1905 Machine Mergers

1905 Machine Mergers

The new computer and the new-ish huge screen TV are not on speaking terms. That’s good.  Google wants to “teach” about “casting.” Microsoft wants a subscription to some version of Office that stores stuff on off site servers called “the cloud” and maybe keeps a closer eye on you than you’d like.

And they keep pushing this stuff like carnival barkers.  Except you can walk away from a carnival barker and he won’t follow you to the ends of the tents with his harangue.

These guys have mastered a new form of the hard sell.  Get in the customer’s face so often, so loud and so overbearing that they’ll drive you to live in fear of logging in.  Written stuff stores just fine on the hard drive and there’s always a backup somewhere in case a hit and run lightning bolt destroys it or the cops get a warrant and take it downtown for interrogation. (Why are police precincts always “Down Town?)

As for “casting”... that’s something you do with a fishing rod or a couch. (oops.)

Can you imagine a circumstance where something on your computer is so visually appealing you want to see it on a TV set with a screen bigger than those at the multiplex theater?  Well, those unasked for pictures that Windows 10 puts in your face on startup are cute.  Rocks that look like animals. Animals that look like rocks.  Animals that look like animals.  Along with these really nice pictures, they give you a “choice.”  You can click “I like it” and it will find 19- thousand more images to send you.  Or you can click “No thanks” and they will continue to send pictures until you “like” one or more of them.

There is a third choice. Do nothing.  That way they’ll keep sending you the same pictures over and over and you’ll get used to them and not even notice they’re there.  Kind of like car alarms and leaf blowers only quieter.

And put them on the big screen?  Nah.  That’s for not watching the Olympics.

Note to people with compromised vision:  None of this applies to people who need large scale reading screens, large print books, magazines, newspapers and websites.  This post is aimed only at people who take eyesight as a given.

SHRAPNEL:

--The home shopping channel QVC is buying its biggest rival, the home shopping channel HSN for about $2 billion. That kind of acquisition didn’t work all that well for Macy’s. And it’s not going to fend off the onslaught from on-line retailers, Amazon.com in particular.

--We New Yorkers have been saying “on line” rather than “in line” since there were lines to be on, which in the case of New York started when Columbus discovered Staten Island. But newer editions of spell check redline “on line” and want to change it to in line.  You’ll have to wait on line for us to do that online.

--Not that anyone believed him, but what happened to trump’s promise to balance the budget.  His proposal further bloats the Pentagon, and slices social services like a Sunday morning Rye bread. Fortunately, congress -- even this bowl of fools -- never goes along with the plans of a president.

I’m Wes Richards. My opinions are my own but you’re welcome to them. ®

Please address comments to wesrichards@gmail.com

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