Sparky
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Post by Sparky on Aug 30, 2019 6:43:55 GMT
I envy old people who don't need it. My sister bought my parents an ipad, in hindsight it was a really bad idea, being computer illiterate all they do with it is gawp at facebook. My dad has had a laptop for years & he still doesn't know how to do basic tasks ( copy & paste, etc. ), I lose my patience with him as nothing I've ever shown him has sunk in.
What's disturbing is that we're stuck with it, there can't be any backlash against it no matter how intrusive & damaging it is, you can only opt out & either live a pretty alienated & insular existence or find a community that lives off grid.
Indeed we are stuck with it.
Thing is most of our daily lives is being forced "online" - to receive a bank statement, you are charged if you want it on paper and through the post.
You are being encouraged to do it all online.
The same goes for anything from applying for jobs, car tax, MOT, tax returns, shopping and now (advert just been on TV) for prescriptions and a proposed NHS computer online diagnosis system.
Even a handful of these technical support call centres are now web based, where you connect online and speak to a computer (masquerading as a person).
There are sections of the population who think this is all just a huge Data Collecting scheme by companies and government agencies. Sometimes I begin to wonder myself.
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Three Litre
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Post by Three Litre on Aug 30, 2019 12:32:27 GMT
I've never taken to these new fangled horseless carriages.
No one needs to be somewhere else that fast.
Those massive metal birds make a terrible din as well.
Bring back steam trains and airships.
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Sparky
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Post by Sparky on Aug 30, 2019 13:11:47 GMT
I've never taken to these new fangled horseless carriages. No one needs to be somewhere else that fast. Those massive metal birds make a terrible din as well. Bring back steam trains and airships. Perhaps a topic for Room 101 - though HS2 I feel is going to be a huge white elephant, if it does happen. Why can't we just spend the money on upgrading what's left of our current railway infrastructure.
Though on the Technology/Railways thing...
Network Rail have been spending millions "upgrading" the track and signalling systems across the country - it was said for "Higher speed running". In the areas that have been upgraded - the speed limits are still the same at, 125MPH for most diesel expresses, and 140MPH on certain sections of the East Coast Mainline. This has been in place for decades.
The Signalling side meant closing local signal boxes - many of which were built during the 70s - and covered around 600miles of track. It was here total operation of an area's railway was controlled - and common sense used to regulate late running trains etc.
These "Power Boxes" one by one were closed, leaving a few (who's days are numbered), and connected to "Signalling Control Centres" - where about 4 will eventually cover the country. Staffed by men in suits, sat at computer screens. Sounds nice... that is, until there is a power faliure or an outage.
From experience - the York Centre had a computer glitch recently; wiping out signalling across York/Yorkshire - at peak time. Without signals working - no train could move. In the old days, a "glitch" was usually restricted to a smaller area.
Since the closure of Sheffield Signalbox - and connection to the new centre - there has been loads of signal glitches, and failiures - even wrong routes set for trains.
Never had this before...
My point being, we tend to rely too much on technology - there is no harm in switching it off for a few hours and learning to do a job the old way!
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Post by D.C. Burtonshaw on Sept 2, 2019 18:02:34 GMT
The only things with technology I've got used to, the internet, emailing, forums, Facebook (but I don't go on that nowhere near as much as other people) but I refuse to let technology run my life.
I admit that on line ordering is handy, Ebay and getting info regarding hotel reservations, public transport and roads and weather, as well as time and places. But I don't download music or pay for subscriptions for films and "Boxed sets" (calling them that irritates me).
A lot of evenings I switch off and would rather read printed matter or put on CD's and DVD's to watch. I agree that a lot of it is being forced on us, which isn't right or fair on older people.
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Three Litre
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Post by Three Litre on Sept 2, 2019 19:43:33 GMT
I've never taken to these new fangled horseless carriages. No one needs to be somewhere else that fast. Those massive metal birds make a terrible din as well. Bring back steam trains and airships. Perhaps a topic for Room 101 - though HS2 I feel is going to be a huge white elephant, if it does happen. Why can't we just spend the money on upgrading what's left of our current railway infrastructure.
Though on the Technology/Railways thing...
Network Rail have been spending millions "upgrading" the track and signalling systems across the country - it was said for "Higher speed running". In the areas that have been upgraded - the speed limits are still the same at, 125MPH for most diesel expresses, and 140MPH on certain sections of the East Coast Mainline. This has been in place for decades.
The Signalling side meant closing local signal boxes - many of which were built during the 70s - and covered around 600miles of track. It was here total operation of an area's railway was controlled - and common sense used to regulate late running trains etc.
These "Power Boxes" one by one were closed, leaving a few (who's days are numbered), and connected to "Signalling Control Centres" - where about 4 will eventually cover the country. Staffed by men in suits, sat at computer screens. Sounds nice... that is, until there is a power faliure or an outage.
From experience - the York Centre had a computer glitch recently; wiping out signalling across York/Yorkshire - at peak time. Without signals working - no train could move. In the old days, a "glitch" was usually restricted to a smaller area.
Since the closure of Sheffield Signalbox - and connection to the new centre - there has been loads of signal glitches, and failiures - even wrong routes set for trains.
Never had this before...
My point being, we tend to rely too much on technology - there is no harm in switching it off for a few hours and learning to do a job the old way!
Couldn’t agree more on HS2, fix the rest of the network first. Talking of signalling, I guess it was morse in your youth Sparky!
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Cartman
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Post by Cartman on Sept 2, 2019 19:59:56 GMT
Strongly agree on HS2, massive, massive waste of money. The fares are likely to be high, which will mean that it is aimed at business travellers. Presumably as technology advances it will be less necessary to travel to meetings, face time etc let's us do this now, and by the time it is open this will be further advanced. The costs are escalating hugely, I hope it gets canned and the money spent on improving local services and a few reopenings, Skipton to Colne has a good case and small scale local schemes like this will be a fraction of the cost.
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Post by Sam Tyler on Sept 2, 2019 22:57:44 GMT
Presumably as technology advances it will be less necessary to travel to meetings, face time etc I like your optimism!
In my last job the company had all it needed for "tele-conferencing": a conference room equipped with two 56" widescreen TVs, two HD auto sensing cameras, multiple microphones around the conference table, and a multi-gigabit internet connection. All was set up such that multiple locations could "conference call" from anywhere in the world.
But what happened? Six senior managers would get on a plane four times a year, all on business class, to go to Canada to have meetings with one of the suppliers. Did they ever use the "tele-conferencing" facilities? Did they ever tell the suppliers to come to the UK instead? Did they ever go cattle-class on the plane? Did they downgrade their hotel suites? Did they care about their "carbon footprint"? Did they my arse! No, not once as it was a bloody good jolly for them! One trip alone would have paid for the teleconferencing facility outright. Thereafter it would have been significant time and budget savings.
It will be the same in many businesses across the UK, they will still all be able to justify why they need to travel instead of using the technology.
Sam.
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Cartman
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Post by Cartman on Sept 3, 2019 8:22:01 GMT
All the more reason why it's not needed. It will simply be used for unnecessary jolly boys outings by senior management.
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Sparky
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Post by Sparky on Sept 3, 2019 11:17:06 GMT
Couldn’t agree more on HS2, fix the rest of the network first. Talking of signalling, I guess it was morse in your youth Sparky! Morse - they still kind of use that using a system of bells in older signal boxes.
Gawd knows what they mean.
No - it was Semaphore Flags or if you were lucky Smoke Signals (but that was deemed bad for the environment!)
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Sparky
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Post by Sparky on Sept 3, 2019 19:05:41 GMT
In my last job the company had all it needed for "tele-conferencing": a conference room equipped with two 56" widescreen TVs, two HD auto sensing cameras, multiple microphones around the conference table, and a multi-gigabit internet connection. All was set up such that multiple locations could "conference call" from anywhere in the world
I worked on an advert for "Capital One" (or "Capital Gone" as many of us called it) a few years ago; some of it was shot in their huge offices in Nottingham. What amazed me was it was like walking on to the set of "The Office" - but they had various 'Tele-Conferencing' suites - none of which they really used - and like in your office Sam, they preferred to swan off around the globe on jolly ups.
I was told by a grumpy old cleaner that the 'suites' were built using money that would have otherwise gone to the Tax Man (or women) - and that, as the money was invested on company assets - they could avoid being taxed on it. Not sure how true this was/is - or if it was correct.
Though - why not put that money back in to the local community (Schools/Housing/Charity etc).
What I found ironic, was sharing the same office building, Nottingham City Council - totally cash strapped through cuts, closing Care Homes, scaling back support for vulnerable families to at least make ends meet.
In 1999/2000 - Central TV (as it was) refurbished it's Nottingham Studios with digital equipment. They had a 32track Music recording studio which was refurbed too. The entire upgrade ran to about £2-3million....
When Carlton TV brought 'Crossroads' back in 2001; they needed masses of space for the sets. So - first to go was the 32 track studio. All electrical equipment had it's mains cables cut and was chucked in a large skip at the back of the studio.
The skip was guarded 24hours a day for 3 days, before it was taken away.
I asked why the gear wasn't given to local colleges or schools - the response I got was "We can't due to health & safety rules. Everything would need to be electrically tested first - that costs money."
So did kitting the place out at £3million....
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