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Why I am not going to buy a computer (1987) [pdf]

thehangedman.com

121–130 of 173 posts

Re: Why I am not going to buy a computer (1987) [pdf]

#121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My dad is in his 80’s and has all the tech. (computer, iPad, iPhone, etc…) Thing is, he doesn’t believe anything (true or false) from his devices. He just thinks that everything he reads is from someone trying to sell him something and/or part him with his money. I’m not sure if he’s wrong.

There are two types of offers that are made to me: Scams, and bad deals. If a good or service was worthwhile, it wouldn't need to try to get my attention.

> If a good or service was worthwhile, it wouldn't need to try to get my attention.

This might hold under the assumption that you invest nearly all of your free time informing yourself about possibly interesting offers. But this is clearly not the case.

Re: Why I am not going to buy a computer (1987) [pdf]

#122
post #71

His arguments are, paraphrased: 1. It hurts nature. 2. It's too expensive and destroys existing jobs. 3. It's unlikely that it's better than the current tech. And that he won't fall for the "propaganda campaign" that says otherwise. --- What I find super fascinating here is that the arguments back then and now are...extremely similar. Look at any cutting-edge tech - EVs, crypto, etc. - and you find the same arguments…

> EVs hurt nature because of battery disposal issues

The difference is that EVs are marketed to be environment friendly.

Re: Why I am not going to buy a computer (1987) [pdf]

#123
post #27

I laughed so hard at Gordon Inkeles' response. Wendell Berry: My wife types my work on a Royal standard typewriter bought new in 1956 and as good now as it was then. As she types, she sees things that are wrong and marks them with small checks in the margins. Gordon Inkeles: Wendell Berry provides writers enslaved by the computer with a handy alternative: Wife - a low-tech energy-saving device. Drop a pile of handwri…

My mom typed my dad's book manuscript over and over and over again. Even a simple computer revolutionized that inhumane practice. When I worked at Boeing circa 1981, I was expected to write documents out longhand and then hand it to the secretary pool to type. Screw that. I invaded the word processing room, a windowless room with about 20 women working on Wang word processors, with a supervisor facing them. With all…

I'm not sure they appreciated you demonstrating their superfluity, even if you believed it was for their own good. I was once or twice in my career surprised by such ingratitude before I realized that some jobs continue as both soft charity and a means of inflating managerial importance under a polite fiction of usefulness.

Re: Why I am not going to buy a computer (1987) [pdf]

#124

Berry's nine standards for technology are worth considering: 1. The new tool should be cheaper than the one it replaces. 2. It should be at least as small in scale as the one it replaces. 3. It should do work that is clearly and demonstrably better than the one it replaces. 4. It should use less energy than the one it replaces. 5. If possible, it should use some form of solar energy, such as that of the body. 6. It s…

The list seems tech that is not "worth considering" but if a new technology fulfills all this criteria it would be immortal not to use it.

Re: Why I am not going to buy a computer (1987) [pdf]

#125
post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My mother doesn't have a computer or mobile phone of any kind. Landline phone, TV and snailmail is her contact with the world from home. I did give her an old laptop but when the link to "her email" webpage was moved by the ISP she got the error message "It looks like your page has been moved." Innocuous enough error message right? But this caused her to freak out as clearly "someone" was watching and knew what "her"…

> But this caused her to freak out as clearly "someone" was watching and knew what "her" page was. Ergo "someone" was watching her on the internet. Even through her reasoning was wrong, she still managed to reach the right conclusion.

Define "someone". A person? No.

Re: Why I am not going to buy a computer (1987) [pdf]

#126
post #41

One reply seems quite prescient for its time, clashing against the attitude of the original author. We should support alternatives both to coal- generated electricity and to IBM-style technocracy. But I am reluctant to entertain alternatives that presuppose the traditional subservience of one class to another. Let the PCs come and the wives and servants go seek more meaningful work. -- Toby Koosman, Knoxville, TN

> We should support alternatives both to coal- generated electricity and to IBM-style technocracy.

So he's saying that workers in the coal industry should just learn to code? That's certainly a prescient attitude.

Re: Why I am not going to buy a computer (1987) [pdf]

#127

Berry's nine standards for technology are worth considering: 1. The new tool should be cheaper than the one it replaces. 2. It should be at least as small in scale as the one it replaces. 3. It should do work that is clearly and demonstrably better than the one it replaces. 4. It should use less energy than the one it replaces. 5. If possible, it should use some form of solar energy, such as that of the body. 6. It s…

The list seems tech that is not "worth considering" but if a new technology fulfills all this criteria it would be immortal not to use it.

Immortal?

Or the slightly lower bar of immoral?

Re: Why I am not going to buy a computer (1987) [pdf]

#128
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, at least only the truly old school Nigerian snail mail scams will get to him! Seriously, if you have parents going into their 70s and 80s you need to really start limiting exposure to scams or the ability to send them money. Otherwise, you won't know until it's too late, their bank account is empty, and their CC are maxed out on cash advances. Also, immediately contact the IRS and Social Security, because they'…

My dad is in his 80’s and has all the tech. (computer, iPad, iPhone, etc…) Thing is, he doesn’t believe anything (true or false) from his devices. He just thinks that everything he reads is from someone trying to sell him something and/or part him with his money. I’m not sure if he’s wrong.

He is right.

This is something that should be taught in elementary school.

Re: Why I am not going to buy a computer (1987) [pdf]

#129
post #42

People decry the energy wastage brought about by the Crypto Mining, rampant invasion of privacy & trust by mega corporations, ubiquitous presence of misinformation and vitriol in social media, mismanagement of e-waste, global climate change and the impending doom upon the entire human civilization, and a thousand things more, and yet find this article condescending. This is not to say that I agree entirely with it ei…

Our understanding of climate through global climate modelling would be nowhere without computing also.

[deleted]

Re: Why I am not going to buy a computer (1987) [pdf]

#130

Berry's nine standards for technology are worth considering: 1. The new tool should be cheaper than the one it replaces. 2. It should be at least as small in scale as the one it replaces. 3. It should do work that is clearly and demonstrably better than the one it replaces. 4. It should use less energy than the one it replaces. 5. If possible, it should use some form of solar energy, such as that of the body. 6. It s…

Yes I agree, these points are worth reflecting upon. I agree with some of them but I disagree with others, here is my opinion in short, point by point:

1. Debatable. It is nice it it costs less, but if it has added or improved functionalities then each person should evaluate if for their use case the added/improved functionality is worth the extra cost or not.

2. Debatable, for the same reason as point 1: each person should evaluate this by themself.

3. I agree

4. Not sure for the same reason as points 1 and 2, but since we're in an environmental crisis this point is becoming more and more relevant.

5. I strongly agree due to environmental concerns. But also note that a device doesn't necessarily need to be designed to use solar energy: it could just end up using it because the power grid switched to a more sustainable energy mix

6. I agree, at least for consumer devices.

7. Also this could be good, although it is not granted that a private person going with his own car to a nearby shop pollutes less than a big shipping company that tries to optimize shipments as much as possible. It could be the opposite.

8. Not necessarily, also a big franchise of shops works, as long as they actually take care of repairing the devices instead of inventing excuses to not do so (look at what Louis Rossman has to say about Apple Sores for an example, but of course it is not just Apple)

9. I agree but with a catch: we need to better define what this "anything good" is. Because a new technology that replaces an old one is disrupting that old technology. Maybe the old technology was already good, but if the new one is better in some form then it's woth considering disrupting the old one. Indeed we should keep in mind potential side effects of a new technology that could harm society.

Edit: formatting

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