Medieval Help Desk

Struggles with technology are not new. We sometimes think of wrestling with word processors, spreadsheets, cell phones, ATM machines and other such devices as a new challenge, something that our ancestors did not have to deal with. Not so! In fact, technology has been both a help and a hindrance for centuries.

Beau Sharbrough, Senior Director of Content Strategy and Acquisition at Footnote.com, gave a hilarious and yet serious keynote speech at the recent New England Regional Genealogical Council conference in Hartford, Connecticut. He talked about many topics, including today's technology versus the future and the past. His speech was not recorded, but one example that he used is available online. Click on the icon above to see it

Comments

[Bev Anderson]

This is at least the third time I've seen this video and still I laugh myself silly every time I see it!!! :-) The other times I saw it had Norwegian or Danish subtitles, and this one is in English. (The language spoken is Norwegian or Danish; I don't know which, but I recognize a few words.)

Thanks for letting me laugh myself silly again! :-) Bwahahahaha! :-)

Still giggling.... :-)

[Lee Meade]

I met you 10 years ago in San Francisco at conference with Maureen Pond. I haven't found your newsletter particularly helpful -- until this one. It was great. I will be looking forward to future offerings. I emphasize with you because I publish a newsletter myself: www.meadnewsletter@aol.com. Good luck!

[Geir Thorud]

The video has ben around for a few months on YouTube - a big success - search for "helpdesk". It was produced by NRK, the major Norwegian public broadcaster (www.nrk.no). The names of the comedians are Øystein Bache og Rune Gokstad.

[M. Diane Rogers]

Excellent! Thanks for sharing!
Would love to hear more about Beau Sharbrough's speech too.

[John L. Sullivan]

Thanks for the hilarious video. I would like to hear more about Beau Sharbrough's speech though.

[Ken Sanford]

They are speaking Norwegian. It is definitely not Danish.