Linked by JoanneRodgers on Thu 15th May 2008 23:02 UTC
Features, Office In a June 2003 Wired Magazine interview, Martha Stewart said, "Bill Gates' house, for example, is totally out of date now. He built it right before wireless happened. The big tunnels for all his wires - he doesn't need any of that stuff anymore." The article wasn't about networking, or even technology, but I was struck by that statement because it was echoed by several people when I was explaining that I was running many thousands of feet of cable in OSNews' "house of the future." "Is all that cable really necessary now that there's wireless everything?" people said. As much as I respect Martha Stewart's business and design acumen, neither she, nor those people who talked to me, know what they're talking about. When it comes to networking, there's no substitute for a wire, when a wire's available. -- This is the latest entry in our 2008 Article Contest.
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People are afraid of wires
by Square on Fri 16th May 2008 00:05 UTC
Square
Member since:
2005-10-01

At least that is the impression that I get. It's getting harder and harder to find mice and keyboards that are wired.

I know people that refuse to buy wired keyboards, and would rather replace the batteries then have the thought that a wire might be connecting it to the computer. Many of these people never move the keyboard or the computer.

Same with video game consoles. People look at me strange when they see I went out and bought a wired controller instead of dealing with batteries

Ive also seen people get a wireless router and a wireless network card in order to connect a computer that is 2 feet from the router

I find it mind boggling at times, I can't tell if people are deeply afraid of them or if its some kind of fetish

TemporalBeing Member since:
2007-08-22

At least that is the impression that I get. It's getting harder and harder to find mice and keyboards that are wired.
[snip]
Ive also seen people get a wireless router and a wireless network card in order to connect a computer that is 2 feet from the router


I think it has more to do with the sales people pushing wireless, and people just listening to them saying "yeah, if that's what I need", which of course is all the sales person knows about so they tell them it is. Never mind that it is not really what they needed.

Reply Parent Bookmark Score: 2

renox Member since:
2005-07-06

I think it has more to do with the sales people pushing wireless, and people just listening to them


Well, it's possible that this is only a temporary fluke: I've used a wireless mouse for some time, but when I replaced it, I've chosen a wired mouse.
Having to remember to put the mouse on the charging pad to recharge it wasn't worth the cable's removal..

Reply Parent Bookmark Score: 2

RE: People are afraid of wires
by kaiwai on Fri 16th May 2008 06:46 in reply to "People are afraid of wires"
kaiwai Member since:
2005-07-06

At least that is the impression that I get. It's getting harder and harder to find mice and keyboards that are wired.

I know people that refuse to buy wired keyboards, and would rather replace the batteries then have the thought that a wire might be connecting it to the computer. Many of these people never move the keyboard or the computer.


It has to do with this stupid that 'wires are old fashioned, wireless is new and modern'. So there is this stupid idea that some how, if you remove all wired devices with wireless, it makes you more modern.

Sure, I can understand the attraction of wireless; I use it right now, but at the same time, for wireless keyboards and mice that will never move from a desktop - its all stupid.

Funny enough, those who own them will also claim they care of the environment - what about all the batteries they go through in a year!

Same with video game consoles. People look at me strange when they see I went out and bought a wired controller instead of dealing with batteries

Ive also seen people get a wireless router and a wireless network card in order to connect a computer that is 2 feet from the router


Or even more funny, a desktop that is 2 feet from a router.

I find it mind boggling at times, I can't tell if people are deeply afraid of them or if its some kind of fetish


There are lots of things that don't make sense. There is a tonne of technology being sold that is inferior to the last generation one - and yet, people go for it, because it is the latest and greatest.

People seem to make decisions, not on what is best, but what is the latest.

Reply Parent Bookmark Score: 4

theTSF Member since:
2005-09-27

It is not as much that some features are a decade behind other technology it is more that the new feature value is better for the particular use. The example of wireless video game controllers. I always hated having to wrap up the cables before putting them away and back. The same with wireless networking. I don't do heavy internal networking in my house. My wireless is a tad faster then my internet connection so I am happy. Would you set up a business intranet like that probably not. But for home use it is good for most people.

Reply Parent Bookmark Score: 2

RE: People are afraid of wires
by Loki_999 on Fri 16th May 2008 10:08 in reply to "People are afraid of wires"
Loki_999 Member since:
2008-05-06

Its a conspiracy by the battery manufacturers to make people buy more batteries!

Reply Parent Bookmark Score: 2

RE: People are afraid of wires
by Doc Pain on Fri 16th May 2008 16:00 in reply to "People are afraid of wires"
Doc Pain Member since:
2006-10-08

I know people that refuse to buy wired keyboards, and would rather replace the batteries then have the thought that a wire might be connecting it to the computer. Many of these people never move the keyboard or the computer.


Those people would run into massive problems if they had to setup a computer at a secured setting. There, no (!) wireless devices are allowed, simply to protect confidental data. Wireless keyboards' signals can be received with the proper hardware, and even a "super secret" system password can be obtained very easily because any keystroke can be recorded.

In the same manner, wireless data transfers can be decoded with a certain amount of computing power, so wired connections are explicitely forced in secured settings.

Ive also seen people get a wireless router and a wireless network card in order to connect a computer that is 2 feet from the router


And they offer their computers and their Internet connections to the public for free, even for criminal actions, I know. :-)

Reply Parent Bookmark Score: 3