Ang theses ko ay…
It’s a fine Sunday afternoon. And here I am, slaving over my computer, trying to beat deadlines and meetings to finish my theses. I find myself in a contemplative mood, knowing I am really lucky when it comes to writing my theses now. I have a fast and reliable computer, the internet is just a keypad away, my references are well organized into a database and should I need any software, it is freely available on the web.
I do remember writing my undergraduate theses. Yes, may computer na that time. I remember renting a computer at Prologue and getting the hang of using a computer. I was so afraid I might mess my work or delete files or even just to turn on a computer. Plus the fact that I have to learn Wordstar and no mouse yet. Had to memorize some commands to make it easier for me write. Control + J to justify, control + C to center, etc… Wala pang shutdown ang computers noon. And the floppy disk! I was at the tail end of the 5.25 inch floppy’s popularity then I got the 3.5 inch diskette too. And of course, I can photocopy my references and peruse them at my leisure in the dorm. And the printer was dot matrix pa. No laser printers yet. Those were the days. I made the poll below just before writing this. So perhaps I should have added the type of printing available then. Well oh well…
Just think, if typewriters and computers were not available, the theses must have been handwritten. This is something I want to find out if I get the chance to go to the library (the UPLB library that is, the internet is my library these days). Or perhaps typewriters have always been available since then. And how about finding references? Di pa uso and xerox machine. Perhaps, wala pa. Now, I don’t need to leave my desk if I need a reference.
Things were harder then. Things are certainly easier now. No matter, it’s quality that matter. UPLB still produces outstanding graduates, then and now. So please answer the poll below and make my Sunday! Reminiscence, err, comments would be very welcome.
Oh, I don’t know how to center this poll… Di umuubra ang control + J 
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On a trip with your baby? Don’t forget to bring a disposable diaper or more for your baby’s and your convenience!
Stumble It!
September 9th, 2006 at 1:27 pm
yeap, i belonged to the typewriter era. where carrying a portable 3kg typewriter is today’s version of a laptop. people in the office are amazed by the speed at which i swish my way through the keyboard and i always tell them… nung nasa lb ako, nagtatype ako ng thesis ko ng nakapikit ang mata sa super antok. that was the discipline, rigour and pursuit of excellence that the professors engrained in our heads.
and tama ka na naman…xerox was expensive at kung may pera ka, nagpapatype ka sa grove at 25 cents per page. ingat ka nga lang sa spelling…lumulundag daliri ng mga typists…
October 2nd, 2006 at 9:53 am
ako naman po ay computerrized na. windows na ang os. inkjet na printer ko. pero kapg graphics ang printout hindi pa gaanong maganda, hindi pa picture ang quality, pero ok na rin. tapos ang mahal mahal pa ng ink dati, wala pa yatang refilling station. meron akong nabili na do-it-yourself na refill, tumagas naman. sayang lang pera. by the way, ilang mga thesis din ang nakinabang sa computer at printer ko. at sila na ang bumili ng ink kapalit ng paggamit. ok na rin. natulungan ko sila, matulungan din naman ako. mura lang naman kuryente nung 1999.
October 3rd, 2006 at 4:58 am
Ako, thesis ko was written in 1989, 1990. 90 grad ako. Wordstar pa ang bida nuon. Halfway through writing it in Wordstar, dinemonyo ako ng kaibigan ko and had me shift to MS Word. Leche. It was not a good time to be experimenting with software lalu na’t trying to beat a deadline. My thesis was on Los Banos Residents’ Awareness, Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (AKAP)of Herbal Medicine. Thesis to graduate sa UP Mass Comm, sa Diliman. Other than that Diliman stint, I grew up and went to school sa LB — Maquiling and UP Rural High.