Hope you don't mind but I have to blow off some steam here in the heart of electronic land. I don't usually use the blog for a personal rant, but today, I feel it belongs here.
As I am typing, the cloud dialogue box keeps popping up and demanding my log in. I type it in (it is written on my computer from the last time I had to re-set it because it wouldn't accept the former log in. Nonetheless, it will not accept this one either and continues to interrupt me as I work.
What made me decide to write this here today is the view I have right now of a World War II portable typewriter on a chair in the living room. I bought it for $25 in a thrift shop and when I looked up the make and model, it turned out to be 1947, East German made. How about that! In the midst of the monument destruction and the death of millions, this little portable typewrite survived. How? I would love to know its story, wouldn't you? Who typed on it and what did they have to say?
I bought the typewriter because I used to do a presentation on female WWII journalists and photographers, so I had a 1930's camera and this engagingly compact and in perfect shape typewriter. People loved the typewriter and the kids marveled.
Earlier today, I tried to print off the new HP ink jet printer I bought when my HPlaser printer cut out on me after a couple of years of fruitless persistent struggles with online help and phone help. Finally, defeated I just bought another one, and a cheap one. No booklets, no instructions, just a basic black plastic printer that I finally had to take to a shop to get hooked up and started.
Now, just so you know, I bought my first computer in the mid 80's and I used to supplement my teacher income with after school and night classes teaching people computer basics for a tech school, so I used to know my stuff on both platforms, but here's the rub. In those days there were instruction booklets. The guy who installed my printer for me this time did it all online and when I got it home it didn't work and he had to come over and do it all again.
Today, it worked for about 10 copies then I had to replace the ink cartridge which demanded I then run an alignment page, which I did and then demanded I scan it, but I couldn't because there is no panel anywhere with any buttons. So I looked it up and, of course, you have to go online and download software to scan. I tried, then I gave up and took the dog for a walk.
My point is, things shouldn't get more complicated, they should get simpler. I have an old working HP black printer that has a control panel so I can push a button to scan, copy 2 sides, and so on. This Darth Vader of a printer has nothing but an on switch.
Everybody wants you to go ONLINE for everything. Even after I switched to on-line banking, I was tormented by a GO PAPERLESS box hat totally obscured my account information
and had no red close dot or corner close x. I had to keep shutting down and re-opening to get faster than the dialogue box. I don't want to go paperless and I don't want to go online for everything.
A grand new business idea: Retrofit - PLUG AND PLAY!!! I had a tv once that played vhs cassettes and dvds and worked perfectly for over a decade. I didn't abandon my tv, a relative who was staying did me a 'favor' and bought me a flat screen. My old tv was GREAT! Now I have a shed full of tubs of vas I can't play as my new tv has no vhs or dvd and my daughter bought extras so I could play it but they never work. And my laptop has no entry for disks of any kind, so all my stored files are defunct. The cloud is working to get everything on me and then hold it for ransome.
At the start of the Industrial Revolution, the Luddites warned us of this, but it is too late, and I am sorry to say I have no answers, only complaints. My brother, however, lives perfectly content in West Virginia with NO Computer, No Smart Phone, no expensive monthly cable bills. He does have a dish and watches tv, so he isn't totally off the grid, but he is a happy man. It is tempting!
dusty trails
Jo Ann
wrightj45@yahoo.com
ps. I dream of finding anew ribbon for that old typewriter and having the typed copy just come right out, no printer intermediary, no online interference. Those were the days!
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