The latest generation will truly grow up in the internet age.
So-called “Generation Y“, which consists of people born over the last 30 years, is the first generation to grow up with computers and the internet most of their lives. My daughter is two-and-a-half, and I already see the effects of this in her.
If she sees a computer mouse, she knows she’s supposed to move it and click the buttons to make stuff happen on the screen (like close daddy’s important computer programs). If she sees a keyboard, she knows she supposed to peck at the keys.
Last night she said, “Daddy, can we Skype with grandpa and grandma?”
Think about it. This two year old is video conferencing. And using the lingo, too.
When I started up my laptop to Skype with grandpa, the two of us sat there on the couch waiting for the Windows screen to finish loading.
“Daddy, is the computer booting up?”
Skype? Booting up? Using the computer? Unlike my generation (I’m 31) that had to learn the computer as it went mainstream, she will wonder what it was like to not have these conveniences. It’s kind of like how I wonder what it was like before the mobile phone or TV.
As nominal internet users grow old and die, and the future generation becomes the current one, the internet will continue to become a ubiquitous medium.
Oh, and by the way, everyone will need a domain name.
Johnny says
Yep….it’s comin’. 🙂
When one more generation passes on the Net will really start to kick in. Virtually every kid will have it ingrained into their wiring. They will make us “old pioneers” feel slow and stupid by how they run circles around us. Imagine if you had started on the Net as a toddler.
owen frager says
In addition, your daughter just created a great advertising direct response subscription drive campaign for Skype to seniors-
CanWeSkpeGrandma.com
Don’t laugh, Apple is doing windfall business with Seniors who are led into the store by Grandchildren and the allure of iChat. Check out who is in the store during the day getting one-on-one training on it.
Shaun says
A 2 year old is not a member of Generation-Y.
Shaun says
And if you read that site that you linked to, you would notice that you’re actually part of Generation-Y. Although some of us prefer to be called “Milennials.”
Ms Domainer says
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My four-year-old granddaughter can’t read yet, but she knows how to find her Barbie site, which buttons to click to change Barbie’s clothes and accessories, and how to print out a document.
Uh, I guess that LeapFrong I bought for her last year is already obsolete.
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Andrew Allemann says
@ Shaun – I’m on the cusp between gen y and gen x. So I probably exhibit characteristics of both. And of course they rely on stereotypes. Since few people can spell Millennials, especially those Millennials who aren’t typing and getting spell check, I prefer ‘gen y’…notice that even you misspelled it 🙂
Shaun says
@Andrew
I am also 31. I agree. Those born between 76-80 can “go both ways.” We’re a hybrid of Gen X and the Millennials, and exhibit characteristics of both, although most people will classify us as Millennials. We’re old enough to remember the rise of alt. rock and grunge in the early 90’s, but we also know our way around the web. I’ve also heard our group referred to as “90’s Kids (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineties_kid)” and the “MTV Generation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTV_generation).”
Steve M says
My greatest concern is that this knowledge & acceptance of “all things Internet” will only make it even harder for youngsters to live with the coming complete breakdown of society in 2015…when we’ll all surely be once again living in caves…with the closest thing to skype being trying to do morse-code by beating two rocks together. 😉
richa says
my 2 & a half yr old son not only boot computer…he plays all levels of bugs bunny with confident & win it..even i can’t do this..its very surprising….what a command on mouse and keyboard…