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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, MARCH 30, 1984
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A substantial amount of time is required to learn how to make yourself
more productive by using a computer. A computer will not make you a
better writer or organizer, but it can make the work of writing,
filing, or scheduling easier. If you enjoy writing and keeping your
office files up-to-date already, a computer can make those tasks more
enjoyable. But if those tasks are somewhat frustrating to you now,
the added complexity of learning how to do them using a computer may
frustrate you even more.
2. Never believe what advertisements say without "seeing for yourself."
These ads are written to sell products, and no company is going to
admit its product has weaknesses and another brand is really a better
buy. Terms such as "state-of-the-art," "newest," "best," and "versa
tile," are freely used whether they accurately describe the product or
not.
3. The instruction manuals (documentation) supplied with computer equip
ment and programs are often very technical and sometimes inaccurate.
They usually are not designed as a tutorial for first-time users, so
don't expect to achieve all the benefits promised in the product
advertisements without spending considerable time learning how the
equipment and programs work.
4. Realize that product reviews written by independent third parties will
still reflect the author's background, biases, and ideas--all sub
jective opinions. Look for a short biography of the author to check
whether he/she is qualified to present an "unbiased" evaluation.
5. Use care in attempting to "mix and match" various brands of equipment.
If you have not seen it work, do not assume a different brand of
printer, etc., could be used with your computer just because the
salesman said it could.
At the present time, microcomputers are "hot" iterns.
Without a proper
background, you can end up spending a lot of time and money without really
having a tool that takes care of your needs. If you are desirous of pur
chasing a computer for personal and pastoral use, be prepared to spend a lot
� money and� lot of time. There is no inexpensive way to provide-what
will be necessary.
Advertisements abound for inexpensive microcomputers.
The Sinclair or
Timex 1000, Atari, Texas Instruments TI-99/4A, or the Commodore VIC-20 are
appealing because of their low prices. These are computers, but what you
receive for the price is not a useful tool to help a minister do his job.
They should be viewed as educational tools, not as "business" machines. If
someone is interested in learning about computers and programming, this is
an inexpensive way of expeiimenting. It is not practical to upgrade one of
these computers enough for it to help a minister do his job, so it will pro
bably be replaced or fall into disuse after a short time.
The Timex 1000 is now available in many parts of the U.S. for less than $50,
but don't expect to do word processing for your sermon outlines with it.
Although the price of microcomputers is decreasing, a system with the
necessary features will still probably cost $3,000. If you desire more so
phisticated capabilities, the expense can easily double. Before spending
thousands of dollars, a person should ask whether it will provide an equal
amount of benefits.