::scr DNA

[Magnus Huckvale]

> Having all that connectivity would probably drive me over the edge.

Nah, more connectivity is the future.  You just need to be able to switch it
off.

The issue is that we are still working out how to use these devices, and
it's as much a social understanding of what's acceptable as it is a user
interface problem.

Let's see what Debrett's have to say:
http://www.debretts.co.uk/company_info/netiq.asp

"Always remember to switch your phone off when at a social gathering"

"At its most basic level, all rudeness is selfishness. With mobile phones
this most commonly takes the form of thinking that you are moving around in
an impenetrable bubble."

"when out on a dinner date. Accepting calls or spending the entire time with
yours eyes firmly fixed on your phone as you send yet another text message
is extremely rude"


We're at a period of transition.  We've got all these fantastic new
technologies and we're so eager to use them we're not stopping to think if
they are actually helping.

Carefully planned evenings "I'll meet you at XXX at Ypm, we'll probably go
to ZZZ by Y+Npm" become fire and forget catastophies - "yeah, call me when
you get into town", at which point you find there's no signal at the back of
the pub, or your batteries run out, or you don't hear your ring.

I bet the landline phone caused as much controversy when it was new -
suddenly people have the ability to interrupt your dinner or wake you up in
the middle of the night, just by dialling a number.  We now accept this as a
fact of life, and ask people to call back later.  The benefits outweigh the
drawbacks.

Probably it's less of an issue in London, but out here in the sticks mobile
phones are very useful if your car breaks down, you get lost, etc.

An important step forward will be more intermediates between Phone On, and
Phone Off.  I'm very reluctant to switch my phone off, even at the pub or at
a party, so I switch it to silent, or to vibrate.  Quite often I'll be
talking and notice a text message arrive only by the faint vibration of my
left buttock, and I'll leave it until a natural break in conversation.

If I get a call it's a bit more difficult - but it's fine to ask the person
you are talking to to excuse you for a moment while you ask the person to
call back.  Some phones already have a button you can hit to do just that,
and divert them to voicemail.

Connectivity is important, but like any raising of consciousness the brain
needs training to deal with it.  Technology is at it's best when it's unseen
and unheard, working for us transparently - not when we are slave to it.

Magnus