Bit Literacy added January 22, 2011

Bit Literacy deals with two things: the context (one of information overload, perpetually increasing data, and the importance of individual users) and the method (a system for managing incoming e-mail, todos, media content, photos, computer files, and more).

Most people do not know how to use computers effectively and frequently lack the intellectual framework for effectively operating them. Computers are essentially information systems; fail to grasp effective methods for managing information, and you will be immensely frustrated.

What are some of the problems behind chronic information overload? Computers offer the illusion of infinite space. It is possible to store a theoretically unlimited amount of information, and capacity is continuously expanding. With this proliferation of data, filing is key; effective approaches to organizing computer data empower users to deal with large numbers of files, but inefficient systems will result in frustration and ineffectiveness. It is better to have higher-quality data than to have merely more data, and understanding how to realize the creation of high-quality data sets is essential to bit literacy.

Some applications and services simplify management of data, but many of them also lock users into storing their information in proprietary systems. The software industry is so dynamic and technological evolution so unpredictable that closed systems should be carefully avoided. For this reason, it is important to have an effective mechanism for dealign with the file system and with files themselves; programs for managing libraries of documents and images can make file administration easier, but skill in file and folder management will empower unrivaled freedom and possibility.

Do you struggle in using your computer? Do you battle your e-mail inbox? Is your files system a mess? Do you not know exactly where to find files you may have saved on a particular topic? If so, you need to read and implement the lessons of Bit Literacy.