I was reminded today just how far tech has come in my lifetime. I sat at the pool on another glorious Tucson day alternately watching the Giants/Cubs game and Round 1 of the Masters…both in hi-def on my iPad. I was also playing Angry Birds Rio on my iPhone and had my Kindle at-hand in case I got bored.
I thought to myself that all these tech tools that keep me entertained and informed are only a few years old. Not that long ago, all I could do was bring a book to the pool, or a portable radio to listen to a baseball game. I see college kids at the pool doing their homework and takings tests on their laptops and tablets. I am told many college courses require a computer and a connection to the Internet…or you can’t take the class. When I went to college, all I had was a typewriter.
Believe me, I am not saying those were the good old days…far from it. I love most of the tech innovations that are now so ingrained in our lives. It’s just that every so often I remember where we were and where we are now. It’s a form of nostalgia, but in reverse. Can’t wait to see what I will take to the pool next year.
I don’t mean to continually beat-up on Microsoft, but things just keep happening that make news for Microsoft…mostly bad. I will be the first to admit I am angry at Microsoft. Not because I want to be…far from it.
I have been using Microsoft products since the 1980’s to get things done on computers. Most of what I do in business, photography and writing could not have been done without the forward thinking of Microsoft and their products…from DOS to Windows to Office and more. In fact, this blog is written using Microsoft Writer…the best blogging tool out there. Microsoft has been my champions…and for years I looked forward to their next set of innovations.
Then along comes Windows 8. Was I looking forward to it? You bet. I even installed the first test version on one of my computers. But, they let me (and you) down…big time. What they are trying to foist on us now just gets in the way of productivity. They’ve changed everything…and not for the better. They changed it for the sake of change. And they keep moving forward with it, saying this is their future…whether we like it or not…and we don’t.
I don’t know what happened to common sense in Redmond. Its like the company is being run by drunken sailors, making changes that make no sense. It makes me angry and also sad. It’s why I now have an iPad and an iPhone. They work and they work well.
I pray to God some changes are made at Microsoft soon to get them back on the right track. My desktop computer is still my most used tech tool. I want it to have a workable future.
Besides the bad news about Microsoft, there are good stories and informative articles here that just might help you out. Thanks for reading. -JRC
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