I'm trying to simplify and want to thank you all

[Yukonica]

I wish the gentleman well.
While working for fourteen public libraries I regularly hear a theme of 'technology is replacing books and ruining the library experience'. We need to accept that we are in a new era of information driven commerce and the only way out is to abandon this economic structure. Consequences may vary.
To paraphrase many of these posts: it's too late to jump back into the aircraft; now we need to decide if we use a parachute to control the event. Around 1991 I had a Motorola analogue cell phone and an Acer laptop. Still use the same kind of tools, they are just sharper now.
Moderation is an appropriate word in my mind.

[screamday]

Russ......if your still out there, could you post your pigeon coup coordinates so people can keep in touch with you.  If your ever in SC, take a flare gun with you and send up a signal when you get close to Columbia. 

[vstevens]

All the best, I've often considered a break as well but I'm not quite there yet.

[LowRyter]

It was only 3 hours ago that he posted, I doubt if he's smashed his computer and burned his modem yet.

Probably will wait until tomorrow morning!

Lannis

well, I took him literally,  why didn't you?

[Lannis]

All the best, I've often considered a break as well but I'm not quite there yet.

Almost impossible to do if you've got a "public job" (as the farmers used to say), that is, a job with a boss and customers.

I wouldn't own a Space Shuttle myself, but if my job was working on it and flying on it, why, I'd be doing exactly that.   And when I was a project manager for a big energy services company, I was just as quick on a Blackberry as anyone, matter of fact, when I texted someone, I used full words and phrases, not "w8tng 4 u @ termnl C", I answered Emails that came in from foreign partners at 0430, and could whip up a Powerpoint and write macros in Excel in the airport for a customer meeting in a minute.

But being retired, I don't have to use that stuff any more; no way is the cost of a smart phone worth what little I'd get out of it PERSONALLY, and I know what they can do. 

So if Muley/Russ can handle the business end on paper, then good on 'im.   I know lots of one-person businesses that have a year's backlog of work and never set foot in a computer or have a website ....

Lannis

[Guzzi Gal]

Russ,

Enjoy!!! 

Elisha

[Shorty]

I remember my frustration with the computer age when all my pals kept telling me to go look up something at "so and so" dot com. Dusty and I share a joke about it. I had to be dragged into the digital age. My real problem with the digital age is that now everyone can look up prices of things for sale nation (world) wide, and getting bargains on motorcycles and parts is getting more rare. Even if Granny might sell that Eldo for 300 bucks, one of the grandkids will make sure that ain't gonna happen.   But, if I were not absorbed looking at a screen, I would be pouring over maps, geneaology charts, novels, tech manuals, etc. It's the curse of being curious. I can cram more damn data into my brain via electrons.   I would never have the guts to cut the cord. Best of luck, sir!

[oldbike54]

                                            'I got yer dotcom right here" 

 Shorty and I both had to be drug kicking AND screaming into 1998 , and now it's 2017 

 Dusty

[Chuck in Indiana]

I was an early adopter. My first programming classes were on a Univac, for heavinsake. When I first saw a computer hooked to a milling machine, the light came on.. and I've made my living with computers since the 80s. They are a wonderful "tool."
Just the same, when they are "toys" I draw the line.
Except for WildGuzzi, of course..<whistling>
 

[Triple Jim]

I was an early adopter. My first programming classes were on a Univac, for heavinsake.

The U of MD had an 1106 and an 1108 when I was in engineering school there.  We put our programs on punch cards and handed the decks to the counter guy who ran them and handed you the cards back, along with the paper output.  I don't miss that procedure much, but it was educational to go through it.

[Chuck in Indiana]

The U of MD had an 1106 and an 1108 when I was in engineering school there.  We put our programs on punch cards and handed the decks to the counter guy who ran them and handed you the cards back, along with the paper output.  I don't miss that procedure much, but it was educational to go through it.

Yep, 16K and it would fill a room at GM tech. 

[JayDee24ca]

I remember first year of college (forestry) we took Fortran computer programming. I can't believe I ever passed that course.
JD

[Markcarovilli]

I remember first year of college (forestry) we took Fortran computer programming. I can't believe I ever passed that course.
JD

Yeah Fortran and punch cards - got one computer run per stack a day at Ohio State...

Mark

[ChuckH]

Looks like I'm going to have to find my collection of old slide rules for a show-and-tell session.   

[kirby1923]

"Looks like I'm going to have to find my collection of old slide rules for a show-and-tell session."   


Ha!
Got a couple of those! And an Abacus as well.

No batteries required!

[Randown]

You've prescribed AMPUTATION where antibiotics will do.

[jcctx]

Say it ain't so!

[ITSec]

I remember first year of college (forestry) we took Fortran computer programming. I can't believe I ever passed that course.
JD

Fortran? WATFOR? 

[Chuck in Indiana]

Fortran? WATFOR? 

Gotran, too. Apparently that was the engineering language of the time. <shrug> What did I know? I was just a kid.

[Triple Jim]

Fortran? WATFOR? 

And WATFIV.

[Orange Guzzi]

After spending 10 minutes of time I will never get back reading these comments, I think I am addicted, but I can quit at any time. 

We cut the cable t.v. this week.  I was surprised at how many people told me they did the same thing recently without bringing it up that I had done the same.  Over priced and a huge waste of time to  try and watch t.v. to rationalize the cost.   Antenna t.v. has over 50 choices for free. 

I spend about 1 hour a day on work  and home business and 1/2 hour on entertainment.  I like the research and the easy access to so much information.  As a past manufacturing research engineer, information is power and money. 

[rodekyll]

Fair winds and calm seas, Russ.

[rocker59]

Information overload.  I'm sure now that humans can be addicted to smart phones. 

Like many comments here, I have met people from all over the world via the internet.  I keep track of people and places far away, via the internet.

I would never want to go back to pre-smart phone, pre-internet days.  I really love having the world and its information at my fingertips.

It is, though, way too easy to just aimlessly scroll the phone to satisfy whatever the information addiction is in our brains.

I've been working towards spending less time on the computer and the smart phone over the past couple years.  Unfortunately, my workday includes eight hours of computer usage.

Going riding and camping in places with no phone or internet access is refreshing and exhilarating.  But, admittedly, so is the sound of the phone updating when I get back into service range.

   

[LowRyter]

FOrTRAN?

heck,  I had trouble programing with BASIC.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Rocker sez..

I would never want to go back to pre-smart phone, pre-internet days.  I really love having the world and its information at my fingertips.

It is, though, way too easy to just aimlessly scroll the phone to satisfy whatever the information addiction is in our brains.

and I totally agree. The information in the Library of Alexandria is at our fingertips.
but comma.
I have two kids that work for me part time.. I don't pay them, Ed the Rocket Scientist does that.. and one is totally addicted to a phone.  The other just looks at it a lot.
BIL Harley Bob and Dorcia's sister Carol came over for dinner tonight, and I almost took a picture. I was making fajitas, Dorcia was making Margaritas, and they were looking at their phones constantly. 
Nice visit..

[rodekyll]

I worked with univacs, the big IBMs and Sperry/Rand, among others.  We opened a door and walked inside when they needed work.  We got upscale with a Winchester drive the size of a washing machine.  Hard coded routines and drives with breadboards.  I was the guy who collected the punch cards and loaded them in the go-drawers.  Then I set the tape and drove them through.  When you got that utility bill with the decimal misplaced, I might have had something to do with it.

[Lannis]

Rocker sez..
and I totally agree. The information in the Library of Alexandria is at our fingertips.
but comma.
I have two kids that work for me part time.. I don't pay them, Ed the Rocket Scientist does that.. and one is totally addicted to a phone.  The other just looks at it a lot.
BIL Harley Bob and Dorcia's sister Carol came over for dinner tonight, and I almost took a picture. I was making fajitas, Dorcia was making Margaritas, and they were looking at their phones constantly. 
Nice visit..

I suspect that we're getting ready to have an outbreak of mental illness in this country, the like of which has never been seen before ... My in-laws (brother-in-law, his wife, and 4 kids) drove 700 miles to stay at our house for two nights, and we probably didn't get to say 200 words to them.   Every second was spent with their heads down in their phones and iPads.   Spooky.

We've all seen it.   To say "It's just a tool" and "Just set it down if it bothers you" is ignoring the reality of what we're seeing.

If Muley considers computers an attack of malaria or the flu, then an antibiotic solution may be right.

But if he considers it gangrene (and I think he does, and it's hard to refute), then an amputation is entirely appropriate.

Lannis

[ohiorider]

I went to work for Friden, Inc, a company based out of San Leandro CA, in 1969.  I sold their billing /accounting products, known as Flexowriters and Computypers.  These were what was known as 'source date recorders.'  In other words, our products, while producing necessary printed documents such as purchase orders and invoices, created punch paper tape that could be used as input into larger computer systems.  It was early office automation.

In actuality, these machines were very heavy typewriters that could read paper tape, edge-punched cards, and IBM tab cards.  They could output tape, and cards.  And they could calculate ..... addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.  Sounds pretty mundane today, but back then, one machine and one operator could do the work of 2,3,4 routine office workers.

Fun stuff, nearly 50 years ago!!

[Lannis]

I went to work for Friden, Inc, a company based out of San Leandro CA, in 1969.  I sold their billing /accounting products, known as Flexowriters and Computypers.  These were what was known as 'source date recorders.'  In other words, our products, while producing necessary printed documents such as purchase orders and invoices, created punch paper tape that could be used as input into larger computer systems.  It was early office automation.

In actuality, these machines were very heavy typewriters that could read paper tape, edge-punched cards, and IBM tab cards.  They could output tape, and cards.  And they could calculate ..... addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.  Sounds pretty mundane today, but back then, one machine and one operator could do the work of 2,3,4 routine office workers.

Fun stuff, nearly 50 years ago!!

In 1972, those were still high technology.   Our IBM 1130 FORTRAN lab had a row of IBM 029 and 026 card punch machines.  DEC was coming out with LINCtapes for their PDP-8s, big stuff.

And a student could buy a four function HP or TI hand calculator .... for about $190!   

Tell kids that today, and will they believe you?

Lannis

[V7Record]

I worked at Univac/Sperry/Unisys from 1981-2007, fortran, MASM, and any *nix you can think of pretty much.
1100/60, 1100/70, 1100/80, and a slew of 2200's.
Finally volunteered for a layoff when they got to 3 per year, too stressful and my *nix skills were transferable unlike many who only worked on the mainframes.
Would be tough stopping cold turkey at this point.