The PERL and the Dragon
Mary Cohen

I started computing on a Dragon 32 at the same time my son was born. At the age of 15 months he first climbed up to the computer and began to copy the instructions he had watched me trying out. He is now 15 and we share a P2 MMX with 6 giga; he also has his own puter in his own room.

The difference between mother and son, teacher and pupil? I am delighted to have gained the status of Webmaster for my school's home page; he is now employed during his holidays as a programmer for our Provider. It has taken me years to conquer html and other simple tricks; he taught himself PERL in three days. I am content to chat on the IRC; he has his own server on the computer we share.

In our home, it is not the teenager who grumbles: "It's not fair" !!! Fifteen years of fighting over computer rights - and now I cannot even pull rank on him - he is much taller than me. I am just proud, so proud of him and all the things he can now teach his mum and his friends.

And so we have come the full circle: I now sit as he sat 15 years ago, intently watching every key-stroke he makes and the results they produce.

"And so the Generation Gap has really turned full swing with kids who know so much about Technology and things. Will the cycle turn again so when I'm old and greyer I might once more hear some kid say: "Mum knows best! Obey her!"?