To be surprised a woman in her 30s can't use a computer?

[ZenGardener]

I'm on the PTA at DS's pre-school. A woman was asked to be secretary so she would write up meeting minutes and make notices. She says she cannot use a computer so it has been agreed that she will write everything by hand.

I was shocked by this. She can email from her phone so surely typing a document isn't that hard? I really wanted to suggest that she use this as an opportunity to learn but obviously didn't.

She's a nice, normal, middle-class woman in her mid-thirties (I guess).

I just was utterly bewildered by it. Is it common? Perhaps it is? I just can't think of anyone who can't use a computer. It's so easy.

Oh, that reminds me. I once read an interview with Brad Pitt where he said that he and Angelina tried to order something off Amazon once but gave up as it was too difficult.

That really shocked me!

I knew another woman who needed to do something in excel but had never used it before and she taught herself the basics in an afternoon. I will see if I can subtly mention to the PTA Secretary to give it a try but I don't want to offend her.

I've never heard of anyone having an issue with dictation before! Its standard in the professions, its a system of work to fee up very extensively specialised people to producing documents as part of their job very quickly. If secretaries don't type and produce documents, what do they do?

Its nothing to do with typing speed (I temped as a student and can type over 100 wpm (the agency timed me) but have dictated in jobs. Its a system of work, designed to keep fee earners earning fees, not fixing typos, proof reading, saving and opening documents, formatting, etc.. I suspect in Caitlin's case its also to do with billing clients and they wouldn't be too happy to be billed for an hour's work, 30 minutes of which included dealing with a crashed computer, fiddling about with letterheads and addresses and looking up postcodes, and formatting issues. Clients would expect their bill to include secretarial provision.

I've never heard of anyone having an issue with dictation before, either. Very many years ago I did audio typing for the Civil Service. At the time it mainly involved the Special Investigations Officer observing people who were suspected of working whilst claiming benefits. Lots of huffing and puffing whilst he chased them. I managed to produce coherent documents from all of that.

But Melonade - "if secretaries don't type and produce documents what do they do"? Sorry, but ......

Another regrettable clear case of having no clue whatsoever, and feeling completely "superior". Such a pity. I could give you a most enormous list of what secretaries do, other than typing and producing documents. You'd probably nod off in the middle of it, the list is so long.

You sound rather chippy, Evans... as a secretary, I didn't find anything Caitlin said remotely offensive. But then I mainly work for bankers, so I've developed a pretty thick skin

Another regrettable clear case of having no clue whatsoever, and feeling completely "superior". Such a pity. I could give you a most enormous list of what secretaries do, other than typing and producing documents. You'd probably nod off in the middle of it, the list is so long.

No, its not a sign of anything. I am sorry if I gave the impression that secretaries only type. Of course I am aware, having worked in plenty of offices and as a temp myself, that secretaries do not usually only type. However in my line of work, secretaries are always expected to type, along with other duties. It is a prized skill.