Does anyone else no longer recognise the tech community?

mrochester · 27 May 2020 at 17:45

I’ve always felt like the tech community thrived on new technology, eagerly adopting new technologies.

Yet in recent times it feels like things have changed. The so-called tech community seem to now want things to stop changing or improving, and in some cases for progress to be reversed. Some areas I’ve seen this are the roll-back of USBC to USBA, roll back to 3.5mm headphone jacks, roll-back to micro-SD cards, roll-back to fingerprint sensors rather than Face ID type authentication.

Why is it that some people have stopped embracing new technologies? I’ve not changed as I continue to still thrive on and embrace new technology.

What has changed do you think?

M.

tom_nieto · 27 May 2020 at 18:02

3.5mm jacks are great. I like my Bluetooth headphones, but they do run out of battery eventually which is very frustrating if you’re on a long journey.

Angilion · 27 May 2020 at 18:56

I suggest that one possibility is that many people prefer what works well for them, especially if they've already paid for it. Adopting new technology purely for the sake of it being new technology is an expensive hobby.

I think it might have been less common for a while because new technology was markedly superior to previous technology. Take video, for example. Reel to reel and a projector --> videotape --> optical disc --> streaming or saved on a variety of media. Each time there were definite, useful improvements that clearly outweighed any drawbacks and justified the cost. Compare that with removing headphone sockets, which reduces functionality and provides no improvement except possibly to water resistance, maybe. Or replacing fingerprint sensors with facial ID, which serves the same purpose but not as well and seems creepier and more intrusive to many people. Or an internet-connected kettle that sends you a text message when it's boiled...and provides yet another route for hackers to enter your home network. And costs a lot more. More expense and less security in exchange for an absolutely trivial benefit. Change is not necessarily improvement.

Then there's the "good enough" thing, which has been a growing problem. For example, my workplace is still using PCs from the 1990s. Why? Because they're good enough. They still work and they're still powerful enough for the things they're used for. So why spend money on new kit that will provide the same functionality and just do nothing more often in between?

mrochester · 27 May 2020 at 19:06

Angilion said:
I suggest that one possibility is that many people prefer what works well for them, especially if they've already paid for it. Adopting new technology purely for the sake of it being new technology is an expensive hobby.

I think it might have been less common for a while because new technology was markedly superior to previous technology. Take video, for example. Reel to reel and a projector --> videotape --> optical disc --> streaming or saved on a variety of media. Each time there were definite, useful improvements that clearly outweighed any drawbacks and justified the cost. Compare that with removing headphone sockets, which reduces functionality and provides no improvement except possibly to water resistance, maybe. Or replacing fingerprint sensors with facial ID, which serves the same purpose but not as well and seems creepier and more intrusive to many people. Or an internet-connected kettle that sends you a text message when it's boiled...and provides yet another route for hackers to enter your home network. And costs a lot more. More expense and less security in exchange for an absolutely trivial benefit. Change is not necessarily improvement.

Then there's the "good enough" thing, which has been a growing problem. For example, my workplace is still using PCs from the 1990s. Why? Because they're good enough. They still work and they're still powerful enough for the things they're used for. So why spend money on new kit that will provide the same functionality and just do nothing more often in between?

But a tech enthusiast doesn’t care about ‘good enough’ in my view. That speaks or a ‘normob’ rather than an enthusiast. For instance, removing the 3.5 socket was simply getting rid of a redundant port that’s no longer used because a tech enthusiast would have gone Bluetooth a long time ago.

Rroff · 27 May 2020 at 19:07

Tech moving on for tech's sake isn't really a good thing - none of the replacements for 3.5mm headphone jacks are really a complete solution that have the same level of convenience and micro-SD cards are very useful and serve a function.

mrochester said:
For instance, removing the 3.5 socket was simply getting rid of a redundant port that’s no longer used because a tech enthusiast would have gone Bluetooth a long time ago.

You can be a tech enthusiast and prefer the convenience of a good old 3.5mm jack - it isn't like the replacements are an all around functionally equivalent or superior replacement.

mrochester · 27 May 2020 at 19:09

Rroff said:
Tech moving on for tech's sake isn't really a good thing - none of the replacements for 3.5mm headphone jacks are really a complete solution that have the same level of convenience and micro-SD cards are very useful and serve a function.

But isn’t that the point of a tech-enthusiast? You’re pushing the envelope and adopting new things before most people see the value in it? For instance, Bluetooth headphones, lightning/USBC, cloud storage rather than local. All things I’ve been doing for years but have only become popular with ‘normobs’ much more recently now they see the value.

Malevolence · 27 May 2020 at 19:10

mrochester said:
roll back to 3.5mm headphone jacks, roll-back to micro-SD cards, roll-back to fingerprint sensors rather than Face ID type authentication.

Roll back? My phone is pretty new and has all of the above.

Deleted member 77746 · 27 May 2020 at 19:10

New technology now means remove everything. Wait till the iPhones like a Nokia 8210.

Apple should make a new game like snake.

mrochester · 27 May 2020 at 19:11

Malevolence said:
Roll back? My phone is pretty new and has all of the above.

There are some products that try to cater to users who won’t move on from these things (why give up a market if you can serve it) but it’s clear the direction of travel.

Rroff · 27 May 2020 at 19:12

mrochester said:
But isn’t that the point of a tech-enthusiast? You’re pushing the envelope and adopting new things before most people see the value in it? For instance, Bluetooth headphones, lightning/USBC, cloud storage rather than local. All things I’ve been doing for years but have only become popular with ‘normobs’ much more recently now they see the value.

Pushing the envelope and trying new things sure - but adopting tech for the sake of it because it is newer IMO nope - a real tech enthusiast should embrace good innovation and treat the rest proportionally or even reject it depending on the advancement it offers.

Bluetooth headphones are great and have their place but they aren't an all around replacement for the 3.5mm port and everything it provides. Likewise cloud storage is great but I still like to have a backup of my files and so on handy so I'm not reliant on an internet connection and/or at the whims of a remote service.

mrochester · 27 May 2020 at 19:14

Rroff said:
Pushing the envelope and trying new things sure - but adopting tech for the sake of it because it is newer IMO nope - a real tech enthusiast should embrace good innovation and treat the rest proportionally or even reject it depending on the advancement it offers.

True, I agree with that, but then surely all of the above are much better than what came before? Certainly in my books they are. I couldn’t imagine being tethered to a pair of headphones anymore never mind how would I connect them to my smart watch? Wires are just so in the past for that sort of use.

Rroff · 27 May 2020 at 19:17

mrochester said:
True, I agree with that, but then surely all of the above are much better than what came before? Certainly in my books they are.

I think that is going to depend person to person - I like Bluetooth headphones, actually using them quite a lot these days, but for me they are extra faff in a lot of cases over just having a plain old pair of wired earbuds stashed so I'm certainly in no hurry to see the port go.

mrochester · 27 May 2020 at 19:18

Rroff said:
I think that is going to depend person to person - I like Bluetooth headphones, actually using them quite a lot these days, but for me they are extra faff in a lot of cases over just having a plain old pair of wired earbuds stashed so I'm certainly in no hurry to see the port go.

Surely being tangled in a wire is more faff than simply putting headphones on and pressing play though? I’ve never understood this over-egging of how much ‘faff’ Bluetooth is given it’s actually much simpler and easier than a wired set of headphones! And the whole ‘but you have to charge them’ doesn’t make sense either. A device you occasionally have to plug in to charge is definitely more desirable than a device you ALWAYS have to plug in.

The_Arbiter · 27 May 2020 at 19:21

I don't really understand the topic if i'm honest. Some technology isn't worth the additional cost, some is. There's plenty tech sold on the premise of better, but isn't. And changes just to increase profits. Non removable batteries, no ta. And some technology costs more to manufacture so is no longer viable.

Rroff · 27 May 2020 at 19:22

mrochester said:
Surely being tangled in a wire is more faff than simply putting headphones on and pressing play though? I’ve never understood this over-egging of how much ‘faff’ Bluetooth is given it’s actually much simpler and easier than a wired set of headphones!

Faff in different contexts - though personally I've never really had much issue with wires getting tangled with my earbuds. I've also had issues sometimes where Bluetooth headphones just don't want to play ball and can take messing about to get them paired/seen properly at times though not a common occurrence not completely infrequent.

I think USB-C was a better illustration of your point as although the simplicity and low cost of the older standard had some benefits the new version has substantial feature improvements as well as convenience factors that the old version didn't have but there seems a lot of resistance to adopting it.

mrochester · 27 May 2020 at 19:23

The_Arbiter said:
I don't really understand the topic if i'm honest. Some technology isn't worth the additional cost, some is. There's plenty tech sold on the premise of better, but isn't. And changes just to increase profits. Non removable batteries, no ta. And some technology costs more to manufacture so is no longer viable.

Does a non-user removable battery result in increased profits? Firstly, any manufacturer worth their salt will have a reasonably priced and quick battery replacement program. And most people get rid of their phones long before the battery is ever an issue anyway. Where do you think the increased profit element comes in?

james.miller · 27 May 2020 at 19:24

Oh i know how this thread will go.

Nope, in some cases it's different strokes for different folks. But in others, i mean roll back to micro sd? what have we rolled back from? Do you mean internal storage, in which case you really mean internal storage vs expandable? If that's the case then the issue is cost, obviously. So there's no rollback, it again is simple a choice. Well, simple when that choice is given to the consumer anyway. *cough*.

Deleted member 68110 · 27 May 2020 at 19:24

mrochester said:
I’ve always felt like the tech community thrived on new technology, eagerly adopting new technologies.

Yet in recent times it feels like things have changed. The so-called tech community seem to now want things to stop changing or improving, and in some cases for progress to be reversed. Some areas I’ve seen this are the roll-back of USBC to USBA, roll back to 3.5mm headphone jacks, roll-back to micro-SD cards, roll-back to fingerprint sensors rather than Face ID type authentication.

Why is it that some people have stopped embracing new technologies? I’ve not changed as I continue to still thrive on and embrace new technology.

What has changed do you think?

M.

I think a part of it is the relative decline in wealth of the average citizen of the UK and the US.

Of course there are still plenty of rich people in both countries, wealthy citizens of other nations have been sandwiched between them and the average people of both countries, and so your average Brit is now that little bit further down the consumer pecking order.

mrochester · 27 May 2020 at 19:25

Rroff said:
Faff in different contexts - though personally I've never really had much issue with wires getting tangled with my earbuds. I've also had issues sometimes where Bluetooth headphones just don't want to play ball and can take messing about to get them paired/seen properly at times though not a common occurrence not completely infrequent.

I think USB-C was a better illustration of your point as although the simplicity and low cost of the older standard had some benefits the new version has substantial feature improvements as well as convenience factors that the old version didn't have but there seems a lot of resistance to adopting it.

Well exactly that’s my point. I’ve no idea why some ‘tech enthusiasts’ are so resistant to progress.

mrochester · 27 May 2020 at 19:26

james.miller said:
Oh i know how this thread will go.

Nope, in some cases it's different strokes for different folks. But in others, i mean roll back to micro sd? what have we rolled back from? Do you mean internal storage, in which case you really mean internal storage vs expandable? If that's the case then the issue is cost, obviously. So there's no rollback, it again is simple a choice. Well, simple when that choice is given to the consumer anyway. *cough*.

I was thinking more along the lines of cloud storage. No real need to store things locally anymore just stream from a cloud storage solution.

Does anyone else no longer recognise the tech community?

Deleted member 68110

Deleted member 68110