WEDNESDAY 18th October 2000

Carol Vorderman

ICT is evolving at a phenomenal rate. Carol Vorderman gives a personal insight into the past, present and future.

I can remember when, (why do I sound like my mother), I was studying for the very first 'O' Level in Computer Studies in 1976, in what was laughingly described as the computer laboratory in a comprehensive school in North Wales.

The computer lab consisted of a load of desks, a blackboard and something resembling a telex machine - no screen, just a glorified keyboard with a roll of printing paper. This amazing thing had no brain, but it was linked up once a week to a computer at the Technical College about 20 miles away.

The lessons were spent writing programs to calculate simple statements in a weird language called CESIL. Once we'd laboriously written out our flowcharts and twenty lines of program, we'd all argue about whose turn it was to type our logical prose into the glorious machine. 'Rattle, whirr, rattle, rattle, beep' - followed by a three foot length of paper tape with holes in it. then at the great moment, we linked up to the Tech, looped in the paper tape and hey presto - wait a whole week for the machine to print out LINE 30 - SYNTAX ERROR

God, it was awful.

So sad were we, that we were actually grateful for Clive Sinclair and his scientific calculators with Polish notation. As the song says, 'things could only get better'.

Of course, at the very same time, a young boy called William Gates was being inspired by a machine, operated with a sequence of switches that had to coded tens of thousands of times in the correct order. One mistake and you had to start all over again. He could see that this was just the beginning and so I think could many others, in spite of the number of times that you could kick the thing where it hurt if only you knew where that spot was.

In those days everyone was hung up about being able to write a program. Now, it's a matter of learning how to use the incredible power that IT is giving us. Our daughter is just six years old and she, like the rest of her generation, simply accepts computers as part of life (no big deal, except that they can't get enough of them). She will be more able to communicate using their techniques than I ever will. the thought of creating an animated sequence using Barbie is just what girls do nowadays - for me, it's beginning to be a big deal.

But with all this comes the need for schools and, of course, teachers to keep up with the needs of their youngsters. I have toured the country visiting schools with different IT capabilities. Indeed, as a former governor of a CTC (whatever the politics were at the time), I have only ever seen the enormous benefit of IT used in the right way to increase grades and confidence in ALL subjects. But I've also seen the massive differences in funding and in training. Computers don't come cheap and training has to be modified constantly. It's not like writing a history curriculum - Henry VIII might have changed his mind a fair few times, but not as often as the computer industry. Every 9 months the power of new machines doubles, and every 63 days the applications on the Web do the same. Current forecasts state that within a few years 25% of Brits and 50% of Americans will be on the Internet. I believe it will happen even faster.

Next year, digital television comes on stream via the BBC and others. With it comes the ability to very cheaply surf the Net. the TV industry doesn't as yet realise what is about to happen - its power is about to be usurped. I have seen prototypes of machines coming on stream next year for about £200; they are just keyboards with processing power which will link up to your television and allow you to surf the Net at any time (as long as you're already hooked upto digital TV). Who's going to want to watch TV? What are youngsters going to do? I know what I would do if I were they.

The drive of IT will probably drive you mad, but there is no escaping it. Where can you get help? From BBC Online, which I love; from BBC Computers Don't Bite: Teachers; from computer magazines, books and don't forget the Internet café if you have one locally, they will often give you a hand with stuff you're stuck on. Failing that, try parents, remember that many of them use computers at work and they may be able to get some bits and pieces for you.

It's been a helluva century but we are facing change now that could not have even been dreamt of before. I'm often asked if I have any regrets. I have just one - I'd love to be six.