We live in what is known as the “Information Age .”The transition from the Industrial Age to the Information Age began somewhere around the mid-20th century. This transition was the result of an economy centered on traditional industries becoming an economy centered on information. Which parallels the development of computers spawned by the invention of the transistor.

Sorry, I just geeked out on you. Just wanted to set the stage for those who only know today and have no idea how it came to be. Knowing the derivation of anything always strengthens your understanding of the subject.

Now, back to the Information Age. It may have been born in the mid-20th century, but it wasn’t until the internet became part of the everyday lexicon that the Information Age became the world we know today. You can get an answer instantly if you have a question about anything.

What was the first song ever recorded? Hit a key (maybe two or three), and BAM!! You’d know it was By the Light of the Moon, recorded on April 9, 1860.

What was the first T.V. broadcast? The Queen’s Messenger was broadcasted from Schenectady, New York, station WGY on September 11, 1928.

How do you expand the memory on an Air Mac M2? Since Apple now solders memory onto the motherboard, user expansion is no longer possible.

I know I’m not telling you anything you don’t know. Many of you can’t even imagine a world without that instantaneous access. But getting immediate information comes at a cost.

In the olden days, in the 90s, if you had a question about how to use a piece of production gear, you only had a few options.

1. Read the owner’s manual. For those of you unfamiliar with owner’s manuals, they were documents that came with the equipment that explained all the equipment’s functions.
2. Open the box and start tinkering with it until you identify each button’s function.
3. Hunt down someone who has been using the gear and hope they were willing to walk you through the functions.

In 2023, you were given two more options, with number four being most people’s current go-to today.

4. Find a video online by the manufacturer or YouTube, where thousands of people have posted their ideas.
5. A.I. Although A.I. has been around for a while, it has gotten a lot of publicity in the last couple of years. As A.I.’s abilities grow every day, it is hard to predict where it will land as a tool for educating and teaching. Presently, its power of gathering and consolidating information is impressive. Unfortunately, it is gathering and sorting information from the vast content available on the internet. The same content that is not vetted or culled. A.I. will need to be taught how to evaluate and sort that information. I have not spent much time keeping up with A.I.’s diversity, power, and potential, so I will leave it out of my analysis in this article.

Having the advantage of living through all of these options, I believe I can objectively present the pros and cons based on my experiences.

1. “Owners manuals:..”

This is almost a moot point because most equipment no longer includes a manual. What you usually get is a Q.R. code linking you to instructional videos. These videos, just as the manuals did, only give the operation of controls. They do not dive into the “why” or “how” you can use those controls.

2. “Open the box and start tinkering…”

This is a valid way if you know what the device is supposed to do and have a lot of time to journal all your trial-and-error attempts.

Say you’re just getting into photography. You go online and are pushed to buy a Canon EOS Rebel. You get the camera and jump right in. Since you have limited knowledge of photography, the terminology is confusing. You then begin your trial-and-error campaign.

“When I push this button, nothing happens. Oh, but when I turn this knob, and THEN I push that button, I hear the camera make a noise. Wonder what the noise means? Did I just take a picture? How do I see if I took a picture?”

This hunt and peak, trial and error learning method will have you going back and forth to online videos, Googling questions, and reading a ton of stuff that may confuse you further until you give up and put it on auto.

3. “Hunt down someone who knows…“.

This valuable option has gotten lost in the Information Age. As we all know, human social interaction is no longer most people’s go-to. Unfortunately, it should be your first defense against confusion and lack of knowledge. Plus, this method has so many hidden benefits that you wouldn’t find anywhere else.

1. Finding an experienced and knowledgeable person will force you to develop new contacts. Creating new contacts in your field of interest is the key to building your “networking” foundation. This network will serve you throughout your career.
2. Every question and answer will always lead to more questions. Once you find a knowledgeable person willing to share their insights and answer your question, you have just launched a relationship that will pay off in ways you can’t image.
3. You will skip hours and hours of wasted time with trial and error, never really understanding the “why and how” of that control.
4. If you show an aptitude and interest in what they are explaining, you now have an advocate in the business, which may lead to employment opportunities.
5. You will be introduced to others in the industry, expanding your professional network and providing real professional growth opportunities.

4. ­ “Find a video online…”

When looking for an informational video online, your first consideration should be the accuracy of the information you are mining. Obviously, no one is vetting the information on the internet. The videos pushed to the top of the search list are based on the algorithms that benefit Google and YouTube, not the subject’s accuracy and ease of understanding. Now, there is nothing wrong with that. That’s their business. You just need to be aware of it as you accept this info as fact.

It’s basically a “buyer or browser” beware scenario. Not all content is created equal. Test several posts and try to find common points made within the posts. Typically, those common points will point you in the right direction.

Conclusion:

The advice found in my blog, NOT ALL ADVICE IS CREATED EQUAL, is entirely appropriate here; not all content you have access to is created equally. If you understand your subject and just need an answer to a particular problem, YouTube or a Google search may get you there. Suppose you are venturing into unknown territory or deep-diving into an unfamiliar subject. In that case, I recommend you go old school and find a human or humans who are well-versed in the topic and willing to share their knowledge.