Technology Review August 8, 2003,
By Simson Garfinkel.
Is there a Ònet generation,Ó a “Generation N,” that grew up immersed in digital technology and is naturally adept and comfortable with technology?
Alas, this is yet another myth that overlooks the millions of kids who do not have Internet access, do not have a high school diploma, argues Simson Garfinkel who is a Technology Review columnist and author of 12 books on computing, including Database Nation. The problem? a nation that increasingly assumes that the ‘net is better for everyone. As Garfinkel says,

… weÕre rebuilding our society in ways that make things increasingly difficult for people who arenÕt online. For example, people who donÕt want to (or canÕt) buy their airplane tickets on the Web now typically have to wait on hold for 30 minutes with the airline or go through a travel agent and pay an agency feeÑsometimes as much as $50. When I needed to renew my passport, the local post office didnÕt have the form: they told me to download it from the Internet.

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