Technologies Negative Impact on Memory and the Inevitability of Singularity.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan

I think you do too (your profile image screams magician! or.. monkey ats paratrooper?)

Honestly, computers can't do EVERYTHING. Doing things by hand or mentally is sometimes useful. For example, I don't carry a calculator with me in the store. So sometimes I have to add prices. I'm not all that good at it and often wish I had a calculator, but maybe if I shopped more...

Do cashiers really have to be good with adding and subtracting? Or does the machine do it? From what I can tell, some of them have to split the money themselves and count the change. I may be wrong, but cashiers are probably good at keeping track of how much they spend while shopping.

I think I'm always the last one to figure out how much change is left or how much I owe. But I cringe when I see people doing their bills on the countertop. I say "There're programs for that."

Some people are just uncomfortable with using a computer too. Or it hurts to sit down or something. Especially older people. And it can be hard to read the screen. And it's confusing, at first. Still, when I look at the forms that're filled out and the calculations required, I can't help but think it would be easier to type it all in and do the checkboxes and fill in the lines and then have the program do the actual math. This way you can keep a digital record as well as a copy (print it) in a drawer. But then again, you also might double-check the computer which means you have to know the math...

reply to post by jonnywhite


There are math tricks you have to use. You also need to know what is taxable and what isn't. I haven't done a cashiering job since i was 19 (im 40 now). But I can certainly estmate my grocery ticket to within about 2 bucks, regardless of how much i buy.

It is all about estimating, and keeping track of partial dollar amounts as you add up what you got.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan

Ya I do hte estimating too. Add up the dollars. Estimate the change...

But need more effort to be exact and sometime it's useful if your budget is limited.