Top 5 Technologies that Should Have Been Made Obsolete in 2009
Why Were We Still Stuck Using These in 2009?
Vehicle Cigarette Lighter/Power Ports: OK, a cigarette lighter in a car was a great invention. When smoking was in vogue, it was convenient to have a device on board that worked on the same technology as a toaster to light up your Lucky Strike. But today the consumer needs electric power for the computer, DVD player, cell phone, or iPod. The automobile manufacturers should simply install power converters and provide standard 110 outlets and USB ports. Come on, Detroit; help us get rid of all those clumsy adapters!
The Phone Book: A phone book, in my opinion, should be available from the phone company if the consumer wants one. Really now, when was the last time you actually used a phone book? The phone companies still crank them out, year after year. They are delivered by the skid to office buildings, and thrown on your yard at home in a plastic bag. Everything else aside, the "Green" movement folks have to be seeing red at this waste of paper, energy, etc. etc.
Redundant Web Site Registration: This one has always bugged me. Why, when you register for a web site, do you have to type your email address in twice? The site is going to verify the email anyway with a "confirmation" email. Also aggravating is the need to enter city, state, and zip code. Hmmm. I always thought that the zip code identified the city and state. Even the USPS gets that right.
Music CD's: I'm not the most advanced when it comes to technology. However, I do recognize that music CD's, even though they function well, are not superior to downloaded media. CD's are not the 'greenest' item out there, and tend to be fragile. Even I appreciate the availability of music in an MP3 file format. If I want to listen to one cut of a Meatloaf album I can download it without buying the Bat Out of Hell 2 CD.
Fax Machines: While a marvelous application in its day, the fax is, well, silly with today's available technology. Let's say you have to fax something to ABC Company. You create a document on your computer, print it, and put it in the fax machine. The fax machine scans it and uses an analog modem and converts it into sound. The receiving machine converts the sound back into a digital format and prints it into a paper document. Chances are ABC Company will scan it for its records. Let's see, the document started as a digital format, and ended up as a digital format. Why don't you just email it next time? Oh, ABC Company requires a fax? Maybe you should consider XYZ Company next time.
Sources:
Personal frustration
ComputerWorld.com
msnbc.msn.com
Published by Major Jester
Happily married baby boomer with a beautiful wife, 5 children, 3 grandchildren: the best family one could ever hope for. View profile
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15 Comments
Post a CommentI end up using the phone books we receive as good stuff to burn in the fireplace. :) I do always keep one on hand just in case, but we receive 3-4 per year.
The kids don't even know what a phone book is. I agree with just about all, but keep yer paws off my cigarette lighter. My car is about the only place left where I can smoke!
what would you use to whap people over the head without phone books? (= hehe
I carry a phone book in my FedEx van to help me call a customer if I can't find their house. I don't even have one at home.
Interesting points, Major, but you're assuming everyone is on line. I know a large number of people who do not own a computer, and a lot of them who do, do not participate in on line activities. I still use a phone book for local information, especially if the electricity goes out. Here, in the last few years, we have several companies producing more phone books than the phone company, so now we're getting about three a year. Many of these contain surrounding towns, though. I still maintain a fax machine, which I don't use often, but in the event of needing a copy of a signed document on the spur of the moment, it's very useful. I'll also throw this in about CD's. I may buy a CD for one or two songs, such as Meat Loaf, but often I'm introduced to other songs that I find I enjoy. As far as IPods, I like the music flowing around me rather than just into my ear.
I use a phone book daily, and when documents require a signature, it's easier to use the fax machine. We use our fax machine daily at the newspaper.
Enjoyed the article, but I have to differ with you on the fax machine. As someone working as a salesperson every day with remote customers, I still have those who transact and send purchase orders via the fax! I know that is like so-last-century, but until everyone is converted to electronic or digital communication, the fax is here to stay.
We are up to our neck in phone books. I agree with you about those but here is the odd thing - genealogists sometimes go nuts for them. Have you seen the prices some very old ones get on Ebay? Whew! Still, I have no use for old ones, except if I need to pile them up and reach a high shelf and no ladder is nearby ;)
I see your point, Marie, as long as the person doesn't enter it incorrectly both times! But I guess if you're that sloppy you don't deserve to get the confirmation e-mail. Thanks for commenting.
Good read! There is a valid reason for having to enter your email address twice, though. If you enter it wrong the first time you'll never get the confirmation email. If you enter twice and they are not the same, it will alert you to correct it.