fandomhigh | Modern Technology for Absolute Beginners, Period 1, Tuesday, 7/03

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modern technology

Modern Technology for Absolute Beginners, Period 1, Tuesday, 7/03

The class met in one of the school's computer labs, which was strongly and blissfully air conditioned. Tyrion was certainly more than pleased by the cool air; it was another bit of modern technology he was rapidly becoming quite fond of.

"Welcome to Modern Technology for Absolute Beginners," he said from his usual perch atop the desk, once the students each seemed to have found a work station. "This is the computer lab; the screens with letter tablets attached in front of you are called personal computers. If you've never touched one before, I recommend you wait until after I finish talking to do so."

"I am Tyrion Lannister, and this class is called Modern Technology for Absolute Beginners. If you aren't quite an absolute beginner, stay anyhow. I may call on you for your expertise. But I would like to know where each of you are starting out. For example, my world's far behind this one from the perspective of most of you. We've no electricity -- the thing that makes all these modern marvels work. We get about on horseback and send messages tied to the legs of ravens. It has many other charms" -- said a bit dubiously -- "but there's nothing like in this world, where an entire library can fit into a bit of machinery that a man can carry in his pocket."

Gesturing a bit to the class, he said, "Now you know my background, and now I'd like to know yours. Please tell me your name, what technology in your home is like, and one thing you either very much want to learn more about or wish to avoid. We'll play with the computers a bit at the end of class, if we've time left after the introductions."

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With a bit of technology.

Frank Abagnale

Thomasina Coverly

Peeta Mellark

George Drayton

Jack Carter

Liara T'Soni

Anna Korlov

Name, the state of technology in your home worlds, and something you either want to learn to use or want to avoid.

"I'm Frank Abagnale," Frank said. "I'm from 1959, so we have TVs and telephones, but not much more than that. And our phones are definitely not like these." He held up his cell phone, which boasted a touchscreen and was pretty tiny. "I'd just really like to learn how to use this without taking two hours to write a text message?"

"Welcome, Frank. Does yours guess what words you want to use?" Tyrion asked. "That's the only thing that makes me faster, though sometimes it's got no clue at all what I want to say."

"Oh, it totally does," Frank confirmed. "It keeps correcting things to words I'm not sure why anyone would even want to use in a text. Seriously, who says things like 'warthogs up'?"

"Someone hunting warthogs?" Tyrion suggested. "Otherwise, I haven't the faintest."

"Weird," Frank decided. "Really, really weird."

"I am Thomasina Coverly, of Sidley Park, and I suppose at this point I am no longer an absolute beginner," she admitted. "I arrived in the present from the year 1812 approximately two months ago, and during that period have started to learn all the various ways in which modern technology allows better -- and faster -- access to information.

"This is a vast improvement 1812, wherein electricity had yet to be discovered as a harnessable force."

She flushed a little, somewhat embarrassed to add, "Out of this class, I hope to have a better understanding of the basics of modern technology; I have found, at times, that it is as if speaking in a different idiom. I recognise the words, but cannot always decipher their meaning in their present context."

"It's like a new language, isn't it?" Tyrion asked sympathetically. "And not one transparent to outsiders. I've found a website called Urban Dictionary is very useful at ... decoding, if you don't mind some rude words."

"I've read Shakespeare and Byron, and, among others, Lysistrata in the original Greek," Thomasina clarified, smiling softly. "I do not fear a few rude words."

Oh, Thomasina. You have no idea.

"But indeed, yes, it is like a new language -- or like a dialect so far removed from my own as to be completely indecipherable. It is all the more frustrating because I feel I ought to understand, if only I could push my brain that little bit farther."

"I'm Peeta Mellark. I'm from a couple hundred years in the future so the technology is pretty advanced compared to here." It was just Peeta was too poor to actually get to use any of it. "But I've never used a cell phone before so I'd like to learn that."

"Do you have one of your own?" Tyrion asked. "Or would you need to get one before you could learn to use it?"

"I've been saving up money to buy one," Peeta said. "I just gotta work out the plan thing or whatever it's called."

"George Drayton." He nodded what was almost a bow automatically. "I am actually from this year, but my primary world is far more magic-reliant than this one."

"I've half figured out... some things--" He had a cell phone, he could change channels on the television, all that. "But I've yet to use a computer, and I'd rather not be guessing quite so much."

"Guessing can lead to breaking, in my experience," said the man who was on his third phone. "I hope we can help you, George."

"Hi, I'm Jack Carter. I'm actually from a place that's pretty high-tech. It's just that I'm not."

Actually Jack is about as low tech as you can get in the modern world.

"I think my d- *cough* sister thought I could use a tutorial."

"I see," Tyrion said, biting back a smile. "Is there anything in particular your sister thought you might need help with?"

"Well she said I needed to start texting and chirping like a bird."

Tweeting, Jack. She said tweeting.

"And apparently my cell phone has a camera but I can't get it to work."

It did however take great pictures of Jack's feet.

"I think we'll work on phones next week," Tyrion decided. "I can't help you with the chirping. That sounds personal."

"I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with birds," Jack admitted. "Maybe it has something to do with how my phone rings. Anyway! Good to know. Looking forward to next week then."

"My name is Liara T'Soni," Liara offered - awkward, again. "And my home world is... a little more advanced... than this one so far." Beat. "I would like to learn how to interface with your..."

Something?

"...Everything."

"You're blue."

Forgive Tyrion, Liara. Sometimes his mouth was ahead of his brain.

"And I'm short, and this is" -- he cleared his throat and began to speak more rapidly -- "a symbol of how interesting the variety among people in different worlds is. At any rate, did you have a chance to talk to your assigned sibling about the 'everything?' My teaching buddy was quite helpful.And of course we're all here to learn."

"I... had some time to ask her questions, yes," Liara said, swallowing an exclamation of great insult at the you're blue comment simply because the short human seemed so intent on backpedaling about it as it was. "But I was hoping to gain more of an understanding about the general lines of local technology via your class."

Tyrion had the grace to look abashed, at least. Twenty-some years of being told he was a dwarf at every possible opportunity apparently did not make him immune to pointing out the physical differences of others.

"I hope we can do that," he said, recovering. "Most of it's not hard to absorb if one puts one's mind to it."

"...Thank you," Liara offered.

She was flailing internally. A lot.

"I will... keep any criticism about local technology to myself," she added as a peace-offering. "I realize it takes many cultures a long time to ascend to the level mine enjoys today."

"Thank you," Tyrion said, some dryness in his tone. "Though that does make me curious as to what you have at home that you'll miss."

"I did bring an omni-tool," she offered. "It was given to me at the start of my internship. It serves as a communications, manufacturing and analysis tool."

Or so she'd been told. She was not a technician. "Mostly, however, I have noticed that your species does not seem to have mass effect technology, and cannot travel outside of the solar system."

"My particular branch of the species still finds getting from one continent to the next reasonably impressive, so solar system travel is still beyond me," Tyrion told her. "But I am interested in that omni-tool. What kinds of things does it manufacture?"

Liara reached into her pocket and produced a glove, which she slipped over one hand. As soon as she brushed that hand over her other wrist, an orange hologram encased the arm in question, with a broad orange circle over her hand.

"Small things," she offered. "Alloys, plastics. I think it's meant to help repair machines in the field."

"I see," Tyrion said, with a lilt that suggested he very much wanted one of his own to play with. "Thank you, Liara. I look forward to your perspective."

"I'm Anna Korlov, and we weren't particularly modern at home. We had a radio, but we also had a wood-burning stove," she said. "I'd like to learn more about using the computer. One of my friends showed me the basics, but I'm still pretty helpless."

"Helpless is a place to start from," Tyrion said. "Did you figure out email yet?"

After the introductions, spend some time figuring out such complicated issues as what the mouse does and why the letters on the keyboard are in such a funny order. The parts of the computer are labeled, and Tyrion will be by to direct you if you seem overly lost.

He's hoping the class goes well.

And now I scurry to work!

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Modern Technology for Absolute Beginners, Period 1, Tuesday, 7/03

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