Tech you miss/ new tech trends you hate - ok boomers

Toolbox said:
I have a feeling the whole obsession with removing buttons is more a decision to make every penny they possibly can, but are capacitive touch "buttons" even cheaper than their mechanical counterparts?
Click to expand...
I was thinking about that in terms of durability in car instrument and gauge clusters. A lot of modern cars now have all LED gauges, sorta like smartphones. Considering how cheap they are to make, I'd wager they are cheaper than the old school mechanical versions. With gauge clusters, those old schools ones have a few stepper motors and delicate weights on the gauge needles, which all seem like a recipe for disaster in terms of durability in contrast to just a big LED panel. Also with cheap LED screen manufacturing, they're theoretically cheaper to replace if they were to die.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: AnotherPleb and I Hate Anime Avatars
Car Won't Crank said:
I was thinking about that in terms of durability in car instrument and gauge clusters. A lot of modern cars now have all LED gauges, sorta like smartphones. Considering how cheap they are to make, I'd wager they are cheaper than the old school mechanical versions. With gauge clusters, those old schools ones have a few stepper motors and delicate weights on the gauge needles, which all seem like a recipe for disaster in terms of durability in contrast to just a big LED panel. Also with cheap LED screen manufacturing, they're theoretically cheaper to replace if they were to die.
Click to expand...
They seem like they would only be cheaper to make because they're used for so many digital devices. But anyways on a multi thousand dollar machine a few rotating mechanisms really shouldn't weigh into the manufacturing in a major way - nor should they fall apart any faster than crappy touch elements over the average use of the vehicle. Anyways it's very optimistic to expect any of these companies allow replacements of single touch elements rather than it being like with the compound modern headlights.
 
  • Like
Reactions: I Hate Anime Avatars and Based Cheeto
ToroidalBoat said:
It seems they're usually just an American or Western thing.

I don't like BS of "by using this site you agree to these terms", which may not be legally binding anyway.
Click to expand...
If you have to click through and it's unambiguous that you are agreeing to something, and you can access and read it, it generally is binding.

If you'd have to jump through hoops to see it, or you don't have to click through to access whatever it is, or if the option is buried at the bottom of some lengthy page, it generally is not.

There is some ambiguity in the law. It is probably best practices actually to display the entire agreement and not allow you to dismiss it without at least scrolling through it. If you choose to drag down to the bottom, ignoring it entirely, and click it anyway, it's probably binding.

There are obviously exceptions. For instance, if your cable provider suddenly changed its terms of service and added "and you agree we can charge your credit card $50,000 immediately" or something outrageous and unconscionable.
 
  • Optimistic
  • Informative
  • Like
Reactions: rareblacklobster, Picklechu, ToroidalBoat and 1 other person
Agent Abe Caprine said:
This is why you use noscript or something like it along with Privacy Badger. Now you know exactly what is being blocked and it's all in plain language. Silly talk in the context of computers is fine when you're helping someone understand how to do something on their device. Some people just remember things better if you say an antivirus is a shield against nasty digigerms. Treating all your users like they only understand the concept of a virus if you call it a digigerm is stupid and patronizing.

Not joking about unironically telling someone a virus is basically an evil monster. Older people and kids have trouble understanding the proper terms, so you need to condense it into concepts they understand. Maybe tell grandpa they are digicommies.

On the bright side, it has a chance of telling the younger gamers that they deserve better. They deserve a server browser and the ability to make their own servers.
Click to expand...
Someone in another thread recommended uMatrix instead of NoScript. So after years of NoScript I switched and checked it out. uMatrix isn't maintained anymore but it is still really good. There is a learning curve to it but it also features more granular choices than what I saw in NoScript. There is a fork, nMatrix, that is mainted but it's only for PaleMoon and didn't they get bought out by the chinese or was maintained by histrionic furries?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pillar of Autism
ToroidalBoat said:
Did I mention I really don't like the new tech trend of getting at least 1 scam call a day?

And how I miss the days before endless scam calls became a thing?

It's hard to reach me by phone because I always have the ringer off because of that crap...
Click to expand...
There exist services that attempt to weed out these kind of calls. Not sure about their effectiveness though. I have noticed within the past year I've been getting way more scam calls than ever. Did call centers get a boost from lockdown bs?
 
  • Informative
  • Thunk-Provoking
  • Like
Reactions: Diana Moon Glampers, moocow and ToroidalBoat
The Last Stand said:
What's the point of television? Who even watches TV anymore thanks to streaming? Also, why does streaming services have ads?
Click to expand...
I assume you mean linear TV, i.e. traditional channels with set schedules. Some people like background noise, or, for whatever reason, like not having to think about what to watch. Everyone else is older and/or doesn't have broadband. I personally don't get it, although if there were a FAST direct stream of Adult Swim, I'd probably put it on if I needed to just veg out or something.

Some streaming services have ads because it's one of the only ways they can make money (ads, subscriptions, digital rentals, digital purchases, and selling data). It's more forgivable, IMO, on the free ones. The only paid ones I've used that have ads are Hulu and HBO Max, and even then, there are only maybe like five minutes for every 45-minute show.

ToroidalBoat said:
Did I mention I really don't like the new tech trend of getting at least 1 scam call a day?

And how I miss the days before endless scam calls became a thing?

It's hard to reach me by phone because I always have the ringer off because of that crap...
Click to expand...
I don't even answer my phone anymore. If it's important and not a scam, they'll leave a message.

Literally the only people who call me are boomer family members and boomer former clients. Everyone else texts or DMs, and more often than not, the boomers do as well.
 
Last edited:
  • Feels
  • Like
Reactions: Based Cheeto, Toolbox, ToroidalBoat and 1 other person
Picklechu said:
Literally the only people who call me are boomer family members and boomer former clients.
Click to expand...
So eventually phone calls could be killed off entirely because of scammers?

Maybe future "smartphones" could be like tablets that can do texting or video conferencing, but not calls?

(then again scammers could find a way to thoroughly ruin alternatives to calling like they did with calls)
 
ToroidalBoat said:
So eventually phone calls could be killed off entirely because of scammers?

Maybe future "smartphones" could be like tablets that can do texting or video conferencing, but not calls?

(then again scammers could find a way to thoroughly ruin alternatives to calling like they did with calls)
Click to expand...
1. don't signup with your number anywhere (sites like uber are exceptions but try not to). don't sign petitions, don't give out your number where not req
2. since your number is already compromised, get a new one and purge the old one from your bank & stuff
3. use apps like truecaller (modded ofcourse) to block scam/spam
 
  • Informative
  • Like
  • Agree
Reactions: Pillar of Autism, The Last Stand, fartsnstuf and 2 others
ToroidalBoat said:
Even if one doesn't do any of that, scammers can still call anyway because they use automated systems to dial any possible number. When I got a new phone number, I started getting daily robot and/or scam calls.
Click to expand...
Also because there's a chance that the number was redistributed and used to belong to somebody else.

I've never ever got a scam call my entire life. Sometimes I got these bizarre scam SMS messages that claim you got a voicemail and want you to go to some link, probably to either try to use some browser exploit or make you enter personal data. (never used the links)

Usually your contact data goes into the hands of scammers via random online sellers if you buy shit off ebay and pay with paypal and such. They either lose your data in data leaks or sell it. Chinese are notorious for this. I know because I append postfixes (e.g. (actual account)+ebay) and the spam mails always contain them too. Makes such stuff easy to track and block without having to set up 9 proxies and 20 email addresses.

Does anyone even know anyone who still sends SMS messages? The only SMS messages I've gotten in years were some automatic verification ones.
 
  • Informative
  • Like
  • Agree
Reactions: Kiwi2Shoes, theshitposter, Picklechu and 1 other person
Madre Muerte said:
Got an old laptop, dissembled it to take out the hdd and reformat it. Once I had it opened I realized that you can simply take it out with a switch on the back. Why don't modern laptops let you do that?
Click to expand...
To make them slimmer and more compact. You generally have to look towards the business segment to get laptops with components that can be easily upgraded or replaced(fucking batteries...) but even in that space it's become tough, it used to be that pretty much any business laptop was easily serviceable.
 
  • Informative
Reactions: ToroidalBoat
toggle switches. I REALLY fucking miss toggle switches on things.
A8320659.jpg
Big fuck off knurled nut metal badge simply OFF & get it ON.
All my tools are older than your granddad they have them. Nowdays everything is these candy ass plastic rocker switches.
Rectangle_Rocker_Switch_SPST_44123_f.png
it ALWAYS leads to some fucktard asking "which way is on"

Up a bit y'all talking touch screens in cars instead of buttons well buttons cost more & add to the BOM & inevitably break or fuck up.

I had to replace a switch in my mill yesterday & the little wanker in the electronics store today said they didn't carry them then tried to upsell me on some stupid led push button garbage. Jog the fuck on cunt where's the manager? Yeah I did actually ask to speak to the manager I figured (hopefully) he was a bit more aged & would even know wtf I was talking about. How the fuck you work in an electronics store & not know what the fuck a SPDT switch is?

PTP wiring.Vacuum tubes. Gears belts & pulleys.
I miss these things being around in some capacity.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kiwi2Shoes, Pillar of Autism, Equivocal_Iki and 9 others
AnOminous said:
If you have to click through and it's unambiguous that you are agreeing to something, and you can access and read it, it generally is binding.

If you'd have to jump through hoops to see it, or you don't have to click through to access whatever it is, or if the option is buried at the bottom of some lengthy page, it generally is not.

There is some ambiguity in the law. It is probably best practices actually to display the entire agreement and not allow you to dismiss it without at least scrolling through it. If you choose to drag down to the bottom, ignoring it entirely, and click it anyway, it's probably binding.

There are obviously exceptions. For instance, if your cable provider suddenly changed its terms of service and added "and you agree we can charge your credit card $50,000 immediately" or something outrageous and unconscionable.
Click to expand...
My dog is trained to accept all digital agreements.

He even does digital signatures.
 
  • Like
  • Optimistic
  • Feels
Reactions: ToroidalBoat, The Last Stand, Smaug's Smokey Hole and 1 other person
Poppavalyim Andropoff said:
toggle switches. I REALLY fucking miss toggle switches on things.
View attachment 2610158
Big fuck off knurled nut metal badge simply OFF & get it ON.
All my tools are older than your granddad they have them. Nowdays everything is these candy ass plastic rocker switches.
View attachment 2610166
it ALWAYS leads to some fucktard asking "which way is on"

Up a bit y'all talking touch screens in cars instead of buttons well buttons cost more & add to the BOM & inevitably break or fuck up.

I had to replace a switch in my mill yesterday & the little wanker in the electronics store today said they didn't carry them then tried to upsell me on some stupid led push button garbage. Jog the fuck on cunt where's the manager? Yeah I did actually ask to speak to the manager I figured (hopefully) he was a bit more aged & would even know wtf I was talking about. How the fuck you work in an electronics store & not know what the fuck a SPDT switch is?

PTP wiring.Vacuum tubes. Gears belts & pulleys.
I miss these things being around in some capacity.
Click to expand...
+1 to t this

Mini Cooper S R53 spec (Mk1 BMW Mini) had rocker switches for everything, including the electric windows. It was a mixture of feeling like i was sat in a cockpit and having that positive feedback of knowing i've flicked the fucking switch.

Which electronics shop do you go in? You sound like a Brit, maybe scottish, but after maplins went tits up, I can't find a good electronics shop to save my life.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pillar of Autism, Allakazam223 and Aunt Carol
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back