Photo Credit: Can Stock Photo Inc. / 4774344sean
While it may be difficult to believe, a long time ago there were no personal computers! When I was in high school, there were only six computers in the entire school, where six special students (“geeks,” when that was a derogatory term) worked in Computer Math, an advanced class. The regular students never saw a computer, much less touched a keyboard or mouse. Later, while attending the University of Wisconsin--Oshkosh for graphic communications, I saw no computers there either. Instead, students used a cool type-printing machine to cut and paste different type-faced headings into projects that we toiled over on drafting boards to create. My professor had predicted that in about 10 years this work might be done on computers! Three years after graduation, I returned to school at Fox Valley Technical College to learn the trade of computer graphics. Having absolutely no experience on a computer of any type, much less a Mac, I soon dropped the course and headed in a different direction with my career.
Twenty-four years later, I am now faced with understanding a computer-graphics program and tasked with producing all printed marketing materials for our county parks department, as well as revamping some online content for printability. Why? Tight budgets, more information being produced online, “doing more with less,” and my graphic communications major from long ago. So … what to do?
The Formidable Information Systems Department
Those employees working in the public sector know exactly what I mean by the term “formidable” when it comes to Information Systems (IS) departments. The people there are very territorial (understandably, being entrusted with keeping a myriad of information safe), and also not incredibly patient with non-geeks (“geek” now being a complimentary term). Thus, my first foray into learning a new computer-graphics program from an online course was short-lived. The result was unsuccessful.