Barry
25-01-2011, 17:44
Five days ago I was rudely reminded of our over reliance and dependence on modern technology – to wit the convenience of the home computer and e-mails.
This rude awakening was occasioned by the roofers, who having done some work for me, damaged the BT landline whilst using a high-pressure spray to clear up and clean the path and apron of the house. Now to be fair, where the cable was damaged was at a point where a repair had previously been made, unfortunately the BT engineer who had made the ‘repair’ had done a bit of a bodge, one that worked but could not be expected to withstand the demands of external conditions.
Now no BT landline: no phone; no broadband; no emails; no on-line shopping; no eBay – and possibly worse of all, being incommunicado with AoS! Seriously, it made me realise how much I use my computer and broadband to get on with life. I tend to shop on-line for books and CDs, I often use eBay, will look at my bank accounts (especially as my bank no longer sends out statements), and use the web to book flights, make hotel reservations etc. etc.
It is becoming more and more expected that people will be connected to the Internet. There is even talk that in the near future, one will no longer make an appointment with one’s doctor, one will do it all via computer with one being expected to e-mail a description of symptoms and if necessary provide blood pressure readings and sugar levels if appropriate! Talk about the ‘wired society’.
It was of course not the end of the world: in extremis I could use the computer facilities in the village library; walk into my bank; visit Waterstones bookshop or even HMV. And of course I had my mobile phone.
Well all’s well that ends well; though it was close run thing. Where the cable had become damaged there was very little length to make a repair; I had visions of having to have the garden dug up in order to lay a new cable out to the trap in the road. Fortunately, the repair engineer sent out was a neighbour of mine. We were able to discuss the problem and he was able to implement my preferred solution (from a cosmetic point of view). This time the job was done properly.
This rude awakening was occasioned by the roofers, who having done some work for me, damaged the BT landline whilst using a high-pressure spray to clear up and clean the path and apron of the house. Now to be fair, where the cable was damaged was at a point where a repair had previously been made, unfortunately the BT engineer who had made the ‘repair’ had done a bit of a bodge, one that worked but could not be expected to withstand the demands of external conditions.
Now no BT landline: no phone; no broadband; no emails; no on-line shopping; no eBay – and possibly worse of all, being incommunicado with AoS! Seriously, it made me realise how much I use my computer and broadband to get on with life. I tend to shop on-line for books and CDs, I often use eBay, will look at my bank accounts (especially as my bank no longer sends out statements), and use the web to book flights, make hotel reservations etc. etc.
It is becoming more and more expected that people will be connected to the Internet. There is even talk that in the near future, one will no longer make an appointment with one’s doctor, one will do it all via computer with one being expected to e-mail a description of symptoms and if necessary provide blood pressure readings and sugar levels if appropriate! Talk about the ‘wired society’.
It was of course not the end of the world: in extremis I could use the computer facilities in the village library; walk into my bank; visit Waterstones bookshop or even HMV. And of course I had my mobile phone.
Well all’s well that ends well; though it was close run thing. Where the cable had become damaged there was very little length to make a repair; I had visions of having to have the garden dug up in order to lay a new cable out to the trap in the road. Fortunately, the repair engineer sent out was a neighbour of mine. We were able to discuss the problem and he was able to implement my preferred solution (from a cosmetic point of view). This time the job was done properly.