Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Vindication!

... of a sorts. I am a rabid fan of new technology, yet most of what I own is classic (G4 and G5), well worn (My Pro-Edge Server) and somewhat custom (Visualville's awesome Photoshop machine). My vehicle is over 10 years old (and getting a cool facelift and interior soon), and I like things with a sense of timelessness over the faddish and 'hip'.

I use old strobes, old lights, old reflectors... sometimes creating new tools out of old tools. It is the creation I enjoy. As you all know, I love, love, love music. I do not own an IPod. My kids all have them, even the wife... but I still crank up the CD player and prefer talk radio during the day, firing up ITunes for some Coltrane and Evans. So it is with a smile that I read this rant by Joel Johnson, former editor at Gizmodo.
Horseshoes and Hand Grenades: Joel Johnson Returns...to Spank Us All for Supporting Crap - Gizmodo: "Stop buying this crap. Just stop it. You don't need it. Wait a year until the reviews come out and the other suckers too addicted to having the very latest and greatest buy it, put up a review, and have moved on to something else. Stop buying broken products and then shrugging your shoulders when it doesn't do what it is supposed to. Stop buying products that serve any other master than you. Use older stuff that works. Make it yourself. Only buy new stuff from companies that have proven themselves good servants of their customers in the past. Complaining online about this stuff helps, but really, just stop buying it.

You want to know the punchline? The average Joe that makes up the market is smarter than you saps. The market-at-large waits until a clear leader emerges, then takes a modest plunge. You may think you're making up the 'bleeding edge' of 'gadget pimpatude' but you're really just a loose confederation of marks the consumer electronics industry uses as free market research and easy money. 'Give me the latest version,' you coo, hiking up your skirt another inch over your exposed wallet. 'Point Oh One upgrades make me so hot.'"

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