Lately I've been involved in a number of discussions about how young people consume information differently from the way old geezers do. For example, in a recent on-stage interview, I listened to two 20-year-old college students sneer at the concept of actually reading books and manuals. They insisted that the proper way to obtain valuable knowledge was to follow links on web pages. If they were really in a pinch, they sent text messages to their friends for quick answers.

I was truly shocked to hear how these two students disdained textbooks and structured learning resources. They didn't have the time or patience to read one page after another to tackle a problem (as a book author intends) — they wanted to go right to the solution and then intuit the theory behind it. So why am I paying hundreds of dollars for my son's college textbooks every semester? Maybe publishers would be better off feeding books to students as text messages on their phones. But I digress.

I'm not saying that unstructured or unconventional ways of gathering information are bad things. I personally am guilty of spending countless hours on the web tracking down fragments of data — and I've learned plenty of interesting things in pursuit of those nuggets. Unlike the students on stage, though, I don't claim to have abandoned linear thinking in lieu of an entirely new way of processing knowledge.

Still, today's generation is indeed creating significant shifts in the way we present the facts. I won't minimize that at all. Some of these changes have the smell of success about them, but some have a more distasteful scent.

Hot: Solving Your Own Problems

I know how to search the Internet and to send/receive text messages, instant messages, and e-mails. Unfortunately, that's just the tip of the iceberg. Young folks have progressed far beyond these simple tools and have innovated in ways and areas I can barely comprehend.

For example, I wouldn't normally think of YouTube as a source for useful information, but apparently there is value to be gleaned there. Similarly, I wouldn't view Wikipedia as a paragon of reliable material, but students frequently turn to it as the de facto starting point for their nonlinear learning treks through the Internet (note to Google — you might want to watch out for this trend).

The biggest area of innovation falls under the umbrella term of "social networking." Two good examples here are Facebook and MySpace — both spots for sharing valuable (and valueless) information with others. Some young people view postings to their Facebook/MySpace page as their hub of communication, superseding the value of e-mail, text messages, and instant messages.

I have nothing but admiration for these new methods of communication and sharing; in my book they're all hot (even if I don't understand them).

Not Hot: Asking Geezers for Help

The most ridiculous idea I've heard in these discussions has been the notion of youths appealing to old fogies to improve existing learning systems. Check out "Shift Happens" on YouTube for an example of this. In this context, the geezers I'm referring to are the adults running our schools, colleges, and governments (no offense to any young people currently engaged in these arenas).

What's ridiculous about the new generation asking the old generation for help? In this case, it's the fact that most old-timers don't have the slightest understanding of the underlying technology of newfangled gizmos. (Before you write a nasty e-mail to me, please note that I said "most," not "all.") Seriously, how can adults make systematic changes when they don't comprehend the science driving the change? This would be like me asking my 82-year-old father-in-law to help me decide which cell phone plan best suits my needs.

Sean Chandler is a computer and network consultant who has nearly 30 years of field experience. Astro, a border collie with more than 40 dog years of data-processing experience, provides technical support to his master, Sean.

Astro's Pick of the Litter

You may recall that my master got his hands on his son's iPhone for a weekend and came away with a so-so opinion of it. I'm here to tell you that his viewpoint did not stop him from purchasing an iPod Touch and then promptly falling in love with it. He uses the iPod Touch like a Swiss Army knife — for e-mail, weather, stock reports, and web browsing in the living room — and then turns off wireless support and uses it for music and video entertainment on the airplane. He loves the multi-touch interface on it. I wish I could say the same, but the iPod can tell the difference between a human finger and a paw — I can't get it do anything!

— Astro