Thumbs Up/Down icons.... Then there are the "up or down" voting icons that seem to appear on many sites these days. That is taking the short attention span of Facebook and Twitter to another level. The person doesn't have to write a single word why it ranked as a like or dislike. I want to know why. Once again there no depth to the conversation.
Regarding Blogspot Followers.... For those of you who may feel left out that I don't have your blog on the "Blogspot Followers" gadget, I apologize. Before I started blogging with Blogspot, I had been following blogs via the RSS function with Google Reader. I've continued that approach to following (too many) bloggers.
Data throughput.... Internet speeds continue to degrade over the Verizon air-card. Along with thousands of cell phone apps and the capability to download audio and video media to the cell phone or computer, it is no surprise that data throughput continues to decline.
Wi-Fi sites are not much better. They also experience too much downloading of data over a network incapable of supporting the demand. That's been my experience at Starbucks since their Wi-Fi is now free. In a recent visit to a Starbucks at a Palm Springs suburb, I counted eleven lap tops inside the store. Not sure how many more were outside. That was in addition to the iPad that I was using -- with very slow response times.
Have to wonder if this throughput will improve when G4 is available. As the users migrate to the G4 capable devices and with more G4 networks, they will also become bogged down in the data throughput requirements. That's my prediction. Any bets on G5 in the future?
That is enough venting for today. To close this entry, some morning glory blossoms.
Lloyd, I agree with your comments... have been working on a similar line of thought for a future blog post. I also see blogging itself... for some people... is becoming just another social networking tool -- a mega-facebook of sorts. The focus on "followers", hits, reading each other's daily post and then making small-talk comments... every day... you'd think a good book would have a lot more to offer.
ReplyDeleteAnother post reflecting my attitudes on a lot of the electronic stuff. My aircard is still going well here and the wifi in the campground is also very good. The number of users for both is still low around here apparently.
ReplyDeleteWhat's this? A new Mencken in the making? Dangit, you stole my thunder; I was getting ready to satirize Facebook and Twitter.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen the notice at the top of the right margin in yahoo mail about something "trending." What does that mean? That 4.6 microseconds ago, a certain naughty photograph of Celebrity X had the greatest number of clicks, compared to who was hot 5.6 microseconds ago.
Your internet speed problems: don't Starbucks type places use a DSL line at, say, 3Mbps, to feed the wi-fi? To watch videos it takes about 0.5 Mbps, so six video-watching customers would be enough to cause a traffic jam.
And furthermore...
ReplyDeleteThe only solution to internet traffic jams is to use tiered data pricing: the more you use, the more you pay. That way, people who stream music and videos will pay their "fare" share.
RV campers expect free fast wi-fi internet. We used to have 50 campers using wi-fi that ultimately goes back to a 2.5 Mbps DSL line feeding in the data. Then they wonder why they can't be skyping, listening to internet radio, and streaming Netflix all at the same time.