Technology Luddites

You know what really grinds my gears – Technology Luddites!

People who don’t own a computer (or any other technical device) and loudly proclaim it to everyone as if it were a badge of honour! They just make themselves look stupid and they make it harder for everyone else!

We had an occasion recently where we attended a graduation ceremony for the daughter of one of our friends. I took a number of photos and thought that I would send them to our friend. She doesn’t have a computer and you can’t believe how difficult it is when you just can’t simply attach photos to an email and send them.

First, I had to print them. This required a trip to Officeworks for the right paper and more ink, not to mention a hunt around the house for the car keys which I couldn’t find. The next step was a trip to the post office for a stamp. The queue was out the door and it took twenty minutes to buy a $1.60 stamp. Finally I received a grateful phone call and a request for another copy of the photos. This entire process took about four hours.  Emailing would have taken just a coupe of minutes!

People who have a mobile phone, but only turn it on when they want to make phone call.

In the old days when you called a fixed line telephone number, you were calling a place, or a home. At least one of the family would take a message. Now with mobile phones, we call a person. My friend Ross is about to go into hospital for surgery. He is grateful that his friend are interested in his welfare, but he never turns his bloody phone on. Even when you leave him a voice mail, it doesn’t get answered for three months because that’s how long it is before he wants wants to make another phone call and turns his phone on again. How do you keep in contact with people who don’t turn their phones on?

People who won’t leave a message on the telephone answering service.

They don’t like taking to a machine! Well, how do I know that they have called so that I can get back to them with a response. They are the people who then typically complain that others are not interested in them and never contact them!

People who only look at their email once a week.

Jill has a friend like this. It’s simply faster to drive over to her house and deliver a hand-written note, than it is to get a reply by email. When you do get a reply, you can’t remember what the initial question was. I bet these people look at their letter box every day. Why not their email? Perhaps their letter box just gets stuffed with bills and they’re concerned that their email in-box will be the same.

Arrggghhh!! Technology Luddites are some of the most frustrating people on the planet!