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Contributor name: charlie

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Contributor since: Nov 14, 2006

Last seen: Dec 6, 2006

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What charlie thinks of other contributors' views

94% (120 votes) agreed

What other contributors thinks of charlie's views

57% (12 votes) agreed

Latest comments posted

Do social networking websites make us more social?

charlie thinks: Strangely enough, most people feel that their online friendshis are just as fulfilling as real world relationships. Social interaction on the web has grown exponentially over the last few years, but I still ave a hard time believing these online relationships have the depth of a true friendship although I can see the value of being involved in a community of people who have the same interests as yourself.

Are traffic lights dangerous?

charlie thinks: The idea behind removing traffic lights in many ways creates a larger amount of small accidents in order to avoid larger fatal accidents. I'm not sure if this is true in practice, but we do know that current traffic systems don't do a very good job of traffic management as they are now.

Digital Rights Management, problem or solution?

charlie thinks: I came across this also when I bought a new computer and tried to transfer my music files. Many would not copy over because I had 'exceeded my legal copy limit'. I don't get it. I bought it, I own it. The problem is not enough people are aware of this until they buy a new MP3 player or computer. Unfortunately, they will be over time when they realize that they will always need to replace devices to listen to music on, but the music collection will always remain a constant.

Are traffic lights dangerous?

charlie thinks: I agree that driving should not be a passive activity. It does require concentration. Having systems in place, albeit dangerous from certain perspectives would make it safer as a whole as drivers py more attention. I'm not sure roundabouts are the answer, but some other form of traffic management that requires a driver to be aware of their surroundings would definitely be welcome.

Latest comments agreed with

Are email & text communication encouraging people to talk less?

nicolaallsopp thinks: It is true. How can we learn how to interact with one another and develop in relationships/friendships when we commuicate via the phone, text or email. There is no face to face communication there at all. It is good to talk - yeah - but face to face, to see ones emotions and reactions - this is how we develop our interpersonal skills. Technology is serioulsy taking over our lives and we choose it as its the easy way out. Look at it this way if you are feeling really down and depressed - how would you want to express how you feel? Over text/phone/email where no one can actually see you are down and they just think its not that bad or face-to-face where they can see you are down and depressed and you can see their geniune concern and where you can be comforted not just in words but physically also.

Are email & text communication encouraging people to talk less?

IanTomo thinks: People too ofter rely on last minute information.

The age of planning and preparation is being left far behind us. We now have the technology to slap together a presentation in a few minutes and blag our way through it and - more often than not - get away with it. How many times has someone contacted you saying they have a meeting in five minutes and can you udate them on an issue? No planning there.

Arguably, in this faster moving society these systems may be the most appropriate but if we really value what we deal with are we doing it all justice? Do we not owe a little more to our working life?

But consider the individual. 20 years ago our forefathers were dealing with - food - shelter - survival. Now, we are dealing with the intermeshing of 100's of issues at any one time all dependent on last minute patching together. Whilst food and shelter may not be an issue now, our survival - at least mentaly - certainly is.

Are email & text communication encouraging people to talk less?

englishdanny thinks: It all boils down to: Do you prefer your communications to be hard copy (As in face-to-face) or would you instead use the latest technology. I am a plastererer working in Holland, I ask people to text me adresses so that I can enter it into my GPS. Then I can see my arrival time and also how much it will cost me to go there. Although I do agree that there is no substitute for the former. Perhaps a mix of the two?

Are email & text communication encouraging people to talk less?

JBonnin thinks: Once again, a balance is needed. Email and text are just wonderfurl efficient resources.

But more than once, people I was talking to in person about relatively simple work issues, asked me to put it in a mail!

Virtual World

SacredVermin thinks: ...As long as the campaign stays just that, I don't see a problem with both. And allyinscotland, I'm pretty well off, getting paid to help people with all the things I learned by sitting in front of a screen all day. And that PS2 let dad blow off steam in his shed instead of blowing it off on me. 'Sides, the games today to a better job of moralising and encouraging kids than a lot of the parents I know.

Latest comments disagreed with

Internet Simplicity

drjohn thinks: With a world population of 6,545 million and a chinese population of 1,306 million, you think that with 9% of the chinese on line, they represent 30% of the total online users??? This suggests that of the rest of the world only 1% of them are online. Get Real!!

Web 2 is a method for programmers to build applications you run online in your browser. Don't know what you think it is, if you think it is a chat term! The fact that you have probably used such web 2 systems and been unaware of it shows how the web has been simplified a great deal

The Internet has been greatly simplified in the 40 years it has been in existance. (Yes, 40 years, the web is just one recent part of the internet) You no longer need to be a computer expert to use it, and it is no longer confined to science labs and universities. The compalint about having to type in the proper url to find a site is hilarious - with google claiming they alone index over 8,000 million web pages (and they don't index the private sections of university sites, or paid for services for example, which is a huge amount more), obviously you have to enter the url correctly to find a page. Do you write a letter to someone and just put their name on it and post it, expecting it to arrive at the correct address in china for example? Hence the need to enter the correct url for a web page.

The internet is a vast communication system, and many parts of it are so simple to use compared to 10 or 20 years ago, it has clearly come a long way. Unfortunately, manydesigners of web pages haven't all realised that showing off clever tricks doesn't always make life easier for people. Very few of them have even heard of usability engineering, far less applying it to their work. Don't criticise the web if parts are complex, criticise the web designer.

As for suggesting there might be a parallel web that is not in english - have you never seen web pages in french, spanish german, swedish etc etc etc. The web is not an english only media by any stretch of the imagination. you just don't find many german web pages if you enter an english word in google :)

The web will get simpler still, but the creative minds that design the software to make it simple have to work very hard indeed to make it idiot proof.

what will you give up for simplicity

JBonnin thinks: As Francis pointed out very accurately above, simplicity is not a matter of paying or cutting superfluous accessories. It implies being creative about simple matters of our lives.

Maybe purchasing an iPod will make me happier on my way to work. But not everything that makes our lives fuller are available on a shelf.

Plugs, batteries and cables

itssimple thinks: I think it's only a matter of time before these issue gets solved. There are various technologies that transmit signals wirelessly. There's also the ability to transmit power over short distances. Imagine getting power to your television simply by placing it close to the wall. I don't think it will be too long before this is a true possiblity. In the meantime, cable managment systems should be standard on all workstations. I shouldn't have to reach under my computer or move a tv stand just to plug a cable in and then be left with four feet of cable extra that just creates clutter.

Digital Rights Management, problem or solution?

Maverick thinks: I've had nothing but problems with DRM. I have no problem with record companies or artists wanting to keep their work protected, but if it stops me from copying my music collection from my computer to another computer or between portable devices, that's when I feel it crosses the line. There needs to be another solution to protect against piracy without effecting genuine consumers that are willing to pay for the music.

Are traffic lights dangerous?

Geek1 thinks: I think I saw that article you're mentioning. The town was in the Netherlands. It may work there, but somehow, I doubt removing traffic signals could be a good solution for cities such as New York or London where traffic is overflowing and a city grid system is already in place for directional traffic.

Submitted discussions

Discussions this contributor has submitted to LiveSimplicity:

International Dialing - 3 comments
Are people becoming less intelligent because of technology? - 7 comments

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