Which do you own or use??

This whole technology is out of controll with "some" people. Is it headed where all you do is text, blackberry or use a website? We will be robots! Its like gambling - play or use sensibily.....

There is a lot of concern about that with young people - that they may become more comfortable with communicating all these ways instead of in person.

I never dreamed that I would spend an hour or more a day typing on a keyboard to communicate with people around the country about gardening. I think that hi-tech, overall, is a very good thing. Like most things in life, it becomes a bad thing when misused.

True!
A concern related to moder tech. is that kids are in front of parents with it. Parents used to teach kids to drive a car, use the phone, etc.. We could protect better.

YES cell phone
YES texting
YES instant message
NO blog
YES Facebook
YES MySpace
NO Twitter
YES GPS
NO satellite radio
YES, FIOS broadband - which?
YES hi def tv
YES dvr
NO hi def radio
YES mp3 player

I guess it helps that my husband is a bit of a tech geek. I'm not sure if I would have al these things if it weren't for him.

That's true Dave. I think it is comcast that has the commercial "if you don't know how to use it, ask your 12 year old"

I find it difficult watching more than a few forums on DG. I can't imagine doing all these other things all the time.

I can't even keep up with DG! I hardly ever post on Facebook! I can't remember to take my cell phone or to re-charge it. I think I'm getting old. You know, we sound like our parents and grandparents. When I wanted the car, my mother used to say she had to walk 2 miles to school even in the winter so I could walk too. My grandmother thought teenagers were lazy cause they talked on the phone so much - she wrote letters. When I got a computer, my father said it was a complete waste of money and he would never have one!! I tell my DD to use the phone instead of texting!! DD owns 3 computers. Each new generation enjoys and uses the new technology and the previous generation likes things the way they used to be - with exceptions of course!! Eleanor

True, Eleanor. Our grandkids will probably communicate just by thinking.

My own sons cut their teeth on today's technology, and having a husband working in that field encouraged it. I'm sure he'd be more enthusiastic about all the newer things but for the costs. We have embraced the ones that help keep us in touch with our sons. How many of us use digital cameras? It seems this is acceptable. Eventually, everything becomes obsolete, and it helps to stay somewhat current. What we consider unnecessary today, will end up being tomorrow's washing machine and microwave. My motto has always been, everything in moderation.

And.... I hand write a letter to my younger son at college every week. Email is faster, as is the telephone, but he has told me there is nothing like receiving a real letter. I love to write them because I know how much I like to get something so personal, as well.

We'd probably use our cell phones more for long distance, but our house is in a dead zone. So we use them to call the land line's answering machine when we're out. The cells aren't really necessary, but sure make things easy when traveling or in the event of an emergency.

That all makes sense, Lynn. It just seems to me that for prompt action, we have phones. For not so prompt, we have emails. For those times where a call is awkward, one can text. All the others methods seem unnecessary to me.

I think it all depends upon our circumstances and family situations. My kids use facebook to keep in touch with their friends and, these days, employers are using it to find out exactly who they are considering for hire. I have tried to warn my guys that once something is out there, it's difficult to take it back. However, a hand written letter has the same drawbacks! I guess that just leaves the telephone? But yuck! I hate the intrusion. Love the computer since I can have instant communication, but do it at my convenience and can edit before I hit "send".

Yes - I have read about employers checking stuff like that. One more reason to be very careful. I still don't see the advantage of Facebook for staying in touch. What am I missing? What does it offer that phone/text/email does not?

Facebook does help you find people if they are also on Facebook. I didn't know my college roommate was even still alive but her name was listed on the members list from our college so I contacted her and we reconnected. We actually use e-mail to communicate now. Facebook is a way to connect socially as DG is a way to connect with other gardeners. We could probably read gardening books and magazines to get the info we need but it is more fun to connect with others interested in gardening. As far as I can see no one is missing anything if they are not using Facebook but i guess some people enjoy communicating with others though it. I don't think Facebook is such a big deal and worth worrying about whether you should be on or not. My family thinks I spend too much time on DG and I tell them...........!! Eleanor

There are also other sites for people to reconnect, and the first one I joined was Classmates. My best friend from HS and I found each other after 33 years! We now communicate via personal email and have visited and introduced our families. I see the same potential for facebook and other sites. However, the original intent for facebook was for the college community, and it wasn't until recently that it was opened to other adults. I control how much information others can see and how much of theirs is fed to me. The younger crowd really embraces this, and as long as it isn't intended for HS and younger, then it is what it is. Just like DG, you are in control of what you want to have exposed. If you're uncomfortable, you don't have to use it. Unlike a cell phone, DTV, etc., it's free - so you have no 2 year commitment! Do it or not, you will be most comfortable with what your family and friends do.

I guess what I'm trying to say is no technology is exactly right for everyone. I use what works for me, and ignore the rest. I think that's what everyone else is saying, too. It's kind of like the old "buyer beware". I would never tell someone else that their choice is wrong because it doesn't match my own personal needs.

This message was edited Feb 8, 2009 9:02 PM

How do you find old female friends unless they use their maiden names?

They do. Or at least, the sites are capable of having you list your maiden and married names, so your friends know who you are (were).

I completely understand the warnings and the 'do what you're most comfortable with' points. I'm guessing the real attraction for young people to use these things instead (and in addition to) of the cell/text/email is the feeling that 'we're all on at one time' - kind of like a party line, as well as 'let me see if I know anyone else or want to meet anyone else in the room'.

All of these information portals available, but I only utilize the following:
Cell - not on most of the time
mp3 - absolutely a necessity; LPs were just too cumbersome.
high speed internet - I have a hard time sitting still for very long.

Cell phone--Yes, both Paul and I
Text--Paul has unlimited, I occasionally will text
IM--We use Yahoo IM
Blog/Facebook/MySpace--Both of us have Myspace/Facebook pages, he blogs regularly on his.
No Twitter.
GPS--He has Garmain. Paul can get lost on a 1 way street.
Sat Radio--Sirius.
Broadband--Verizon DSL--We have a "dry loop land line" for our DSL, this translates into having DSL through the phone company with NO actual in home phone line.
Hi Def TV--Not yet.
DVR--Yep, through our local Cable provider.
Hi Def Radio--Paul has 2 different ways to receive Sirius.
mp3--We both have iPods. I have an iPod Nano, Paul (he's a music nut!) has the 80g iPod.

I have a microwave and telephone recorder.

I just filled out the survey we got in the newsletter.

I also only have what I need.
I am in the dark ages where devices are concerned.
I like my peace and quiet,dont feel the need to be "in touch" with everyone all the time.
NO cell
NO to all the rest except for hi def TV andDVRplayer.
My kids (in their 50's) and grand kids have all the rest. I can see the need for a cell for them, they live a different life pattern.

Parents should definitely be in control of how much kids are using technology - everything can be taken away from them if it is abused. I know some kids on Facebook, but their parents are their friends and can see what they are doing!!!!! DD#2 is a text-aholic (and she is too old for me to parent) and I've told her the phone is not to come out in front of me or her son. Parents can take away cell phones, car keys, computers and set up rules governing their use. Someone suggested Wii music stuff (not even sure what it is) for Colin cause he loves music. He doesn't need to be staring at a screen, but needs to be singing, doing motions and dancing to music - in other words doing, doing doing - not sitting!! I have a computer game for him but it is used only occassionally. Eleanor

I also like to be left alone and so I don't keep in touch with many people.

There's a "status" thing on Facebook (FB) where you can say what you're doing, and this is how you "stay in touch" without having to really stay in touch. For folks like me where I don't like to talk to folks much but I still like to be connected, this is perfect.

I found out an old friend had a lump in her breast that had to be taken out...and turned out benign...all via this FB status thingy. I could send well wishes w/o actually having to call her (have I mentioned I don't like talking on the phone). Actually, tons of people did, and if we had to rely on phone, most of us wouldn't know and if we all did...what are we going to do, all call her? That'd be crazy (20+ people calling the house?).

So she leaves a status that says she's nervous about the surgery, then people can "comment" on that status (like a thread here), and she can see it all. Great in my book.

Or I leave a message about the rabbit in the backyard, and my neighbor can see it and go, "we have a rabbit by us?" or my old friends still in paved South Florida can be like "in your own backyard??". Not much communication, but keeping in touch. It is like those letters some folks send with holiday cards telling you about their year. Except this is on a daily basis - you type it once and then all your friends can see it (esp those whom you don't chat with regularly).

You can also share pictures (and even integrate with Flickr) and folks can see them and comment on them. You can also "tag" people. So what's been happening with high school folks is you upload a picture from high school, then you click on a face and say which of your friends that is. When that friend logs in, s/he'll see s/he's been tagged and go look at the picture (and be like, "OMG what was I thinking with that hair??"). When other friends log in, they'll see you uploaded pictures so they know to go look.

You can also join groups as well as be "fans" of certain things (actors, causes, whatever). This all goes into one place and so you can learn things about people from that. We do it here in forums, but it gets lost in the text. There it is kept orderly so you can glance at the profile page and get a sense of someone (what TV they like, what groups they are a part of, etc...then you may realize you probably don't like this person and you can "un" friend them).

There's also an inbox so you can communicate w/o having to give out your personal email. This is nice for folks you like, but not like SO much that you want to give them easy access to yourself. It also has a built in IM so you can see who else is online, and then you can chat with one if you want. It makes it easy because it is all in one place, and you can do it, again, w/o giving out your email, IM, phone #, etc.

Think of it like this....you have circles of friends and you have circles of closeness. There's the inner circle whom you'd give all your personal info to. Then the next circle maybe you'd only give email to. Then the next circle maybe nothing, but you still care about them (church, high school, whatever). Facebook is a good way to keep in touch with that last circle w/o having to give out your personal info to.

You can also think of it as a "glorified" Daves Garden -- here we use forums to chat, but there there's a lot of ways to do that, and again w/o having to give out personal info (except real name, though I think you can get around that also).

I hope this helps explain some of the reasons why FB is attractive to so many.

Great explanation, Eve - thanks! Makes a lot more sense to me now.

oh jeez - my eldest daughter just sent me an invite to view her facebook page - help

Let me give you a real life example of the status thingy.

My neighbor is on FB a fair amount, and late one afternoon she mentioned she was baking pumpkin choc chip bread. I commented saying that I was going to crash her house so I could get some, or sneak in the middle of the night to steal some. You know, being funny.

5 min later, my husband is shoveling and he calls me to come down. My neighbor brought me one of her loaves because she saw my comment! How awesome!

Now, kinda scary that she was on FB that much - she must have left it open, but still. At the same time, I'm really glad she did, because I got some fresh out of the oven pumpkin choc chip bread!! mmmmmm

So can you search to see who's baking your favorites?!!

Bill - my cousin recently invited me too.

Say you spend 1 hour a day or on FB, MS, Twitter, texting computer or what ever.

1x7=7 hours per week
7x52 weeks = 364 hours per year,
364 Hrs per year divided by 24 hrs per day
equals 15 days a year

If its right that is a lot of time that can be utilized better then typing into a screen. You get on myspace etc. unless you actually know the people the odds of them going to your funeral is minimal.

Umm, Sherrie. Isn't that what we do here?

Shhhh.

Those above are the reason I like facebook. Sometimes it drives me insane but you can choose to block anything. I like it for say, co-workers...like to keep in touch without being too personal. I don't use my full name because there are people out there that I'd prefer never find me. When I meet someone I'd like to keep in contact with, I add them or tell them the name I use.

If it wasn't for the computer, especially in the winter, I think I'd go insane. You can only read a book so long without getting a headache...only takes an hour or so a day to care for my house plants. DH is a TV addict and if I had to be forced to watch his incessant Simpsons re-runs I'd probably go insane faster. For me, the computer is like having a library right in my living room!!

I agree, Lee Ann. I should have added - if you had to let all others go but one, which one would it be? For me - definitely the internet.

I came here to learn, 2 years ago and still doing so.

Internet would go. My time say 2 weeks would be to make money, not to make it for someone else.



This message was edited Feb 9, 2009 9:25 AM

I came to forget - and it's working.

I use my ceel phone so infrequently I have thousands of rollover minutes. I wish I could sell them.

cell phone yes
texting no
instant message yes
blog yes
Facebook yes
MySpace no
Twitter no
GPS no lol not directionaly challenged
satellite radio no
broadband - which? yes xplorenet
hi def tv yes
dvr no cathc it on the rerun
hi def radio no
mp3 player no radio good for me lots of stations

schickenlady - it seemes like you spend a lot of time here. what's the diff? (and I spend less than 1 hr a day there. it is like checking email - anything new going on? no? ok, bye then)

I pop on, pop off. I basically only come here and ebay - thats it - Poof.

I can still see you, Sherrie.