Ask HN: What things has tech made worse in your life? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: What things has tech made worse in your life?

#431

Post by lgrialn » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 10:24 PM UTC

TchoBeer wrote: post #202

jacquesm wrote: post #29

I think there is an 'optimum' level for technology of all kinds, below that you really want more and it is clear that there is room for improvement. But once the optimum has been reached any further additions will degrade the experience. Examples: Car controls: pre: direct taps and gauges plumbed into engine parts and such, real switches and levers. optimum: does what it should, not more, not less, more reliable than…

Do you recognize that this is subjective? YouTube is way better than TV, imo.

When I go to youtube, I'm looking for something.

But I will see the front page of crap in my peripheral vision and wonder about the millions of people who click on that garbage. Sometimes I'll even look at the names for a second and think how it's the same few names always, and how crazy that they somehow get all the attention in the world for some nonsense.

For that matter, now I see people use the word "influencer" as if it sounds perfectly respectable to them, and it shocks me every time.

Re: Ask HN: What things has tech made worse in your life?

#432

Post by donmcronald » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 10:24 PM UTC

mrjay42 wrote: post #80

Globally: Having to create accounts for everything. And thus, having passwords, public keys, private keys, password managers, etc. etc. Subscriptions for almost anything: "I don't want to subscribe to your service, I want to buy a product and never hear from you ever again" Still WAY too much "white background" everywhere -> it hurts my eyes...how are we still having WHITE backgrounds??? Spending WAY too much time ch…

> Globally: Having to create accounts for everything. And thus, having passwords, public keys, private keys, password managers, etc. etc.

I have 592 passwords in my password manager :-(

Re: Ask HN: What things has tech made worse in your life?

#433

Post by lotsofpulp » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 10:25 PM UTC

recursive wrote: post #405

lotsofpulp wrote: post #271

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do you tolerate that? "Old kind" light switches are plentiful, as are sliding dimmer, probably multiple kinds at local hardware stores and certainly online. Takes 10 minutes and a screwdriver and maybe a couple wire nuts to replace.

Because I don't think the old kind could communicate with my fancy-ass ceiling fan assembly? I'm actually not sure.

Yes, if you are currently using a remote for the ceiling fan/light assembly because you do not have a 3 conductor wire from the switch to the fan, then it would be impossible.

Re: Ask HN: What things has tech made worse in your life?

#434

Post by lobocinza » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 10:27 PM UTC

distantaidenn wrote: post #181

lobocinza wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ads are pointless. No matter how much human capital was invested in making targeted ads possible, only very rarely I see something that I might be interested in buying. And I can't remember a thing that I bought due to ads. They are a better signal of what to not buy.

Buying the product is the primary goal, but they don't expect you to act right away. It's about impressions. You see 1000 Coke ads and product placements a year. When you finely decide you want a sweet fizzy drink, well the decision has already been made for you.

It can backfire. Recently Coke pushed a cringe ad to Twitch and I have seem a lot of people in a diverse set of channels complaining about "not being able to tank the Coke ad". The impression left not always is positive for the brand. Even Jesus, the best brand ever, couldn't please everyone. But I see myself still being influenced by impressions left decades ago in my mind when I used to watch TV as a kid. And smart kids nowadays probably use an ad blocker but there wasn't much they could do to avoid it in my age.

Re: Ask HN: What things has tech made worse in your life?

#435

Post by kzzzznot » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 10:41 PM UTC

distantaidenn wrote: post #195

TchoBeer wrote: post #190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would be very, very surprised if this sort of subliminal effect was strong enough to make advertising worth it.

I've had some work in this field -- it is as far as the marketing teams are concerned. One of my previous employers (international mega company) spent millions on advertisements each month, with no clear way to measure their direct impact. But they did it for the impressions.

Luigi’s Pizzeria hires three teenagers to hand out coupons to passersby. After a few weeks of flyering, one of the three turns out to be a marketing genius. Customers keep showing up with coupons distributed by this particular kid. The other two can’t make any sense of it: how does he do it? When they ask him, he explains: "I stand in the waiting area of the pizzeria."

From https://thecorrespondent.com/100/the-new-dot-com-bubble-is-h...

Re: Ask HN: What things has tech made worse in your life?

#436

Post by lobocinza » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 10:44 PM UTC

hotpotamus wrote: post #248

lobocinza wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ads are pointless. No matter how much human capital was invested in making targeted ads possible, only very rarely I see something that I might be interested in buying. And I can't remember a thing that I bought due to ads. They are a better signal of what to not buy.

I feel the same way, but given that the largest companies in the world are advertising companies, they must work on someone, right? Also, perhaps they're good enough that they're working on us without us consciously knowing. Afterall, you must buy some things. Why do you choose which products to buy?

Could be said that they profit from management FOMO.

As a consumer I spend more time than I should thinking about what I buy. I'm heavily influenced by reviews and opinions which I know to be biased and not always authentic but is still the best way to discover hidden issues in a product. I frequently think about the characteristics that I like to see in the product and compare it with similar products. But sincerely, trying to approach a rational decision has become time costly if not counter-productive due to lack of reliable information and strong noise. Pay and pray might be a better strategy.

Re: Ask HN: What things has tech made worse in your life?

#437

Post by thrower123 » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 10:49 PM UTC

The automatic engine shut-off feature in newer cars is terrible. It's like stalling at every red light.

My vehicle I can just unclip one wire at the battery to disable it permanently, but most of them the best you can do without getting into the software is disable it every you start the car.

Re: Ask HN: What things has tech made worse in your life?

#438

Post by lolsal » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 10:55 PM UTC

rco8786 wrote: post #422

lolsal wrote: post #404

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Technology created this problem. ...No. Your adoption of technology/social media into every facet of your life created this problem. I work in tech and I am not available when I'm not working. I don't participate in social media, but my social life is thriving during a pandemic. > Choosing to not be available is effectively making yourself a social pariah if your social circle is otherwise highly available. This so…

> No. Your adoption of technology/social media into every facet of your life created this problem. No, society's adoption created this problem, not an individual. > This sounds like a problem between you and your social circle. Now we're getting somewhere, we agree it's a problem. Congratulations that your particular social circle doesn't have this problem. But millions upon millions of them do.

> No, society's adoption created this problem, not an individual.

I don't intend on dismissing your point with my next comment, only to offer it as an anecdotal data point: I don't have this problem, but I live in a society.

> Now we're getting somewhere, we agree it's a problem.

I'm saying it's your problem, not a societal or technological problem.

Re: Ask HN: What things has tech made worse in your life?

#439

Post by rco8786 » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 11:00 PM UTC

lolsal wrote: post #438

rco8786 wrote: post #422

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> No. Your adoption of technology/social media into every facet of your life created this problem. No, society's adoption created this problem, not an individual. > This sounds like a problem between you and your social circle. Now we're getting somewhere, we agree it's a problem. Congratulations that your particular social circle doesn't have this problem. But millions upon millions of them do.

> No, society's adoption created this problem, not an individual. I don't intend on dismissing your point with my next comment, only to offer it as an anecdotal data point: I don't have this problem, but I live in a society. > Now we're getting somewhere, we agree it's a problem. I'm saying it's your problem, not a societal or technological problem.

Come on. Dismissing widespread problems as "not my problem, your problem" because it doesn't happen to affect you is so weak.

Re: Ask HN: What things has tech made worse in your life?

#440

Post by 4ggr0 » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 11:04 PM UTC

par wrote: post #329

4ggr0 wrote: post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's a physical password generator? Sounds interesting.

I use 1password for everything , and as great as it is, it isnt a seamless and bulletproof solution. No password manager is. The log in experience is EVERYWHERE and I have to generate new passwords seemingly everyday for new sites and apps.

I use Bitwarden but I know what you mean