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RadioDog
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05 Aug 2020, 6:44 pm

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my technology, but I'm finding that I want more control over it. Like, I've turned off all the notifications on my various devices, except for 2 family members. I refuse to be run by AdTech and BigTech through how they've programmed my devices. When I'm wanting some information, then *I* go and see what's new.

I'm also finding enjoyment in the "Small Web" these days - retro internet that doesn't spend 90% of your bandwidth downloading trackers and ads.

I will always have technology. But I'm "simplifying" my life by making it work like *I* want it to work.


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idntonkw
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09 Aug 2020, 4:24 am

nick007 wrote:
Pieplup wrote:
Well for me i can't life tech free because most of my interests relate to tech. Also, I can't make friends in real life, so I have to look elsewhere (on the internet) for companionship. I'd also like to point out a simplier life isn't always stress free. If you abandon all civilization and go into the wilderness with nothing. It's going to be more stressful than without gadgets and modern technology. However i can understand why you feel this way. Personally I thought this was more along the lines of overcomplicating life. Which I do all the time. Of course you are of a different generation, than me. You are atleast 40+ if not older so we are bound to have different views on modern gadgets.
HOWEVER people do overspend on gadgets they don't need. You don't need the new iPhone every year. You don't need the a top of the line computer. You don't need an iPad Mini, and iPad Air, and an iPad pro. People tend to overspend on gadgets a-lot.


Good post.
In today's modern society(at least here in the United States, IDK about other western places), technology & gadgets are very common & even may be almost essential for literal survival. LOTS of jobs involve more modern technology. Jobs not involving any modern technology are rare. It is also next to impossible to obtain any job if you are not able to use the internet. Even jobs that do not involve modern technology require apps to be submitted online & people use the net to find out about jobs in their area. After the pandemic started schools in the US switched to online learning so some modern technology is essential for education rite now. About the only ways someone can get by with no modern technology is if someone lives in the woods, in an Amish community, or if almost all their living needs are managed by others. Our heavy reliance on technology encourages & even pressures others into using it which increases our reliance on technology even more so it becomes a cycle.

As for myself, My parents were very poor when they 1st got married but they gradually moved their way up to lower middle class through lots of hard work. As a result my parents have always worried about money. They're OK with spending money on needed things but they try to save a lot as well. I never had a lot of stuff growing up. I had a bit but a lot of my peers had at least a bit more. I didn't get a CD player till the mid 90s & we didn't get a computer & internet till I graduated high-school in 2001. Getting internet after I graduated was probably more about concern for me thou, like they were worried I'd spend all my time on there looking at porn & doing things that could get me & my parents in trouble. I took a computer applications class in 10th grade(it was required) & everyone in my class was a lot better than me because they all had internet at home for at least a couple years whereas I had no background so there was a major learning curve.
I have various mental & some physical disabilities in addition to my Aspergers so I'm on benefits & haven't worked in a LONG time & the jobs I had were federal minimum wage type stuff when I did work. I always been a bit behind with technology & never had a lot of stuff. I did deck out & spend alot on a computer 1ce but that was over 10 years ago & I'm still using it. I wanted something that would last a long time & I managed to save up enough by living with my parents & not having many bills & expenses. I never expected the computer to last this long thou. It has some issues & is slow sometimes & cant play 4K vids. I'm still using it cuz I haven't been able to afford buying a new one. I moved in with my girlfriend 7 & a half years ago & I have a lot more expenses. I also ran up aLOT of credit card debt in the last few years that I cant pay. I have NO excuse as for how I got in that mess. My girlfriend also ran up alot of CC debt. Her depression got worse & that & maybe a combo with meds made her impulse control worse. A bit of what she bought was things for her family cuz they have various mental disabilities they're dealing with & they have little money & they & Cass need things to feel better in the heat of the moment. Thankfully Cass is threading water with her debt for now. As for my debt, thankfully the last two months of Social Security payments are not garnishable(I researched) & I don't really have any other assets that can be taken away from me. I really do want a job so I can gradually pay my debt off as well as Cass's some & maybe have a little extra so I can buy a new desktop & afford a hair transplant as well as improving my credit. A job could potentially be helpful for my mental & physical health as well. However I really don't know how to go about finding a job where I'll make under a certain amount so I'll be able to keep my benefits. Vermont's minimum wage is a bit higher than the federal. The last couple years have been hell in some ways for Cass & I really needed to be around for her. We moved a little over half a year ago & around the time we were finally getting settled in, the pandemic sh!t started. Sorry for the rambling.

As for as having gadgets & technology goes, I loved watching TV, playing video-games, & listening to music since I was a kid & teen. They're a way to destress, relax, kill time, & have things in common with my peers. I don't really care about the common interests with peers thing nowadays & I'm not into vid games like I used to be but I still have em & play sometimes. I also really like having the internet to socialize with others(like this forum & I used to be chatting on messenger programs alot) & the net is also a good way to research things & to buy things online to be delivered(I'm not talking about ordering tech stuff but essential things to use around the house & for our pets). Cellphones can be a good way to stay in touch with others & use the net while your out. I guess I do think tech & gadgets can be very useful & even essential sometimes but I'm also concerned about the environment & exploitation of the workers. Things should be built to last a while & they should be made where people can repair & upgrade things if need be instead of forcing people to replace the whole d@mn thing whenever something starts getting old or having other issues.


The credit card companies can sue you and then if you don't show up to court on the court date, they can ask the judge to issue an arrest warrant for you because you disrespected the judge by not coming to court.. so if they ask you to come to court, just come to court.. it does not mean they can garnish the wages..



sport
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20 Oct 2020, 9:40 am

The computer is about the only thing gadget that I use.



JustFoundHere
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25 Feb 2021, 3:56 pm

Mountain Goat wrote:
Why do we complicate our lives in un-neccessary gadgets which cost a fortune and we don't need?
Isn't a simpler life stress free?


OH Yes....I'll trade-in my cell phone (with all of the unnecessary bells and whistles), and buy a plain-old stripped-down cell phone i.e., known as a "dumb phone!"



sport
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25 Feb 2021, 4:22 pm

Great.Ha



Mountain Goat
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25 Feb 2021, 4:24 pm

Where are the cells in a cell phone anyway?



r00tb33r
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25 Feb 2021, 4:25 pm

Mountain Goat wrote:
Why do we complicate our lives in un-neccessary gadgets which cost a fortune and we don't need?
Isn't a simpler life stress free?

I bought two self-dumping floor robots this past holiday season. They run on a schedule and I don't have to touch them for months at a time since they dump into the container at their base.

That's the kind of gadget that I like to buy.



r00tb33r
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25 Feb 2021, 4:26 pm

Mountain Goat wrote:
Where are the cells in a cell phone anyway?

You leave those behind when you put your face to it.



Mountain Goat
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25 Feb 2021, 4:27 pm

r00tb33r wrote:
Mountain Goat wrote:
Why do we complicate our lives in un-neccessary gadgets which cost a fortune and we don't need?
Isn't a simpler life stress free?

I bought two self-dumping floor robots this past holiday season. They run on a schedule and I don't have to touch them for months at a time since they dump into the container at their base.

That's the kind of gadget that I like to buy.


What do they dump?



r00tb33r
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25 Feb 2021, 4:31 pm

Mountain Goat wrote:
r00tb33r wrote:
Mountain Goat wrote:
Why do we complicate our lives in un-neccessary gadgets which cost a fortune and we don't need?
Isn't a simpler life stress free?

I bought two self-dumping floor robots this past holiday season. They run on a schedule and I don't have to touch them for months at a time since they dump into the container at their base.

That's the kind of gadget that I like to buy.


What do they dump?

Dust, other dirt I don't bother cleaning from the floor. The other day I was making adjustments to the fitment of a picture frame with a knife and just let the wood shavings fall on the floor. A few hours later the robot cleaned up my mess like it was meant to. Obviously if I spill something I will clean it up.



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25 Feb 2021, 4:41 pm

Ah. They are vacuum cleaning robots. Nice.



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25 Feb 2021, 4:49 pm

Mountain Goat wrote:
Where are the cells in a cell phone anyway?
The "cells" are outside the phone. So the cellphone network can handle a lot of simultaneous telephone connections there are a lot of cellphone towers. Each tower handles calls in the geographic area around itself. Someone decided that if you got a map and marked the boundaries of every towers' area, it looked kind of like cells--as in biological cells. (Towers nearby each other carefully coordinate which is responsible for calls in overlapping coverage and cellphones moving between the towers' "cells".)

And biological, or not, the mythical cellphone network creature that is made up of all those cells seems to be taking over! 8O

(For instance, those clever robot vacuums probably communicate with cellphones!)


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Mountain Goat
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25 Feb 2021, 4:58 pm

The robots tell the cell phone towers what they are vacuuming up? Isn't ones dirt private?

I can imagine if someone left a door open and off they go down the street... Not a care in the world....!



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25 Feb 2021, 5:43 pm

Nah. You use your telephone to tell your vacuum when to vacuum--because it is way too much trouble to walk across the room and hit buttons on the vacuum. :roll: Sarcasm intended (The excuse is you might be away from home and change your mind about when you want the vacuum to run.)

You can also use your telephone to control the cleverest thermostats. (Yeah. Because it is way to much trouble to walk across the room and hit buttons on a thermostat.)

Some folk think these fancy vacuums, thermostats, etc., will also be convenient for would-be burglars. If they telephonically hack into your devices they might be able to figure out that you are on vacation.

Oh, you can also use a smartphone to control your lights and locks.


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r00tb33r
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25 Feb 2021, 5:51 pm

Double Retired wrote:
Nah. You use your telephone to tell your vacuum when to vacuum--because it is way too much trouble to walk across the room and hit buttons on the vacuum. :roll: Sarcasm intended (The excuse is you might be away from home and change your mind about when you want the vacuum to run.)

You can also use your telephone to control the cleverest thermostats. (Yeah. Because it is way to much trouble to walk across the room and hit buttons on a thermostat.)

Some folk think these fancy vacuums, thermostats, etc., will also be convenient for would-be burglars. If they telephonically hack into your devices they might be able to figure out that you are on vacation.

Oh, you can also use a smartphone to control your lights and locks.

Yep. I was at work overnight and was sleeping off the next day, which was one of the days the robots are scheduled to run. Without getting up using the phone I sent the robots back to their stations so I could sleep in peace. That's how technology out to work. Now I just need to get a networked thermostat so I could adjust it while I'm in bed. Light would be nice also, my bedroom lights are already on a separate remote, but I often forget the hallway lights... Then again, I meant to put those on a motion sensor anyway.



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25 Feb 2021, 6:40 pm

Those were the days....