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On 09/11/2020 11:25, Dave Sill wrote:<br>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:mailman.84.1604921101.17701.extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org">
<div dir="ltr">On Sat, Nov 7, 2020 at 8:53 AM Ben Zaiboc via
extropy-chat <<a href="mailto:extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org"
moz-do-not-send="true">extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org</a>>
wrote:<br>
</div>
<div class="gmail_quote">
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px
0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<div> On 07/11/2020 07:00, Dave Sill wrote:<br>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div class="gmail_quote">
<div>Why would you want to turn it off?</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
Wow.<br>
<br>
Was that a joke? Or do you work for the company that makes
these devices?<br>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>No, no joke. Have you ever seen a watch with an on/off
switch, either mechanical or electronic? Why would you ever
want to turn a watch off?</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<br>
<br>
That's taking the term 'watch' too literally. These things are only
incidentally watches. They are computers with a bunch of sensors,
that you strap to your wrist. Not being able to turn them off when
you want (for whatever reason, this isn't something anyone needs to
justify) would be totally unacceptable. Would you buy a car with an
engine that you couldn't turn off? A TV? A video recorder? Has
anyone actually read 1984? (yes, I know, the Chinese government has,
but that's not what I mean. I'm talking about taking it as a
warning, not an instruction manual).<br>
<br>
<br>
"If you turn it off, it's no longer keeping time, monitoring your
heart, reminding you to take your meds, etc. Just recharge it as
needed."<br>
<br>
This is beside the point. It's my device. I should be able to decide
when it's on and when it's off, not the manufacturer. Simple as
that*.<br>
<br>
And you can switch it off, as someone else explained a few posts
ago. So that's fine. It's just the attitude 'why would you want to?'
that astonishes me. Just dumbly accept what the manufacturers sell
you, no questions asked, no control allowed or even desired. That's
how you sleepwalk into a dystopia.<br>
<br>
Actually, it seems there are already smartphones that you literally
can't turn off, can't even remove the battery. Perhaps we're already
halfway there.<br>
<br>
<br>
* Of course, nothing's actually that simple. Your computer doesn't
stop keeping time when it's off (neither should a smart watch), so
the concept of 'off' is a bit of a moving target (a bit like death).
My point stands, though, that it's the user that should have the
ability to be in control of their devices, not the manufacturer,
software company, media corporation, government, etc. The message of
TRON seems to have become lost somewhere in the last few decades.<br>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Ben Zaiboc</pre>
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