Technology ain't everything
briancarper.net
briancarper.net
Is it really that hard to turn a handle for 10 seconds?
No, Mr I'm Not Disabled. It's not hard for us to get up and change the channel on the TV by hand or to walk a mile to WalMart and carry our groceries home each day either.
Do we really need computer-controlled robotic can-opening devices?
Did we really need to go to the moon? Not really, but the effort of doing so spawned a number of significant industries.
Did pg really need to set up a small system for us to post links and stories? Not really, but the relationships and knowledge that have come from it greatly eclipse his plans for it at the time.
Did Linus Torvalds need to play around with making his own small operating system? Not really. We all know what came of that, though.
With technology, intentions don't count for much; the unintended results can easily reach a long way. Perhaps the e-book or the robotic can opening device will inspire unrelated inventions.
But: nothing against tinkering, a ka creating robot can openers just because we can.
Anyway, I see it more as a poetical piece. People will vote with their feet/money anyway.
Yeah, but his point was nonsensical (or at least hyperbole). He said:
and usually the can ends up half-open, half-bent up to the point where it's un-openable short of dynamite.
Automated can openers usually spoil cans? If that were true, people wouldn't use them because most of their food would go to waste.
His experience was that the can openers never worked, but his parents kept trying and buying new models. Maybe by now they work. Still I don't see why anyone would want to have one. Call me a treehugger, but why waste energy and produce toxic waste for something you could easily do manually.
Bathtub: Zip lock bag. x2 for the safety conscious.
Bed: bent wire hanger http://blog.xkcd.com/2009/04/13/the-pursuit-of-laziness/
The bigger thing to me is how the cell modem in the Kindle changes the dynamics of books. An example: In conversation, one of my friends tells me about a book they recently read.
Rather than a quickly forgotten mental note to look into it the next time I make it to the bookstore, I can download the sample (if available) and start reading. If I'm enjoying it, I can buy it and simply continue reading.
My own anecdote about can openers: I use an old-fashioned one, though my friend's little old grandma has a cool electric one under which she just has to hold the can while it magnetizes the top and cuts it off. She could probably use the old-fashioned can opener, but arthritis is still annoying.