Technology is great!

[Steve]

I'm old enough to still be amazed on occasion:

We were supposed to go to New York City today on a charter bus. The littlest one is still sick, or recovering, at best. I told my wife to go ahead and take our 3-year-old to the city, see the lights, take in a show, etc. This decision was made this morning at about 5 AM.

So, she's on the bus, halfway to NY and calls me on her <u>cellphone</u>. She asks me to check out what shows suitable for children are playing today.

So, I get on the <u>Internet</u>, fire up <u>Google</u>, and quickly find a site with all the on- and off-Broadway shows. I quickly determine that they're sold out for today (didn't have much hope, anyway).

I call her back on her cellphone and she asks me to check Radio City Music Hall. A few clicks later, I'm on their site, see the Christmas Spectacular, let her know there's a show at 11:30 AM.

She asks me to get tickets. I can't do it online, and the phone lines to <u>Ticketmaster</u> are constantly busy. Well, after about 20 minutes of trying, she calls me back on her cellphone and says "never mind". They were in the city already and she was in line to buy the tickets she wanted for the Christmas Spectacular.

So, in theory, if the phone lines hadn't been jammed, I could have ordered the tickets for her on a will-call basis and she could have picked them up at the box office.

It just blows me away that you can do stuff like this, these days.

[Sunriser13]

Since I run an answering service, I have come to the point that I hate <i>all</i> telephones with a purple passion, but I have to admit the convenience of certain features is amazing.

With the situation above, for example, some of the newer features are such that she would not only not have needed you to do the internet search, but could have ordered the tickets online right from her cell phone (if sold on the 'net)...

[ethics]

Originally posted by stevent

So, in theory, if the phone lines hadn't been jammed, I could have ordered the tickets for her on a will-call basis and she could have picked them up at the box office.

It just blows me away that you can do stuff like this, these days.

When I was younger, and my young mind was able to tell and discern what the future holds, I was praying the technology would hurry up so I can enjoy life even more.

I love living in these times, and I doubt many of prior generations can say the same thing.

Hint: Here's a challenge to the older folks. :)

[ShinyTop]

I sometimes ponder on the wonders of our world and how they would appear to historical figures. Imagine the automobile to George Washington. You would not even have to move it. Just turn the lights on or the radio. Just the light weight clothes we wear.

The thought of telephones you could carry on your belt and talk to anywhere in the world was only in comic strips in the 50's. The communicator on Star Trek did not take long to come to fruition.

But the biggest advancement has to be the internet. A device in my house with almost instant access to news, weather, sports, encyclopedias, databases, etc. And the ability to socialize, to converse with people from around the world with a press of a button. To share our experiences, to offer solace, to share the joy of success. We are much to relaxed about this greatest of all inventions. We should sit in awe every time we connect, every time we login to GA and talk with Claire in Belgium, Ditch in Australia, and others in countries far and wide.

I can take the internet and download and watch or listen to any entertainment release usually within hours of its finish in some studio somewhere. I can go to websites and get tickets to see Cher within minutes of them going on sale. I can go to another website and see live pictures of the weather at many places on the globe. I can go to other websites and see much of the world in enough detail to see the swing in my backyard from space.

If I want to get another point of view about something my country is doing I can access news and even government sources from around the world.

Ethics, from this "older folks" I admire and love cell phone, air planes that can transport me around the world within hours but my jaw dropping, oh my godding awe is for that tool you are sitting in front of. A computer adequate for internet access can be had for the price of a good meal in a New York restaurant or a 40th of the cost of the cheapest car out there. I give you the device of the ages, the internet connected computer.

[EMIG]

Originally posted by ShinyTop
But the biggest advancement has to be the internet. A device in my house with almost instant access to news, weather, sports, encyclopedias, databases, etc. And the ability to socialize, to converse with people from around the world with a press of a button. To share our experiences, to offer solace, to share the joy of success. We are much to relaxed about this greatest of all inventions. We should sit in awe every time we connect, every time we login to GA and talk with Claire in Belgium, Ditch in Australia, and others in countries far and wide.

I can take the internet and download and watch or listen to any entertainment release usually within hours of its finish in some studio somewhere. I can go to websites and get tickets to see Cher within minutes of them going on sale. I can go to another website and see live pictures of the weather at many places on the globe. I can go to other websites and see much of the world in enough detail to see the swing in my backyard from space.

If I want to get another point of view about something my country is doing I can access news and even government sources from around the world. And we've only just started. I plan to strap a coffee can to a pole on my roof in the next few weeks. I urge you to do the same.

[ethics]

Originally posted by ShinyTop

Ethics, from this "older folks" I admire and love cell phone, air planes that can transport me around the world within hours but my jaw dropping, oh my godding awe is for that tool you are sitting in front of. A computer adequate for internet access can be had for the price of a good meal in a New York restaurant or a 40th of the cost of the cheapest car out there. I give you the device of the ages, the internet connected computer.

Great thread!!!

[ditch]

Shiny, It is indeed a marvellous thing. To be able to communicate with so many people so easily. To be able to have access to such a huge amount of information with a few clicks on the keyboard. Fantastic stuff. Maybe being older, me included, and I'm about to post to Coot's over 50 thread, you appreciate it more as you can remember how crude things used to be.
Amazing though that there are some who have been exposed to the internet who are not as taken by it as much. But that just leaves more bandwidth for the enthusiasts.:)

[dmdvt]

I heard somewhere Pringles cans are more popular.

[jamming]

Where are all the flying cars and jetpacks, they promised them back in 50, 60, and 70's. They are late darn it ;)