Footprints

by Budd Glassberg

Reprinted with permission from the Zionsville Times Sentinel on October 31, 2007

Slow It down A Little, Please

“Technology … is a queer thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other.” – C. P. Snow

Technology is moving more rapidly than many of us are able to grasp. We live in a society where new innovations are pitched to us on a daily basis. My grandfather did not own a car until he was in his late thirties. During his childhood there were no movies of any kind, no airplanes, no refrigerators and electric lights were a rare commodity. In his lifetime he watched on television as a man walked on the moon. Grandpa was able to keep up with the technology of his days. My father had handled the many of the changes that technology has brought to his life. He has adapted to cable television, but has eschewed computers and the internet as well as the use of cell phones. He has a cell phone, but does not use it other than for an emergency. I have always been more of a technocrat, doing my best to stay close to the leading edge of technology. I learned to program computers while in college and have continued to attempt to keep up with the advances in that field. Several years ago, I began to fall behind a little. I had spent many hours reading up on the latest trends and early adopting the latest software. The pace that new equipment and software continued to evolve forced me from the leading edge to the bleeding edge of technology.

Early adoption of equipment was both expensive and not usually a wise purchase. Prices would often drop rapidly soon after the item was first released. Bugs would be worked out in the devices that came later. This was not only the case in computer technology, but also in the many other electronic items. In the earlier days of the electronic era, new models might be introduced to replace an existing product in a couple of years. As the pace quickened, innovations were launched months apart. Major “improved” electronic devices were released in time for the Christmas frenzy to buy. The speed with which we are being exposed to this technology is unprecedented and there seems to be no end in sight.

It is not unusual for a technophile to own a laptop and desktop computer, digital camera, all in one printer, flat screen television, DVR, Ipod, cell phone/Blackberry/Iphone, gamebox, and numerous other devices lying around. All of those mentioned are quickly improved on by new models. Learning the features of the existing models is a time consuming task. Keeping up with the enhanced versions is daunting.

I am wondering if we are approaching the point where we have reached technology overload. Could it be that what we already own might be good enough? Perhaps the newer, better features are not necessary. Maybe we are already not using most of those new features already packaged with our devices. Some consumers are already beginning to rebel. I noticed in AARP magazine that there is a cell phone for sale that had only twelve buttons on it and has a screen large enough for elderly eyes. It is easy to use because it just makes and accepts phone calls. No camera, no tunes, no text messaging, just phone calls. There are also digital cameras for sale that have only three functions; focus, flash or not, and take the picture. Maybe other manufactured electronics will follow suit.

One part of the movement that will be dictated is how long a product will be supported. That time is getting shorter and shorter. Microsoft and Intuit will no longer support the versions of software that my mother-in-law has been using for the past several years. The machine that the software runs on is considered disposable and must be replaced if it needs service. In a couple of years, our televisions will not pick up signals unless we convert to a digital format. So it is with progress.

There is much I appreciate in our modern world and know that my ranting must sound like a person who is living in the past. I have seen that kind of person in the generation that came before me. The time has come where I want to drag my feet to slow down the pace of change. I now need an expert to demonstrate how to use the equipment that I used to explain to my parents. My daughters seem to adapt to these technological changes with ease. If the circle of life continues, there will come a time when they too will yearn for a simpler time in their past when innovation came at a more reasonable pace.

Budd Glassberg lives and works in Zionsville and is a 23 year resident of the community. Visit www.runz.com for reprints of all his columns. You can reach him by email at budd@runz.com.