So I received a work order yesterday through OnForce (a marketplace that connects buyers and sellers of technology services), and the description of the work order was "Installation of Cisco 1721". I've never actually installed a Cisco router, but when I read the description of the work order, it sounded like all I needed to do was connect the CAT5 cables from the telco box to the DSU/CSU, and then from the DSU/CSU to the Cisco router, and finally to the switch. It sounded pretty easy for $100, so I accepted it. Now I really hate going to a job and not having any idea what things look like, and I wasn't even sure what a DSU/CSU was, so I used my favorite tool: Google!
Sure enough, in less than 45 seconds I had complete instructions, with pictures, of what I'd be doing. I did a quick Google search for "define: DSU/CSU" to learn what it was, and that completed my short research for what I needed to know to complete this job, which by the way, is located in the new Applebee's in Chelmsford.
This lead me to think about how I was using Google as quick learning tool, pulling on the enormous resources of the web. I recall a scene from The Matrix movie, when Trinity "downloads" instructions on how to fly a military helicopter, and within a few seconds she knows everything she needs to know.
With good searching techniques, fast learning abilities, and easy access to a huge database of wealth, is there a limit to how much an individual can be capable of learning?