Aside from Access/Excel etc are you into electronic technology (1 Viewer)

Mike375 · Jan 27, 2009

I was asked the question this morning....how come you can do that sort of thing but........

I am absolute luddite. No internet banking but I do use the phone system for account balance. About 12 months ago I ventured into getting cash out of the machine on the wall.

Mobile phone I only have as a "call out" in case I am delayed etc.

I have heard of Ipod.

I use Internet Explorer because that is what defaults.

The person referred to in the first line of my post is someone I dropped some work off to this morning and while I was there he asked if I could help with a couple of internet issues, one being with internet banking. When I told him that my knowledge on that was just above "extremely limited" he could not believe it. As it turned out I was able to help but only because I understand a few principles and are used to "clickiing around" and his problem was very simple.

So how are the rest of you when you get away from Access or similar? Are you luddites or up with the latest?

Uncle Gizmo · Jan 27, 2009

>>>>No internet banking<<<<

Same here but that's because I don't trust the computers! I know that it's so easy to hack things.

Rich · Jan 27, 2009

No internet banking

Used it for years with no problem

Rabbie · Jan 27, 2009

I don't use internet banking on the grounds that if I don't have an online account nobody can hack into it. I have never actually had the need to have it so why bother?

Singh400 · Jan 27, 2009

Yeah I'm a complete geek. Build my own computers, beta test for Microsoft. Very interested in computers. So yeah complete geek.

ColinEssex · Jan 27, 2009

I use ebay and paypal. Don't know about facebook etc. Don't understand e banking.

I book hotels and ferries and flights online. I like using Youtube, some great bass guitar covers of classic songs on there.

That's about it - I have no idea how a computer works.

Col

ajetrumpet · Jan 27, 2009

Mike375 said:
No internet banking but I do use the phone system for account balance.

I do every single thing on the internet, unless the law require otherwise, like written communication to a vendor, etc..

The internet is the cheapest way to do stuff, and that's mostly why I do it. And it's a lot easier than calling into a bank or credit card company and hearing the words "I DON'T KNOW". Or worse yet, "BLAH, BLAH, BLAH", and that end up being wrong as I later find out to my own demise. I connect to email, Facebook and the internet via the phone, and send about 2000 text messages a month to friends and family. I also do business on paypal for a contract things, but I totally despise Microsoft ANYTHING, except for its basic office package, which everyone uses anyway. This high tech world gets annoying a lot of the time, but I mostly use the gadgets to distract myself from reality and have fun with toys.

I am well aware that you older folk out there are not very fond of all this stuff, and I certainly respect you all for that. It's really a waste of time, and impersonal on the highest possible level.

Atomic Shrimp · Jan 27, 2009

I like applied technology (internet banking, the internet, digital video editing, eBay, etc).

Unlike many of my peers, I don't tend to geek out at stuff that is pure or frivolous technology (USB humping dog, blue LEDs on everything, etc)

I suppose I am a techny sort of person - I've built robots in my spare time and I'm the person anyone in my circle of friends will call upon when their wireless internet stops working, or their computer crashes, but I don't consider myself a geek. Technology is good because of what you can use it for, not just because of what it is.

I'm much more apt to marvel at a 25-year-old computer revived to do something useful, than I am at a brand-new, overclocked nitro-supercharged PC that's just sitting there on the desk, benchmarking itself.

Brianwarnock · Jan 27, 2009

I started in computing in 1962, I didn't get a PC until my wife bullied me into it so that she could shop for embroidery stuff on line.
No internet banking as such but internet Savings where the rate is better.
I now have a mobile 'phone which I got so that I could contact Ken and Shane when in the States, a blackberry is a fruit.

I can do all I need in setting up any stuff because I try, but to do it for the sake of it no.

Brian

Fifty2One · Jan 27, 2009

Our home is located in one of those places which are not included in the where technology exists clause on most high tech intercommunication [cell phones, pagets, high speed, dsl, satelite tv etc] contracts, therefore there is absolutely no reason for attempting personal online anything at 24-32kbps - including utube viewing or even shopping... when you have a lossy connection most shopping baskets become magically empty if you have an interupted connection of more than a few seconds.
Not being hardwired or even wirelessed to the rest of the world is not so inconvenient when you consider all of the negatives most need to tollerate or cope with when compared with the negatives. When I hear of security breeches for credit card information or other personal information and hacking and the sort I just think oh well poor them

For us, the extended technology is a work tool that is left at work until the next work day. My current employer knows if he or anyone else needs me on off hours, they can pop by for a cup of tea and biscuits in our kitchen and talk or whatever

Friday · Jan 28, 2009

Yes, we do internet banking, it's easy and saves gas and time. I carry a personal cell phone and my company makes me carry a Blackberry (that's another funny story - we aren't allowed to use the phone on it, so it's just an over-priced pager) I started dinking with computers back in the late 80's. It was an IBM PC AT at the office. No one else messed with it, so I started there. It was fun back then when I was learning DOS and the neat things you could do with it. Got pretty heavy into the hardware side as well, then backed off when I was getting calls all night from 'friends' wanting me to fix their machines. I stayed away so long, now I am totally ignorant of how computers work and don't mind it at all. I have one pc at my house that is probably 10 years old that my wife uses for ebay and stuff. Nowadays I prefer working with my hands, woodworking and gardening and stuff. Technology just makes me think of my job....

Ron_dK · Jan 28, 2009

Mike375 said:
Luddite ?

No I’m not against technological inventions/improvements/innovations whatsoever. On the contrary, having a technical background I welcome technological renewals and to date enjoy many of the past inventions, like cars, solar energy, energy saving light bulbs, washing machine, DVD recorder , electric guitars and so forth.

Mike375 said:
Internet banking :

Yes, very handy especially if you’re having different accounts in different countries.

Mike375 said:
Mobile/cell phones :

I hate phones in general and leave the handling of the mobile to my wife.

Mike375 said:
Ipod :

Not needed, since I’m building my own sound recording studio in which I already have some 240 Gb on various music, including old LP’s, CD’s, DVD’s and captured most of my own recorded stuff on CD.

Mike375 said:
Internet explorer :

Better use Mozilla Firefox in stead.

Mike375 said:
Electronic technology :

Yes. Started with Atari and Cubase ( music recording program) back in the 80’s and thru time I got several systems up and running ( PC’s, 2 Maccies), mainly used to record /arrange/compose music scores . Can’t live without it .

Mike375 said:
Are you luddites :

Yes in a way, I still don’t understand women

Rich · Jan 28, 2009

Ron_dK said:
I still don’t understand women

Who the hell does?

Mike375 · Jan 28, 2009

ColinEssex said:
I like using Youtube, some great bass guitar covers of classic songs on there.

Col

Me too. Most of my monthly down load is via Youtube. I look up lots of stuff on engines/mechanical and clips from old movies and TV shows.

Among mates I have (but I don't have many so small poll

) they as a group are very tuned into all the electronic communication/buying/selling but as a group they are very computer illiterate. One of my mates just started a new job where a little Excel knowledge will be helpful and he asked me to help him......Believe me it has been exausting

Yet he does all that EBay shit and what have you, his mobile phone seems to be like an office.

Atomic Shrimp · Jan 28, 2009

Ron_dK said:
Better use Mozilla Firefox in stead.

Amen to that. I've been a Firefox (with Adblock Plus) user for a number of years now, only using IE for Windows Update.

Whenever I use IE now, the realisation of how horrible the internet really is, is quite jarring.

The_Doc_Man · Jan 28, 2009

Until Hurricane Katrina violently uprooted our lives, my wife and I were fairly low on the high-tech scale. However, immediately post-Katrina, I was in Fort Worth (Texas, for our friends across the pond) while my wife was in suburban New Orleans, Louisiana. I had to do on-line banking because I was paid 650 miles away from where my wife needed the money. So we did direct-deposit, on-line account management, and sent various pictures and other items across the internet to show progress on the home rehabilitation.

I also bought a cell phone because, before Katrina, I didn't have one. But it was the only way for me and the wife to keep in touch in the evenings (when the free long distance kicked in). I am now seriously considering dumping the cell phone entirely because in my business, it is too damned much like an electronic leash. I don't want anyone yanking that chain unless I'm being paid to be on call, and at the moment I am not paid that way.

As to browsers, I use IE less because of liking it than because I just don't care one way or the other. I've got a pretty good security package that I use in the form of Kapersky Labs Defender Pro. It blocks a lot of things pretty well. When I was on cable with Charter Cable in Fort Worth, I was always getting pinged with something or another that Defender warned me about.

While I don't mind IE6, I do have limits. When Windows Update tried to give me IE7, I stayed with it no more than two days before I uninstalled it. Fortunately, it had a special Uninstaller that saved all of IE6 for me. Otherwise, I would have faced a nasty situation. But as it happened, I didn't have to worry about that one.

RCheesley · Jan 29, 2009

I am very much a geeky gadgety person where I can afford it - plus I love tinkering around with website which earns me a few pennies

I do tend to do quite a bit of beta testing and like finding new applications and things to make life easier

Ruth

ASherbuck · Jan 29, 2009

There are a few devices I consider to be unholy and warped malformations of what they could have been - namely cell phones and the Ipod.

To me the cell phone could have been great but it's just exploited and tweaked until the company is siphoning as much money from it's users as possible, ($.15 to send a message that's <200 characters? Please) and the Ipod is so over engineered to the point where I swear they spend more time making it difficult to use than actually getting it to work.

I bought a Creative Zen 30 gb mp3 about 3 - 4 years ago. I payed < $100.00. It doesn't require it's software to use, I can simply drag and drop right through the explorer (or likewise delete). This simple functionality is something apple doesn't allow you to do. Oh, I can also use the zen as an external 30 gb hard drive to some degree, when it comes to simple file storage - would never happen on an ipod.

Other than that I try to embrace as much technology as possible, and love most of it.

Minkey · Jan 29, 2009

Total geek and proud of it

Been into computers from a very young age been building my own since I was about 18 (when PC components were kind of affordable - 4meg of RAM was £125 back then).

Used an abused every version of Windows since DOS (including 7 do some beta testing), I use PC for loads of things, gaming, video editing, web sites, browsing - well of course and general geeking about - example:

I have a project on the back burner to build my own touch screen using only a web cam and a box that work under Vista and XP but might not bother now Windows 7 is close.

I have some nice gadgets as well, top of the pile a Cowon Q5W PMP clicky which I can also use as an emulator so can run SNES games for example.

I'm also a big advocate of open source/ free software, virtually everything I have (and I have a lot of apps - 5 video players alone) on my PC is 100% free.

RCheesley · Jan 30, 2009

I completely agree regarding the Zen, I have a Zen Sleek and it's been awesome. It's still surviving several years later which in itself is testament to its sturdy construction (I'm not the most careful of people!) and it doesn't require some proprietory software, although you can use the Zen application which is fairly good.

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