All my adult life, I've struggled with Modern Technology and I'm wondering if this is autism related, I was diagnosed as autistic last August and I am currently struggling with adding contacts on my Yahoo mail contacts list via ,mobile phone and I gave up in frustration that I can't work out how to do it.
is it because I'm a 52 year old man and Modern Technology is for the younger generation or is it definitely Autism related?
Interesting question. I have always struggled with modern technology too but for a different reason. I know how to use it I just don't see it as a valuable or good thing and I find too much time in front of it is overwhelming and bad for my mental health. I think it's actually bad for most people's mental health but sadly the world in general doesn't seem to see that
I think there may be an element of autism to it. I think too much technology and screen time can be overstimulating for the autistic brain
I find online shopping overwhelming. Browsing through the items, faffing about with payment, waiting for deliveries, if something goes wrong having to battle with customer service. I prefer going to the store which is the opposite to most autistic people it seems. Correct me if I'm wrong.
I find online shopping overwhelming. Browsing through the items, faffing about with payment, waiting for deliveries, if something goes wrong having to battle with customer service. I prefer going to the store which is the opposite to most autistic people it seems. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Thanks Iain, I'll hand it all over to someone who knows what they're doing and knows that I'm a digital alien.
I did learn something new at the weekend, I can now drag and drop photos if someone sends them to me, I didn't know you could do that before saturday.
Is linux still going?
It is actually becoming a serious rival for Windows and MacOS now.
I have a version of it on USB so I can boot my computer using the USB stick and when I finish and close down there is no trace of my activity - very handy when something a bit shady needs to get done.
There are loads of "flavours" of Linux now and this article covers a lot of them - if your desktop computer is relatively newish then it may be worth considering Zorin as it looks very much like Windows and you should be able to find your way around without much confusion.
https://www.techradar.com/best/best-linux-distros
If you can get someone to help then I would recommend setting your computer up to "dual boot" so you can choose to start up into Windows or Linux just in case you find Linux cannot do something you really need and you need to go back to Windows for a bit.
Or you may find the change worse than the issues you have now so may want to keep Windows - this lets you do it.
The link provides a brief overview of the benefits and downsides of each operating system. The high security of Linux is appealing for many.
Is linux still going? I think I'd like to change to it, but I will have to get somebody much more experienced with pooters than me to set it all up and help me use it.
Hehe, I don't plan on doing anything shady, I just like being private, but I like your knowledge and thinking! I'm stuck with Windows while I'm a student because all uni work is linked to it and they give you a free Office 365 account. When I'm done, I'll look into Linux, a lot of people have said good things about it.
I love being anonymous.
You would be much better off with a Linux operating system then - all version of Windows have plenty of options for tracking you plus plenty of backdoors for any law enforcement organisation to keep tabs if you exhibit suspicious behaviour.
Personally I would use a secure boot computer (using Truecrypt to create a hidden boot partition) to boot up and load a Linus OS, connect to the internet with a VPN (one based on Switzerland probably) and use Brave).
If you do plan on doing anything shady then boot from a USB stick, connect with VPN to do what you need to do then wipe the USB stick after using Eraser - there will be no evidene hanging about to get you caught.
It is surprising the shady stuff some companies get you to do when you are running the IT team and they need to get into a competitors system.
Honestly, if you don't need a computer for work, your best bet is to get back on Windows 7. Yes, it's totally out of date, but you have control over it, you don't have to sign in everything and you have more privacy. I was forced into a new laptop for work purposes as Win 7 and MS Office alternatives were incompatible, and I'm sick of it downloading stuff I don't want and trying to get me sign in to track me - I don't, there are ways around it. Chrome and Edge are the worst for privacy, although you can use them without an account, but they make it look like you can't. I use the Brave browser which is better for privacy. Anyway, I know privacy wasn't what you were getting at here but it's another thing that puts me off modern tech. I love being anonymous.
My son decluttered my computer on sunday of all the stuff that just seems to download iteslf an runs in the back ground, whats worse is that most of it is from the operating system and other things I apparently need. He uninstalled chrome for me as that was one of the biggest culprits, but the pictures that automatically appear with the loading screen seem to be gateways for rubbish.
I don't have any documents, photographs or anything saved, I have email and here, theres only a couple of other sites I regularly go on, I think my lack of activity is one of the biggest reasons I get such poor search results when I try and look for something.
Same! That sort of thing is dystopian and terrifying. It's taking away control of your life and handing it to a computer. I opt out of as much as possible. I don't even save to a cloud, I still use an old fashioned hard drive (and get my best photos printed) because I fear one day all our photos and data will be used for AI training. They're already doing it on Facebook.
I have a massive fear of smart homes, things like smart fridges that know hwat you've used and reorder it for you, what if you don't like something you've tried and the fridge keeps ordering it? What if my automated boiler system won't let me change the heating settings?
I think the world is splitting into those who want everything online and automated and those of us who don't.
The one and only time I did my grocery shopping online I received decaying vegetables and food that was barely in date. Because I like to do my weekly shop in one go, I carefully select dates to ensure food lasts all week, so this didn't work for me. I also don't like substitutes and I don't like to waste things. I prefer the control shopping instore offers. We go to the same shop every week, know our way around and buy pretty much the same stuff, give or take a few different meals, so it doesn't get too overwhelming. What I do find overwhelming is navigating the online store, finding all the stuff I like and putting it into the basket, hoping nothing goes wrong and I'll have to start all over again.
I like to be able to look at and feel things I'm buying, not having a smart phone makes returns difficult as everything wants a QR code and I can't do them.
Internet shopping should mean more choice, right, that what we were promised in the early days, but it seems like you can get the same dozen thing where ever you go. I never do grocery shopping online, most of the shops only seem to do the smallest packet of anything, which is more expensive than buying a large pack, I also don't want substitutions, I know I can say that I don't want any, but then I think I'd end up with only half my shopping and would have to go to another shop anyway. Lidl and Aldi don't do deliveries and I do most of my shopping in Lidl.
