a tad extreme?

E-Mail Reply to All: ‘Leave Me Alone’ – washingtonpost.com:

The supposed convenience of electronic mail, like so many other innovations of technology, has become too much for some people. Swamped by an unmanageable number of messages — the volume of e-mail traffic has nearly doubled in the past two years, according to research firm DYS Analytics — and plagued by annoying spam and viruses, some users are saying “Enough!”

Those declaring bankruptcy are swearing off e-mail entirely or, more commonly, deleting all old messages and starting fresh.

I just read through all mine, by the sender and subject, read the ones I need to, then set them all to “Read.” Then I can go back and review anything if I have the time and inclination, without feeling like I am behind. Of course, I don’t get anything like the volume I used to get but still, filters — set all email from people I don’t know, ie not in my address book, to one side and filter stuff out by company so people I work with are in their own mailbox — can really help. Makes me wonder how savvy these self-styled technocrats really are. Are they managing their inputs or are the inputs managing them?

links for 2007-05-20

Mozy update

So far, a couple of folks have signed up and are using Mozy for their backups (thanks for using me as a referral).

How does it work for you? My impressions are pretty good: it seems to be a lot faster at restores than it was a couple of weeks back. I am currently doing a couple of tests of selective restores to see how it works with that, before I pony up for the unlimited plan and back up other systems here. At $4.95 per system, I need to make sure it’s really necessary. It adds up. I could back up locally to a central system (as I do now) then back that up, so I get all my backups done as one system. But I suspect I’ll do at least two.

Comments welcome, especially if you’re not finding it to meet your requirements. I’d like to know if I have missed something important šŸ˜‰

Continue reading “Mozy update”

chrome and cupholders

Technology Review: Objects of Desire:

Once an object reaches technological maturity, it becomes about an aesthetic feature set. In the consumer electronics industry, we’re constantly riding that wave.”

Substitute “products” for “electronics” and you’ll see why I have been calling this the “Chrome and Cupholders” ethos: the automobile as we know it is unchanged since the 30s(?) — metal body, integral fenders, enclosed, self-starting — so all changes since have been incremental and in many cases inconsequential or even reversals (tailfins?).

The safety improvements we take for granted didn’t originate inside the automakers. And the new power train options we’re seeing are pretty late in coming, when you consider electric and steam powered cars were not uncommon 100 years ago.

Anyway, read the whole thing, as they say.

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quote of the day

MzNicky sounds off for Peace Day:

What I really want for Mother’s Day is for this whole guilt-tripping consumerist extravaganza to become “Peace Day” again. I have Mother’s Day every time I see my kids. It’s enough. And it’s enough already with the floral bouquets, the bubble bath and the gift certificates for a facial and massage. Well, okay, I’ll take the massage. And peace. Peace would be nice. So, Happy Peace Day.