Home is where the hardware is

Black Enterprise, March, 1996 by Tariq K. Muhammad

The wealth of information and resources available via the Internet has been of great use to the family. "When we were planning to buy some Disney stock for our children, to tie it in with an upcoming trip to Disney World, I got the name of a discount broker and other pertinent stock information from the Net," says Anita.

Perhaps most importantly, the Johnsons' two oldest daughters, Danae, 6, and Monica, 4, are getting an early exposure to the benefits and capabilities of technology in their everyday lives. They both have the freedom and knowledge to turn on the computer at any time and put in one of their favorite CD-ROMs. Their parents insist it is an experience not to be underestimated. "The computer has definitely facilitated easier and faster learning for our children," says Daniel. "The best part about it is that they don't realize that they're learning. I recognize it absolutely, but they're content to `play' on the computer."

Danae reads well enough to pick out her favorite interactive book, Imo and the King, an African folk tale adventure, while Monica chooses favorites such as Winnie the Pooh by color. The Johnson family library also includes interactive encyclopedias, such as Grolier's and Compton's, that help give the entire family a wider base of knowledge.

The Johnsons are reaping the rewards of being a computer-literate family and believe that it is imperative for all African Americans to be similarly in tune with the technology. "We would encourage all families to get a computer in their home if they can, because without the proper familiarity with computers we [African Americans] will be left behind in the coming years," says Daniel. "Once you get a little involved in the technology, the uses and benefits of it are so overwhelming that you'll get increasingly more involved," adds Anita.

HOME PRODUCTIVITY

Danny and Pamela Creed of the South side of Chicago agree. They also have two home computers. Danny Creed, 39, an electrical engineer, works as a technical manager for AT&T/bell Labs. Pamela, 43, is a vice president at the Hollins Group Inc.--an African American-owned retained executive search firm.

The Creeds have had a home computer for the past seven years. It's become such an integral part of their family life that Pamela says, "I couldn't imagine doing many of the things we do manually, without the ease of a computer."

The main system the family uses is an IBM-compatible 486 DX4120 machine with a double speed CD-ROM drive, 14.4 kbps data/fax modem, a hand-held scanner and a deskjet printer. Their semi-portable second computer is used mainly as a backup or on vacations. The Creeds manage everything from doing their taxes to planning road trips on their home system. To keep track of their finances, the Creeds use Quicken Deluxe 5. The software allows them to maintain their checking and savings accounts as well as keep track of their credit card expenses, and it even prints checks. Using a program called Medical Matters, the Creeds also keep a lid on medical expenses and monitor the actual dollar amount of the coverage they receive from their insurance provider. The software allows them to enter doctor visits and track the money they've spent on doctor bills in one year compared with the amount that was covered by insurance. "With this program, we can find out where every cent was spent and evaluate our insurance plan more effectively," says Danny. Like the Johnsons, the Creeds use Turbo Tax to keep track of their income taxes and returns. It allows them to input the data from the previous year into the current year's tax form, saving time, effort and accounting fees.