fax. I ‘don’t know what could be wrong ‘with your machine." ; An item: in’a- recent issue; of : Newsweek brought home the abil- ity of people to manipulate, tech- nology for their own ends. - . v2 An’ electronics: company ' Connecticut has developed a fake call-waiting device for telephones. The device, called “Gotta Go,” “plugs into your phone. and makes : a clicking sound similar to the real one. Its Purpose ° is to allow you to wee. and Wee'er, “until he was, téo small to: shop | across, the border. . become: suspicious about what ex: - acily constitutes an update. ‘In fact, he resents spending time . deliveriiig updates’ of his own software to his clients merely to let them keep up ‘with the’ updates! Another problem I have. with technology is that it allows people ‘to avoid relating directly: t9 other - human beings. : For * example, ineetings .. with other While I computer, terminal! you; can: ‘have’ people by: § front of.a °° Wee recognize this saves the expense of.” meeting at some posh’ resort, these meetings via. computer must affect ' ithe quality’ of relatio’ hips among these individuals. Of course, there know-what, -you ‘can type all sorts” and, they can t formed consent. The old ‘Act pro- vided a different and more. dif-:” ficult ‘standard ‘to teenagers who - “were 16, 17. or 18. The. amendment. which has now a ‘been. proclaimed . to .take._ effect .. ‘Jan. 1. exterids the same standards: to older teenagers that previously to ‘children | aged are advantages . —° if someone’ :is areal your. 7, ‘There ‘are’ ample reasons: why children’ ‘who: are. judged = compe- informed * consent : tent .to “give. should be able to da’so.:, i : Regardless . “of those’ reasons," it i understand:.that the’ amended Act _simply: applies the /same,.common Jaw’: standard: for: ages The ‘law. ‘will be: the ‘same ‘i Ciras it: is at “all. “Tetters, ‘Published - letters say be’ edited. for. brevity, ‘clarity,: ac-;; “: curacy, ‘legality’ and | taste: Letters can. be faxed.to- 985- -3227: but still must, be signed. and :fully: address. many Other. ; jurisdictions claims about informed consent are “not valid. ! That inight be because : UE ne Alberta: . a! those wild ; The. evidence’ from shows — that practitioners must:still’ determine “whether a child.is:capable of giv- -ing informed consent. “Wright: also \' criticized “the. amendment’s extension ‘of the list. of health providers beyond. physi- cians and dentists.. This time he’ has the? facts right, but the inter- ij 7 pretation wrong. |. ; he. merits of. a mportant to Under the old Acta nurse 2 could: legally perform a service that the . Act forbade. a .: physician” from rendering. The ‘amendment pr vides ;the , same: standard’ for. ‘all “ vice providers. lainis - that the’ Act interferes: 2 with: ‘families ‘are unfounded. Our; | “governiaent’ support , for families < Ay ‘