What are some things you learned in school that are now irrelevant due to technology?

[steppinthrax]

Example,

1. How to use the card catalog.
2. How to format a letter (modified block margin, block margin), most modern word processing application does this for you.

 

[guyver01]

how to add, subtract, multiply, divide

 

[venkman]

Cursive

 

[Locut0s]

Cursive

I still default to writing in cursive the rare time that I do write by hand.

 

[Locut0s]

how to add, subtract, multiply, divide

Agreed. I was always fairly good at math, very good grades and loved the subject, but sucked at basic arithmetic.

 

[Locut0s]

How to form human relationships.

 

[guyver01]

sucked at basic arithmetic.

Basic Arithmetic is a lost art.

I was in the store the other day... bought something that came to $2.83.. gave the clerk a $20... and they had to whip out the calculator to figure out change.

 

[edro]

Square dancing

 

[Zedtom]

I learned in my American Government class that our country has important secret documents that are so classified and protected that there is no way that someone without the proper credentials can access them. This was to protect us from godless communists that might try to steal them.

 

[steppinthrax]

Here's another

- Spellcheck

 

[reallyscrued]

Basic Arithmetic is a lost art.

I was in the store the other day... bought something that came to $2.83.. gave the clerk a $20... and they had to whip out the calculator to figure out change.

That may be a bad example of when basic arithmetic should be used but isn't. Say perhaps the cashier didn't want to make a mistake crunching the numbers in his/her head and deal with an angry customer afterward. Better safe than sorry in the business world.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Many things -- how to balance a checkbook, the card catalog, etc. I'd say basic math is still important.

A few years ago, I went to Arby's at lunch. The bill was something like $5.17 and I gave the lady a $10. She could not figure out how much change to give me. She turned and asked her manager, and he said "Give him 4 ones, 3 quarters, a nickel, and 3 pennies." She turned back to me and forgot what he said and got so frustrated she literally grabbed a fistful of change and gave it to me. It was really sad.

 

[zerocool84]

Basic Arithmetic is a lost art.

I was in the store the other day... bought something that came to $2.83.. gave the clerk a $20... and they had to whip out the calculator to figure out change.

You must shop at some old places. I don't think I've ever seen any register that doesn't automatically tell you how much change you need to give back. Even ghetto places have the modern cash registers.

 

[JD50]

Many things -- how to balance a checkbook, the card catalog, etc. I'd say basic math is still important.

A few years ago, I went to Arby's at lunch. The bill was something like $5.17 and I gave the lady a $10. She could not figure out how much change to give me. She turned and asked her manager, and he said "Give him 4 ones, 3 quarters, a nickel, and 3 pennies." She turned back to me and forgot what he said and got so frustrated she literally grabbed a fistful of change and gave it to me. It was really sad.

Was the cash register broken?

 

[steppinthrax]

You must shop at some old places. I don't think I've ever seen any register that doesn't automatically tell you how much change you need to give back. Even ghetto places have the modern cash registers.

That is based on accountability and accuracy, not because someone doesn’t know how to make change. I would say the error rate for calculating in a human is far greater than a computer.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Was the cash register broken?

No -- it gave her the total to give me ($4.83). She did not know how to make the change.

 

[shortylickens]

Card catalog, microfiche. Apple II GS.
Cursive. I only need it to sign my name and that happens so rarely I worry I might forget how.

Most everything else I still use. Got a much better education in Minnesota than many folks get.

 

[eldorado99]

Slide rule.

 

[JD50]

No -- it gave her the total to give me ($4.83). She did not know how to make the change.

Oh, you said "she didn't know how much change to give me". In that case it's even worse, lol.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Oh, you said "she didn't know how much change to give me". In that case it's even worse, lol.

Yeah, I misspoke. The total was on the screen but she didn't know how to make it. That's when she called the manager, he looked, and said "Give him x, y, and z coins."

 

[KeithTalent]

Personal skills.

KT

 

[PowerEngineer]

Fortran :'(

 

[iGas]

Abacus.

 

[SandEagle]

how to add, subtract, multiply, divide

ever see American Desi?

"Let's add you and me, subtract your clothes, divide your legs and multiply"

 

[TheLonelyPhoenix]

Outside of the obvious computer stuff... library card catalog and letter formatting jump to mind.