It's so reassuring to know that it's not just me. Among other things, it's nice to know that others also find the predicted text on the cellphone as useless as I do.
I recently re-read Agatha Christie's "Destination Unknown," about a creepy attempt to corral "the brains" of the world into a power base. When she wrote it, the U.S. had recently deployed the atom bomb, so I guess there was a sense that scientists, while very smart, are sometimes scary-smart, and I guess Christie was trying to work through some of that in this book.
I sometimes get an eerily similar feeling from Silicon Valley today -- that they regard themselves as "the brains" and everyone else has to live/put up with whatever brilliant scheme they come up with. For some reason, they never notice how faulty their plans and systems are. Breaking up the monopolies might go a long way towards fracturing the illusion that they're running some kind of master-of-the-universe power base over there.
Breaking up the giants and a return to pre-Reagan tax rates would get us first world health care and infrastructure and get us to net zero emissions, but they're going to watch us die from Mars.
At least they won’t have to talk to anyone while they’re up there? Oh wait they still will because none of their systems actually work (for better or for worse).
I hope they all get eaten by a Brontoroc. (watch Don't Look Up if you don't get that. It can be tedious at times, but some parts are brilliantly funny)
Holy shit, that's right!!! I remember you programming in your room at Grammy's house! It was very simple... Almost like a choose your own adventure book! 😂 But you showed me and I was amazed!!!! Wow... That's so crazy... I forgot about that!!
I didn't get my own until 1983, but I'm pretty sure I used a friend's or Atari 800 in 1979 which made me want one. But yeah it's a bit of a stretch, I didn't program in BASIC until 1982 on the DEC Terminals in middle school.
I'll limit myself to the self check-out issue. I may have NEVER used one; if I have it's only once or twice. There are many reasons for my aversion, some more rational than others.
But at most supermarkets, there's usually one clerk whose task is cajole customers into using them. It's pointless to explain my refusal. These people are almost always teens, and I can't say "I'm making your job more difficult now, to make sure you will still have a job five years from now". What young person wants to envision a future in low-wage retail?
So I refuse as politely as possible, but I still feel like an obnoxious crank in these situations 😨
Sometimes I try to tell servers to pretend I don't have a phone, and they tell me I'm screwed. Next time I'm going to show up with cash and tell them if they don't provide a menu I'll mock them to my 500,000 imaginary Tiktok followers. Then they'll find a menu.
See, I really *DO* leave my phone at home as much as possible, so there are times where I've had to leave a restaurant because there was no physical menu. Most of the time, however, they manage to find one, or else pull up an online menu and show it to me on a tablet.
In a typical response to your post, I kept trying to leave a comment and substack made me click in a box, send me a link, click that link, go to a different screen that says it's sending me another link, and finally I get to write that YES, ALL THIS IS 100% HOW I FEEL! I'm not downloading a goddamn menu for an airport meal that I won't use again. Was putting a menu on paper placemats that hard?
I hear you. The last time it did that to make me leave a comment, I decided it wasn't worth it. Another favorite is using voice commands for anything, it often takes 3x as long as doing it manually.
Did I read it incorrectly, or did you say you've been using computers for 6 decades? I mean, I will not argue that you were one of the first people on the Internet.... I can still remember standing over your shoulder, listening to the dial up... And you showing me how you were in a "room" with someone from California. Lol .. but, you're only 52. And unless you started working at 12..... 🤔
The Luddites warned about this such a long time ago -- it was never about being anti-tech; it was about crappy tech being used to replace workers and make cheaper, shoddier products so a few people could get ever-wealthier.
I'm with you on every single one of these, though I don't use google for browsing or mapping anymore anyway. Related to QR code menus is now they ask for your phone number if you're waiting so they may text you. Even though odds are you are waiting five feet away.
It's so reassuring to know that it's not just me. Among other things, it's nice to know that others also find the predicted text on the cellphone as useless as I do.
I recently re-read Agatha Christie's "Destination Unknown," about a creepy attempt to corral "the brains" of the world into a power base. When she wrote it, the U.S. had recently deployed the atom bomb, so I guess there was a sense that scientists, while very smart, are sometimes scary-smart, and I guess Christie was trying to work through some of that in this book.
I sometimes get an eerily similar feeling from Silicon Valley today -- that they regard themselves as "the brains" and everyone else has to live/put up with whatever brilliant scheme they come up with. For some reason, they never notice how faulty their plans and systems are. Breaking up the monopolies might go a long way towards fracturing the illusion that they're running some kind of master-of-the-universe power base over there.
Breaking up the giants and a return to pre-Reagan tax rates would get us first world health care and infrastructure and get us to net zero emissions, but they're going to watch us die from Mars.
At least they won’t have to talk to anyone while they’re up there? Oh wait they still will because none of their systems actually work (for better or for worse).
I hope they all get eaten by a Brontoroc. (watch Don't Look Up if you don't get that. It can be tedious at times, but some parts are brilliantly funny)
Oh I had forgotten about that! Yeah I’m pretty sure there are plenty of Brontorocs out there of one kind or another.
Holy shit, that's right!!! I remember you programming in your room at Grammy's house! It was very simple... Almost like a choose your own adventure book! 😂 But you showed me and I was amazed!!!! Wow... That's so crazy... I forgot about that!!
You were on a computer in the 70’s????? Now you're just lying. Lmao
I didn't get my own until 1983, but I'm pretty sure I used a friend's or Atari 800 in 1979 which made me want one. But yeah it's a bit of a stretch, I didn't program in BASIC until 1982 on the DEC Terminals in middle school.
So much to agree with here!
I'll limit myself to the self check-out issue. I may have NEVER used one; if I have it's only once or twice. There are many reasons for my aversion, some more rational than others.
But at most supermarkets, there's usually one clerk whose task is cajole customers into using them. It's pointless to explain my refusal. These people are almost always teens, and I can't say "I'm making your job more difficult now, to make sure you will still have a job five years from now". What young person wants to envision a future in low-wage retail?
So I refuse as politely as possible, but I still feel like an obnoxious crank in these situations 😨
Sometimes I try to tell servers to pretend I don't have a phone, and they tell me I'm screwed. Next time I'm going to show up with cash and tell them if they don't provide a menu I'll mock them to my 500,000 imaginary Tiktok followers. Then they'll find a menu.
See, I really *DO* leave my phone at home as much as possible, so there are times where I've had to leave a restaurant because there was no physical menu. Most of the time, however, they manage to find one, or else pull up an online menu and show it to me on a tablet.
You are my hero.
Not All Heroes Eat Crepes...or Heroes.
In a typical response to your post, I kept trying to leave a comment and substack made me click in a box, send me a link, click that link, go to a different screen that says it's sending me another link, and finally I get to write that YES, ALL THIS IS 100% HOW I FEEL! I'm not downloading a goddamn menu for an airport meal that I won't use again. Was putting a menu on paper placemats that hard?
I hear you. The last time it did that to make me leave a comment, I decided it wasn't worth it. Another favorite is using voice commands for anything, it often takes 3x as long as doing it manually.
Did I read it incorrectly, or did you say you've been using computers for 6 decades? I mean, I will not argue that you were one of the first people on the Internet.... I can still remember standing over your shoulder, listening to the dial up... And you showing me how you were in a "room" with someone from California. Lol .. but, you're only 52. And unless you started working at 12..... 🤔
70s, 80s,90s, 00s,10s, 20s. Six 😜
The Luddites warned about this such a long time ago -- it was never about being anti-tech; it was about crappy tech being used to replace workers and make cheaper, shoddier products so a few people could get ever-wealthier.
And they turned their name practically into a slur.
I'm with you on every single one of these, though I don't use google for browsing or mapping anymore anyway. Related to QR code menus is now they ask for your phone number if you're waiting so they may text you. Even though odds are you are waiting five feet away.
At the airport they want everything done on a phone. Soon that'll be the passport.