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The Computer: Easy to use or a "pain-in-the-neck"/headache? Afraid of them or "computer friendly"? Use one at work and at home? What would happen if we no longer had the use of computers and had to go back to the old way....writing in books/cardex (Accounting, Inventory etc.) and using a typewriter for Reports at work?
Digital Camera's: With computers build into them nowdays, are they easy to learn to use or "just to much" to learn?
Video Camcorders: Same question as the digital cameras
DVD Recorder/Player: Again, same question as above.
Do you feel like you need a Master's Degree to operate one of these above items or are you a fast learner and "electronic friendly"?
What about the "old days" when you could fix your own vehicle or it would cost a lot less.......no computer under the hood.
The wife and I, we love our laptop and desktop, our $600 Digital Camera, our new $800 Mini DVD Disc Video Camcorder and our DVD Recorder/Player. No complaints here.
I think 75% of new technology just satisfies our craving for something new. Only about 25% actually helps reduce workloads, fulfills a need, or makes life easier/more enjoyable.
example: at my job they want to give us PDAs (similar to palm pilots). Most of my work currently needs to be written or typed out in a narrative format, whereas PDAs are good for work that can be set up as a database with options to select. I explained that to our tech guy, and he said, "No problem, we can hook up your PDA to a keyboard." Now how is that different than the computer sitting on my desk? lol
I think 75% of new technology just satisfies our craving for something new. Only about 25% actually helps reduce workloads, fulfills a need, or makes life easier/more enjoyable.
example: at my job they want to give us PDAs (similar to palm pilots). Most of my work currently needs to be written or typed out in a narrative format, whereas PDAs are good for work that can be set up as a database with options to select. I explained that to our tech guy, and he said, "No problem, we can hook up your PDA to a keyboard." Now how is that different than the computer sitting on my desk? lol
I just think that the more complicated something becomes, the more easily something goes wrong. I purposely bought a basic washer and dryer with basic traditional controls because I knew I could depend on it whereas I figure with all the fancy gadgets I don't need, it would be requiring a call for repair within a year. I love computers and though I'm no expert, I would chuck all my books, tv, and other sources if faced with a choice between those and my laptop On the other hand, I don't like too many technologically complex things in my house. I wouldn't want some computer controlling my lights, water heater, monitoring my refrigerated items to tell me when I'm running out of something, etc. I don't trust technology in that sense and want to maintain my freedom of choice. I also read today about a car that parks itself..no thanks. It kind of reminds me of when I do a google search, type in what I want to search, and then Google will ask me if I really meant something else which often makes no sense. I hate that! Look what happened in Hawaii when the power went out...life stopped. We're too dependent. It also took me two months to figure out how to use my Dish Satellite remote control! I was recording stuff automatically and I had no idea how that got set up or how to stop it..it was by trial and error I figured it out. So... I love my laptop/pc and my cellphone. I don't use a digital camera...too much trouble. My cellphone camera is so easy. I don't use IPods and that kind of stuff, or a blackberry...no interest. And any company that I discover is inserting RFID transmitters into its products or clothing, like WalMart wanted to do and is doing for inventory control... I won't buy any item embedded with RFID transmitters or chips. But... I remain hopeful for future technology and can't believe how vastly changed the world is from even 15 years ago. It creeps up on you and you don't notice the extent of change...until you remember back and jeepers, it's phenomenal!
I have probably most of the electronics that are out there, except a plasma tv (next tv), pda (no use for one), or laptop (next computer buy.) I don't have sirus satalite in my cars but I do have alpine mp3 players in them that controls my ipod. I love them all and have no problem figuring them out. I have had to read the instructional manual on my camera and on adobe photoshop. They are not necessaties but useful still and I wouldn't want to do without.
This is our second digital camera. Use to have an Olympus 3040z that we bought in Feb. 2002. After using it a few times and really learning more and more about it, I decided that I would never go back to an regular camera. We love the fact that we can take photos, review them on the computer and burn to a CD the ones we want. I made 21 CD's of photos with that camera, averaging 100 to 150 photos per CD.........and we don't even have kids. We sold the Olympus and for Christmas last year, bought a nice Panasonic digital. Much, much better than the old Olympus we had. We absolutely love the way pics come out with this camera......and I'm still learning more and more on how to use it. Same thing goes for our new Sony DVD disc video camera......we love it. Much better than the old Sony "cassette" type video camera we had. We have Sirus radio in our Durango and love it also.
The wife and I use a computer all day at work and use the laptop and desktop at home all the time also. Games, photos, Internet research......whatever. Wouldn't go without any of this stuff. We do love our electronics.
What would happen if we no longer had the use of computers and had to go back to the old way....
Been there, done that. It happened at 7:07A Sunday October 15 2006.
All electric out by 8:10A and was out till 0:30A Monday. Traffic lights out most of the day Monday, police on the OT directing traffic. Had to open me soup with a knife and hammer. Cold supper...
It is not the electronics part of the equation that is the problem. The electronics part is doing what is always has done. Becoming more powerful and getting smaller / cheaper with each generation.
The problems with modern electronics stems back to humans, mostly those not technically versed who attempt to control other human activity and make money in ways maybe not intended by the design of the electronics.
The technical side of the equation seems to have lost the trust of the final user. I am an electrical engineer, been a technician, programmer, etc, been around the technical side all my adult life. But I too, no longer trust much of the hardware or computers or technican stuff. Too much stuff that is out of a personal form of control and especially in computers and the Web, with abilities to gather information and relay it without the users knowledge. Some of those capabilities being built in by the manufacturer / software developers which are totally adverse to the final user.
This problem first reared its head when electronics became so complicated that specialized fields where required. I was a Navy ET back when one person could understand most of what was available. It is the removal of control by the final user without ethics or a system of controls that prevents use of a product resulting in an intended negative manner from the user point of view.
Having served in the submarine force, I know all about having reliable backup systems. Everything is relative in terms of technology. Many types of technology are reliable until subverted by humans. Modern submarines use a far different approach to achieve something reliable from my days. It is not the technology it is the human misuse of technology that causes problems.
Especially when that technology is not controlled by some sort of ethical system than allows a control and understanding method to the user because the principals of the technology can far exceed what any one person or even a well trained group can handle. It is the misuse to spy, control, get economic advantage and manipulate human actions that is the real threat. Not the technology itself. It is still nice to have a back up system for everything in your personal life that is totally independent from the technology level you cannot personally understand or fix.
You have a subset problem with the modern technology. Some of it apparently now violates the law of solid state electronics that has a super long life once it gets beyond the burn in phase. A lot of the "Touch Control Panels" and the like fail at rates far beyond a electro-mechanical system. This idea of building in a "Weak Link" and the replacement parts being so expensive you must scrap the whole equipment. Comes a bit full circle, build something not designed to be repaired and ask people to trust it as if it had the promised features. Again the mistrust of modern systems is warranted, but it is primarily a human problem. Create the weak link part so cheap and test it so poorly that it will probably give the result is a human decision.
I now tend to trust Old Stuff, I am not the first to rush out and buy anything new. A lot of the stuff, I wonder why do I even need it. Don't have a lot of it and my quality of live doesn't suffer. I do have manual can openers and will design in backup utilities into my new house. I had the ability in my old home to be totally independent of the outside World for very long periods. Nope, I do not trust modern electronics with anything very critical and I trust the humans who design and sell it, even less.
What is really "something" is when people complain about how slow their computer is, how it's not functioning right and that old statement "how did I ever get a virus???".
A lot of times, it's not the computer that is a fault, it is the operator. They don't get Virus Definition Updates, they don't run Virus Scan, they don't clear any "crap" off of their computer, they don't defrag. The download stuff from the Internet that can cause their computer to "crash". And then they wonder/complain they have problems. Dah!!!!!!!!!
Do the recommended maintenance on the computer, like you would on your car. Should have very little problems.
What is really "something" is when people complain about how slow their computer is, how it's not functioning right and that old statement "how did I ever get a virus???".
A lot of times, it's not the computer that is a fault, it is the operator. They don't get Virus Definition Updates, they don't run Virus Scan, they don't clear any "crap" off of their computer, they don't defrag. The download stuff from the Internet that can cause their computer to "crash". And then they wonder/complain they have problems. Dah!!!!!!!!!
Do the recommended maintenance on the computer, like you would on your car. Should have very little problems.
Go here and get CCleaner. It is free. Great lil utility. You can even delete Index.dat which is very deeply buried file that tracks everywhere your computer has ever been. Over time that eats up a lot of hard drive space. Just this one utiltiy with a few others can keep your computer in tip top shape.
Index.dat will be tagged to delete on your next computer reboot. Very difficult thing to do with any other method. I don't use it to control Cookies, as there are some I wish to keep. I use a Cookie Manager for that function. Never found another program that will do so much, use it just about daily.
I dislike all this newer technology,its TOO SMALL and HARD TO USE......
I prefer the bigger stuff we had in the 80s,etc.......
What ever happend to the good days??
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On the other hand, I don't like too many technologically complex things in my house. I wouldn't want some computer controlling my lights, water heater, monitoring my refrigerated items to tell me when I'm running out of something, etc. I don't trust technology in that sense and want to maintain my freedom of choice. I also read today about a car that parks itself..no thanks. It kind of reminds me of when I do a google search, type in what I want to search, and then Google will ask me if I really meant something else which often makes no sense. I hate that! Look what happened in Hawaii when the power went out...life stopped. We're too dependent. It also took me two months to figure out how to use my Dish Satellite remote control! I was recording stuff automatically and I had no idea how that got set up or how to stop it..it was by trial and error I figured it out. So... I love my laptop/pc and my cellphone. I don't use a digital camera...too much trouble. My cellphone camera is so easy. I don't use IPods and that kind of stuff, or a blackberry...no interest. And any company that I discover is inserting RFID transmitters into its products or clothing, like WalMart wanted to do and is doing for inventory control... I won't buy any item embedded with RFID transmitters or chips. But... I remain hopeful for future technology and can't believe how vastly changed the world is from even 15 years ago. It creeps up on you and you don't notice the extent of change...until you remember back and jeepers, it's phenomenal!
What if - the world stopped.
I don't think the electronics are the problem
