PLASMO
member
Reged: 13/03/2008
Posts: 2801
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When I was eighteen I joined the WRAF, and was really lucky in that I was taught to be a shorthand typist, studying Griegs form of shorthand, its totally obselete now.
I learnt to type on an old Imperial typewriter, then progressed on to an electric typewriter, then a wordprocessor, and then of course, a computer.
Things have changed so much we now have Wis, Blueberries, mobile phones that do this, and that, scanners, everything to supposedly make our lives easier.
I can see how in an office, photocopying machines, scanners, and new technology have made life much easier for office staff.
Do you think we have benefitted by all this new technology, or because of them, are we becoming more anti social as we each use these individual technical inventions.
Which item has really improved your everyday lives?
Plasmo x
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mjm
member
Reged: 25/01/2008
Posts: 4165
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My laptop with out a shaddow of a doubt, and my mobile, texts are brilliant.
A few months ago I was....
"I dont need a computer, what do I need a computer in my life for?" then broadband came along and wow, the forum is why I need a PC!!
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susieblue
member
Reged: 16/03/2008
Posts: 804
Loc: Devon
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Things might be all spanking new and up to the minute though some things left me behind a while ago. Give it 20 years and everything we use now will be out of date. Broadband is certainly a wonder but on the other hand, without it, shopping would be less expensive~!
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Furball
member
Reged: 31/03/2008
Posts: 190
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I love my PC but I think things like blackberries and the mobile phones that show email etc. should be banned. People need time to relax and in meetings people should concentrate. I don't like this 'always available' business, there aren't that many people who need to be on call all the time. It takes over some peoples lives.
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Sunbeam
member
Reged: 09/05/2008
Posts: 1071
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It's all a painful learning curve for me, but I embrace each new thing I learn, never thought my mobile and therefore texts would be invaluable, and I don't think I could function without the PC, and all the internet provides, Banking,SHOPPING!!!!  ,playing,E Mails etc....etc....
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gigi
member
Reged: 12/04/2008
Posts: 1848
Loc: North East
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Hi Plasmo. I was taught to type in the WRNS on an imperial, then moved on to computers and ticker tape.
You know I was thinking about this very thing the other day. I can't imagine how my gran, who was born in 1895, would cope, or my mother who never had to get to grips with a washing machine, let alone a DVD player! Both ladies now long gone.
I work in a paperless office, well that's a joke, we get through so much paper each day. I think it is now more expensive re office supplies. It is also less efficient because work is broken down into component parts as anyone in the office can access the information. In my experience this is a less effective way of working a case for customers and makes staff so easily dispensible.
In the home I just find new technology adds to the clutter. When I first got married we had a stereo and a T.V. now we have DVD player/DVD's, broadband, music station, computer/printer/usb connections, phones have several handsets, mobile phones. I can't imagine life with these items repeated in several rooms of the house.
Don't even start me on the kitchen, I have stopped buying "extra's" for the kitchen, and what may I ask are those mini fridge/wine cooler for the bedroom things all about? Just a consumer guilt trip to persuade us buy yet another non essential item.
When they cease to work there's the issue of disposing of them. They don't make life easier as was promised in those `1950's ideal home ads.
Global warming, the economy, high utility charges, hmm wonder why there's a problem?
That's my nag for the day. sorry, I am on day 2 of my 3 day sabatical while the house is empty, it is bliss but there is no-one to talk to !!!!!!
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Ashbee
member
Reged: 13/06/2008
Posts: 570
Loc: North Buckinghamshire
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Oh Plasmo, I remember learning to measure margins and how to make invisible corrections. I learned Tline and Pitmanscript and how to use a gestetner or roneo machine for duplicating ... office skills are very different nowadays.
As a household that has four laptops, a pc, several mobiles, five digital cameras (shall I go on...)I can't avoid technology but I do miss things like having proper telephone conversations (even my 73 yrear old mum emails and texts me instead of calling) and writing and receiving handwritten personal letters - oh the pleasure of a cream envelope hitting the doormat. Life was slower but ...
I emailed a friend's work email recently and got a reply back almost instantly. But she was on a beach in Turkey on a family holiday and had picked up the message on her Blackberry! I refused to reply until I knew she was back at work! Tsk!
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Dawn2008
member
Reged: 04/03/2008
Posts: 28
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I don't believe we are any less social now than we used to be. I couldn't exactly talk to you all via a typewriter could I? 
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Ashbee
member
Reged: 13/06/2008
Posts: 570
Loc: North Buckinghamshire
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Good point - I have 'met' some great people via the internet - so its not all bad...
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issi
member
Reged: 30/09/2007
Posts: 2717
Loc: Surrey
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When I enrolled at college for a secretarial course I can remember one of the men at the desk saying to me "don't waste your time, no-one will be using shorthand and typing in the years to come." Little did he know,41 years later my daughter will be learning shorthand for her journalism career, and who would have thought literally everyone needs to know how to type? All the new technology comes in with a bang but soon settles into being a part of our daily lives. I remember someone once saying catalogues spelled the demise of shops; now they say it about internet shopping. Do you remember video machines - "oh, can't be doing with that, I'll be watching TV all day".
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brighterday
member
Reged: 14/07/2008
Posts: 12
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I don't think I could cope without broadband!
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Glitterqueen
member
Reged: 11/01/2008
Posts: 915
Loc: Essex
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The internet - what did we do without it?
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dizeeblonde
member
Reged: 19/01/2008
Posts: 2240
Loc: Manchester
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Plasmo I love all the new technology even though I have to get help with it a lot of the time LOL.Couldn't live without my mobile now and as for the internet without it I wouldn't be meeting you on saturday 
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