Are things really better?
Jun 24th 2010, 11:56 am
#47
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,809
Jun 24th 2010, 11:57 am
#48
Chan eil aon chànan gu le
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: On the ning nang nong
Posts: 22,437
Jun 24th 2010, 12:05 pm
#49
Has left the building
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,079
Re: Are things really better?
You seem inflated with items for comparison? It may surprise you but off line there are people on BE interested in such things. Not everyone dwells on the joneses or life back in England.
Jun 24th 2010, 4:30 pm
#51
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 23,400
Re: Are things really better?
Can I just say that its nipple chillingly cold tonight, I just thought I would say that.
Jun 24th 2010, 4:41 pm
#53
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,809
Jun 24th 2010, 10:09 pm
#54
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 14,188
Re: Are things really better?
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=673659
Anyway, shouldn't you be spending that valuable time of yours better, other than wasting time talking to the peasants on BE... off kicking some poor people perhaps?
Jun 25th 2010, 1:26 am
#56
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2006
Location: Perth since 1997
Posts: 590
Re: Are things really better?
I was thinking about the days before we had mobile phones (Mr PP and myself), in fact back in 1996, we didnt even have a landline phone in the house and had to go to the phonebox to make any calls.
My first mobile phone was quite a chunky thing and cost 50 pence a min to make a call and I remember yelling down the phone to my Dad 'Im calling from a mobile, cant speak long' and then hanging up. Why I felt the need to yell when I was on a mobile or even call him to tell him and then hang up I do not know.
Its a bit like when you first go abroad you have to call someone in your family - anyone will do, just so you can say 'I am calling from Turkey' and you adopt that loud, slow voice as though you are talking to someone that can't understand you.
The first time I got a computer and connected to the internet, I remember saying to Mr PP 'Thats it, we are on the internet now' and then feeling nervous about how much it would cost as we had a 'freeserve' account and were charged by the minute. 'Be careful' Mr PP said rather nervously and I would gaze at Internet Explorer and decide it was indeed dangerous and then disconnect feeling a bit 'naughty' for going on the world wide web.
Then I got a laptop and joined AOL - Oh how I loved their site, it was like a well designed living room and I had unlimited internet dial up and would be on there all night, having been sucked into the evils of the net and that was even before I had heard of BE so there is no hope for me now
.
Mobile phones got smaller, cheaper, more efficient. Computers got cheaper and more accessible and that meant we could be contacted at any time.
The other night I was on the internet (BE and Facebook if you must know
) and my phone rang and it was someone from work needing some info, I have a wealth of information on my crappy shitty 'big mistake' of a Nokia E72 (regret does not even cover it and Im stuck with the bastard for 2 years), so I was able to help my colleague.
Are our lives better for this technology? Did you prefer the days when a day off meant just that and you couldnt be contacted?
Or do you like the feeling that people can get in touch whenever they want?
I love new gadgets and am continually fascinated with how stuff develops and will admit to wondering how we managed without computers and phones.
But sometimes, just sometimes I do miss the days where you couldnt be 'found' and your day off was your day off and nothing could disturb it.
My first mobile phone was quite a chunky thing and cost 50 pence a min to make a call and I remember yelling down the phone to my Dad 'Im calling from a mobile, cant speak long' and then hanging up. Why I felt the need to yell when I was on a mobile or even call him to tell him and then hang up I do not know.
Its a bit like when you first go abroad you have to call someone in your family - anyone will do, just so you can say 'I am calling from Turkey' and you adopt that loud, slow voice as though you are talking to someone that can't understand you.
The first time I got a computer and connected to the internet, I remember saying to Mr PP 'Thats it, we are on the internet now' and then feeling nervous about how much it would cost as we had a 'freeserve' account and were charged by the minute. 'Be careful' Mr PP said rather nervously and I would gaze at Internet Explorer and decide it was indeed dangerous and then disconnect feeling a bit 'naughty' for going on the world wide web.
Then I got a laptop and joined AOL - Oh how I loved their site, it was like a well designed living room and I had unlimited internet dial up and would be on there all night, having been sucked into the evils of the net and that was even before I had heard of BE so there is no hope for me now
.Mobile phones got smaller, cheaper, more efficient. Computers got cheaper and more accessible and that meant we could be contacted at any time.
The other night I was on the internet (BE and Facebook if you must know
) and my phone rang and it was someone from work needing some info, I have a wealth of information on my crappy shitty 'big mistake' of a Nokia E72 (regret does not even cover it and Im stuck with the bastard for 2 years), so I was able to help my colleague.Are our lives better for this technology? Did you prefer the days when a day off meant just that and you couldnt be contacted?
Or do you like the feeling that people can get in touch whenever they want?
I love new gadgets and am continually fascinated with how stuff develops and will admit to wondering how we managed without computers and phones.
But sometimes, just sometimes I do miss the days where you couldnt be 'found' and your day off was your day off and nothing could disturb it.
Without a computer my life would be completely different. I would not be living in Australia if we didn't had this opportunity to connect with the world. The computer is in principle my life. I'm eager to learn about knew things or read about things which I otherwise would not be able to do. I'm not a member of facebook or any other chatterbox, bores me completely.
Jun 25th 2010, 1:46 am
#57
Mostly Harmless
Joined: Jan 2010
Location: Semi-rural wonderworld, Brisbane
Posts: 15,109
Re: Are things really better?
My mobile is actually out of juice as I type ... do I look bovvered?
I got so bad (good?) that my pre-pay would expire and I'd need a new SIM every few months.
I love gadgets though, my iPod is a current fave and is useful and life-enriching in many ways ... sometimes I even play music on it.
I'd still rather read a decent book if I'm at a loose end though.
Generally it is not good to be always connected but this can be managed by the judicious use of the Off Button. Same goes for taking mobile calls ... mine is set to vibrate and no-one is in the least bit surprised if I don't answer it.
It's nice to have the option of all this fancy stuff but it is also nice to get some walking boots on and head off into the wilderness with nowt but a backpack containing stuff that does not require recharging.
I got so bad (good?) that my pre-pay would expire and I'd need a new SIM every few months.
I love gadgets though, my iPod is a current fave and is useful and life-enriching in many ways ... sometimes I even play music on it.
I'd still rather read a decent book if I'm at a loose end though.
Generally it is not good to be always connected but this can be managed by the judicious use of the Off Button. Same goes for taking mobile calls ... mine is set to vibrate and no-one is in the least bit surprised if I don't answer it.
It's nice to have the option of all this fancy stuff but it is also nice to get some walking boots on and head off into the wilderness with nowt but a backpack containing stuff that does not require recharging.
Jun 25th 2010, 4:29 am
#58
Cad and bounder
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,080
Re: Are things really better?
The joys of having a week off work
Jun 25th 2010, 10:08 am
#59
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Perth
Posts: 3,453
Re: Are things really better?
This is very relevant to me... I had an E71 and got an E72 a few weeks ago. The E71 was superb. I read reviews about the E72, went for it and it has been abysmal so much so that I've gone back to the E71.
Jun 25th 2010, 2:57 pm
#60
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 23,400
Re: Are things really better?
I wish I had bought the iPhone when I had the chance. I might tell Vodafone the E72 is shite, it wont do any good but it will make me feel a whole lot better.
