Many of us Aspies find ourselves spending a lot of time with computers. This can be due to a number of reasons. Some are particularly good with computers; coding, scripting, diagnostics etc. Others are users, like me; experts in using software for various purposes, or avid gamers or researchers. Computers are logical and hold no surprises, and are a pleasant way to pass time without the hard work of interacting with people. They behave as expected as long as you treat them correctly. Overwhelm them with too much nonsensical data in too frequent tranches and, like Aspies, they will stop normal functioning, at least temporarily. It is not surprising then, that some of us use computing analogies to explain how we gather and process information, and more importantly, what happens when our coping mechanisms fail us.
I have worked with computers since I left school. As a graphics specialist, I rode the incredibly steep curve of technological advances that began in the mid 80's. Many people will remember as clearly as I do, the instability and lack of reliability of the early PC software, hardware and peripherals; the fledgling email systems, compatibility problems, the early Internet, (when search results would number in the tens, not the tens of thousands!) poor processing speeds and the lack of data storage space. My job meant I pushed hardware and software to its limits... The consequent error messages which accompanied the inevitable breakdowns now hold almost legendary status... You can buy t-shirts and other merchandise emblazoned with the messages. They are also, quite conveniently analogous of my own internal systems breakdowns...
The Microsoft fatal error message known as The Blue Screen of Death, for instance: When this error occurred, there was nothing you could do but switch off and hope it would start up again. Like many Aspies, there is a finite amount of data we can process over a given time without 'overloading'. When my own 'internal system' has exceeded its capacity, it can no longer function, I have no choice but to switch off, withdraw from stimulus and wait until I can 're-boot'.
'HTTP Error 404 - File not found' is the message that comes to mind when I look to my 'catalogue of appropriate responses' and the relevant page is missing. For myself, this happens when I have to deal with several stressful social situations within a short time. These situations require intense scrutiny and lightning access to my catalogue but if the page is missing: Error 404 File not found (Having Trouble Talking to People Error: Appropriate response not found).
If software is not functioning as it should, surely and upgrade is in order? So how does this work for Aspies? We cannot upgrade our system, so how do we continue to manage? The answer may lie in our superior data storage capacity. Perhaps the combination of absorbing vast amounts of data and our proclivity for repetitive tasks may lead to faster processing? Either way, it's not an ideal solution and 'meltdowns' continue to occur. So be patient, don't tap the keys angrily or bang the mouse on the desk - sometimes you just need to give the old PC a moment to collect itself and everything will be OK. And yes, I'm still talking about Aspies.
I have worked with computers since I left school. As a graphics specialist, I rode the incredibly steep curve of technological advances that began in the mid 80's. Many people will remember as clearly as I do, the instability and lack of reliability of the early PC software, hardware and peripherals; the fledgling email systems, compatibility problems, the early Internet, (when search results would number in the tens, not the tens of thousands!) poor processing speeds and the lack of data storage space. My job meant I pushed hardware and software to its limits... The consequent error messages which accompanied the inevitable breakdowns now hold almost legendary status... You can buy t-shirts and other merchandise emblazoned with the messages. They are also, quite conveniently analogous of my own internal systems breakdowns...
The Microsoft fatal error message known as The Blue Screen of Death, for instance: When this error occurred, there was nothing you could do but switch off and hope it would start up again. Like many Aspies, there is a finite amount of data we can process over a given time without 'overloading'. When my own 'internal system' has exceeded its capacity, it can no longer function, I have no choice but to switch off, withdraw from stimulus and wait until I can 're-boot'.
'HTTP Error 404 - File not found' is the message that comes to mind when I look to my 'catalogue of appropriate responses' and the relevant page is missing. For myself, this happens when I have to deal with several stressful social situations within a short time. These situations require intense scrutiny and lightning access to my catalogue but if the page is missing: Error 404 File not found (Having Trouble Talking to People Error: Appropriate response not found).
If software is not functioning as it should, surely and upgrade is in order? So how does this work for Aspies? We cannot upgrade our system, so how do we continue to manage? The answer may lie in our superior data storage capacity. Perhaps the combination of absorbing vast amounts of data and our proclivity for repetitive tasks may lead to faster processing? Either way, it's not an ideal solution and 'meltdowns' continue to occur. So be patient, don't tap the keys angrily or bang the mouse on the desk - sometimes you just need to give the old PC a moment to collect itself and everything will be OK. And yes, I'm still talking about Aspies.
