TV licencing bloke calls...

[greenorelse]

Wandering off-topic, do we have any other technophobes here who eschew the 'benefits' of electronic gadgetry (barring the computer of course...if we are allowed one advanced technology, it has to be that)?

I wouldn't call myself a technophobe - I love technology - but I don't like using electricity where human-power would do instead. Having recently taken up baking in a big way, I mix everything by hand instead of using the mixer. It's really not that much effort.

Good on you. I'm the same. You get a better 'feel' for what you're doing when it's done by hand.

Mind you, the thing that annoyed me most about by husband's Blackberry (electronic gadget, not fruit, and he really does need it for work) was that it meant he could go online when we didn't have a landline connection, so I couldn't!

With respect, Zech, and not wishing to be at all argumentative, I find those phrases very irritating - "I need this for whatever" or "I need my car" or some such. What did they do before? What will they do when the mobile network fails or power goes or fuel gets scarce, which they will? Always have a back up plan!

[Shirleymouse]

The idea of having different license rates for different sizes of TVs completely ignores the importance of how long you have the thing on. Someone with a 21-inch TV that's on 12 hours a day and on standby the rest of the time will use more energy than someone with a 50-inch TV that's only on a few hours a week.

I imagine that someone who is willing to spend hundreds of pounds on a 50 inch TV that takes up half their room probably watches it quite a lot!

[happyhippy]

I once had a utility company ring me up and ask why our electricity usage was so low?I think there must be alot of people out there with nothing better to do!

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Wandering off-topic, do we have any other technophobes here who eschew the 'benefits' of electronic gadgetry (barring the computer of course...if we are allowed one advanced technology, it has to be that)?

Not a technophobe as such, because I love science, but I worry that it is possible to become over dependent on things that are really fripperies.

We all managed for years without mobile 'phones and yet they are now "essential," which must make the manufacturers and service providers feel so good about themselves. My Dear Wife bought me one on the basis that I "needed" it. It was hardly ever on and even I couldn't remember the number. One of the children accidently trod on it last week. I tried to look upset.

The internet is also a wonderful thing, but I’d go so far to say that rather than broadening horizons and informing the World at Large, the internet is in considerable danger of making many of us more blinkered and ignorant.

The reason for this is simple: “truth” – which has always been a relative quantity in many respects – is now measured in terms of Google ranking, which is frankly bizarre. Who ever goes beyond page 4 of their search results? I know I don't.

[Green Aura]

Who ever goes beyond page 4 of their search results?

I've been known to set myself a limit of 50 pages when researching something

In my defense I'm very good at skimming

[Millymollymandy]

Talking of mobile phones, mine rang the other day!!!! We were at home but had been out and I'd turned it on because the last time I'd done that the battery was totally dead.

Well considering my OH was upstairs and he's the only person with my number it was a bit bizarre to say the least. It rang 3 times then rang off (again odd cos I thought I'd set it to vibrate). Then I thought it must be a message from Leclerc telling me how much money I had left on it or something so I'll clear that before I turn it off; it then vibrated whilst I was holding it then found a message telling me "we are in a cafe by the cathedral in Strasbourg and will you come and join us". Er, no thanks.

[greenorelse]

The reason for this is simple: “truth” – which has always been a relative quantity in many respects – is now measured in terms of Google ranking, which is frankly bizarre. Who ever goes beyond page 4 of their search results? I know I don't.

Maybe you shouldn't be using Google?

Try Scroogle instead.

[greenorelse]

Talking of mobile phones

Mobile whats?

[grahamhobbs]

I hate phones, mobile or otherwise, but dare I admit I love my iPad

[The Riff-Raff Element]

The reason for this is simple: “truth” – which has always been a relative quantity in many respects – is now measured in terms of Google ranking, which is frankly bizarre. Who ever goes beyond page 4 of their search results? I know I don't.

Maybe you shouldn't be using Google?

Try Scroogle instead.

Cooo! Who are they then?

I generally use Yahoo, but I'm a complete tart.

MMM - I know. It's wierd. I was getting loads of stuff from LeClerc. Don't know why.

[Shirleymouse]

I hate phones, mobile or otherwise, but dare I admit I love my iPad

Now Ipads are something I could get into - they look really good fun as well as being useful. Are they easy to use? Also, if I used one to do work at home, would it be compatable with work computers which are on Windows 2003? I have probs at the moment cos I use my husband's laptop at home which has Vista and sometimes the work I've done won't open at work. My husband would be overjoyed if I got myself a new computer as he could have his back to play Football Manager on!!

[greenorelse]

Try Scroogle instead.

Cooo! Who are they then?

http://www.scroogle.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Google

[MKG]

Scroogle - I've tried it for an hour or so. Excellent, as far as I can see.

Why hadn't I seen it before, I wonder???

Mike

[greenorelse]

Scroogle - I've tried it for an hour or so. Excellent, as far as I can see.

What small deficiencies there may be are made up for by the simple fact that it's not Google, just as OpenOffice is better simply because it's not Microsoft.

Why hadn't I seen it before, I wonder???

Mike

[okra]

Try Scroogle instead.

Cooo! Who are they then?

http://www.scroogle.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Google

Thanks for the link - an excellent alternative