[Infowarrior] - Google CEO urges grads: 'Turn off your computer'

Thu May 21 00:10:26 UTC 2009

Google CEO urges grads: 'Turn off your computer'

By KATHY MATHESON – 2 days ago

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hk2_X3Te8xchIOsJ49yZovHTRzvgD988S7900

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The head of the world's most popular search engine  
urged college graduates on Monday to step away from the virtual world  
and make human connections.

Speaking at the University of Pennsylvania's commencement, Google  
chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt told about 6,000 graduates that they  
need to find out what is most important to them — by living analog for  
a while.

"Turn off your computer. You're actually going to have to turn off  
your phone and discover all that is human around us," Schmidt said.  
"Nothing beats holding the hand of your grandchild as he walks his  
first steps."

Schmidt, who holds a doctorate from the University of California at  
Berkeley, also received an honorary doctor of science degree at the  
ceremony. Penn President Amy Gutmann cited Schmidt's "manifold  
contributions to putting the world at humanity's fingertips."

"You have devoted your career to heralding a new age of learning  
empowered by technology," Gutmann said.

It was Schmidt's second honorary degree in as many days. On Sunday, he  
received one at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, where he  
delivered a similar speech.

At Penn, Schmidt noted the Ivy League school played a key role in the  
technological industry by creating ENIAC, one of the world's first  
electronic computers, in 1946.

"Literally everything that you see — every computer, every mobile  
phone, every device — descends from the principles that were invented  
right here," Schmidt said.

In the next 10 years, he predicted, technology will advance to the  
point where it will be possible to have 85 years worth of video on the  
equivalent of iPod.

He also urged graduates not to lay out a rigid path for themselves.  
Rewards will gravitate to those who make mistakes and learn from them,  
Schmidt said.

"You can't plan innovation or inspiration, but you can be ready for  
it, and when you see it you can jump on it and you can make a  
difference," he said.

The Class of 2009 is graduating in a tough economic climate, but such  
downturns can be a time for innovation, Schmidt said. He noted that  
Rice Krispies, Twinkies and beer cans were all products of the Great  
Depression — not to mention staples of college life.

He playfully compared today's "Google and Facebook generation" to his  
own: cell phones vs. phone booths, Wii vs. Pong, blogs vs. newspapers,  
Red Bull vs. Tang.

Perhaps most notably, Schmidt said, members of his generation spent  
all their time trying to hide their most embarrassing moments. Today's  
generation records and posts all those moments on YouTube, he said,  
drawing laughter from the crowd.

"And I am looking forward to watching these for the next 30 or 40  
years," Schmidt said.