Notifications
Clear all
Topic starter
2019-11-02 4:09 pm
I just got a taste of what life was like like in the stone age before we all had the Internet.
We had a major wind and rain storm that lasted two days, they actually canceled Haloween here because it was unsafe to go out. Over a million homes lost electricity, some of them are still without.
I didn't lose electricity (although the folks on the other side of my street have been without it since yesterday), but at 8:30 yesterday evening the cable went down, taking our television, home phone, and internet with it.
I never use the home phone and the last time I watched television was in 2009, so I didn't miss those. But no Internet - that was tough!
I couldn't make my daily order to Amazon and couldn't upload my latest video to YouTube. Fortunately, I'd ordered my groceries online the day before so no one will starve here. And I actually got a lot of other work done, including filming most of next weeks video.
But I still breathed a sigh of relief when Grammarly popped up in the midst of the Google Doc I was editing in offline mode, indicating that I was once again part of modern civilization!
How did we ever survive without the Internet? I'm thinking I need to go to the phone company and get a backup Internet connection in case this ever happens again. We might have canceled Haloween, but it was still very scary at my house today!
?
Bill
"Never trust a computer you can’t throw out a window." — Steve Wozniak
Auto.ai Robotics reacted
2019-11-02 4:33 pm
Our modern day society has become totally dependent on the Internet. If the Internet were to do down in a major way for a long period of time it truly would be a serious problem. We have not only taken it for granted for enjoyment, but we have actually become highly dependent upon it in many ways. The IoT is especially dependent upon the Internet being up and running. I would imagine that many modern technologies would simply cease to function if the Internet were to go down.
I was against this from the very beginning. Not against the Internet, but against becoming dependent upon it. But that's where we're at now. We've backed ourselves into an Internet corner. And cyber warfare is no joke anymore. If another country wanted to destroy our country all they would need to do is knock out our Internet and we would fall to our knees. And this holds true for just about every modern day country.
Even countries that used to be considered to be "Third World Countries" are now dependent on the Internet.
One thing that really cracks me up is to watch documentaries of tribal people who are still living in grass huts and cooking their food on open fires. But guess what? They have CELL PHONES and COMPUTERS!
Unbelievable!
I wouldn't think that could be possible? Where do they get the money to buy these things, along with the Internet services? And how do they charge them up? Their grass huts don't appear to have electricity?
Strange world we live in to be sure!
DroneBot Workshop Robotics Engineer
James
Topic starter
2019-11-02 4:56 pm
I agree we've become a bit too dependant upon the Internet. But I do LOVE some of what it enables us to do, and how it has changed our lives (mostly) for the better.
- I order everything online, rarely visiting a store anymore. Saves me a lot of time as well as energy.
- I don't even know where the library is thanks to Google. The Internet is open 24 hours a day and I don't have to worry about late fees for the books I forget to return.
- I know what the news is the instant it happens. And I only need to read the news that interests me.
- And, of course, I have a YouTube channel, a website, and a forum!
But I have to admit that NOT having the Internet this morning made me very productive. Nothing to distract me so I needed to focus on work. I recorded some video and wrote part of Sunday's article for the website. I even soldered some things LOL!
BTW, this is what hit us in case anyone is interested. Take a look at the canopy at that gas station. Glad I wasn't filling my tank at the time!
"Never trust a computer you can’t throw out a window." — Steve Wozniak
Auto.ai Robotics reacted
2019-11-02 5:01 pm
I didn't lose electricity (although the folks on the other side of my street have been without it since yesterday), but at 8:30 yesterday evening the cable went down, taking our television, home phone, and internet with it.
That can't happen here as, this civilisation isn't dependant on wooden telegraph poles, everything here is underground. This antiquated power distribution system actually amazed me when I first saw it in Canada and the USA.
When I was working in Toronto, I used to go fishing in a small town of Fergus, Ontario. One Saturday, I arrived in Fergus to find electricity poles and transformers lying around everywhere and when I asked at the tackle shop what had happened, they told me that a small tornado had just ripped through the town.
It is far safer to have utilities buried 1.5m deep in the ground.
But I actually like the "stone age" sometimes. I have spent a few Xmas and New Year holidays in Norway in a wooden chalet with no electricity, just a log fire to keep me warm and some good books to read, with 2m of snow outside.
So to answer your question:
How did we live without the Internet?
Very easily, it is not a drug!!
Topic starter
2019-11-02 5:12 pm
That can't happen here as, this civilisation isn't dependant on wooden telegraph poles, everything here is underground. This antiquated power distribution system actually amazed me when I first saw it in Canada and the USA.
Quebec and Ontario are the oldest parts of Canada, Montreal is actually the 3rd oldest city in North America. And our infrastructure is archaic. Our roads are a mess, our bridges are falling down and in downtown Montreal some of the sewage system still uses pipes laid in the early 1800s.
I lived in Calgary and Edmonton as well and out there most of the utilities are underground. I wish they would do that out here, but they don't. A few Km from here they are going to be putting in a new high-voltage transmission line and they still plan to go above ground, despite protests from the neighborhood. They claim it is a lot cheaper.
"Never trust a computer you can’t throw out a window." — Steve Wozniak
2019-11-02 6:02 pm
A few Km from here they are going to be putting in a new high-voltage transmission line and they still plan to go above ground, despite protests from the neighborhood. They claim it is a lot cheaper.
We are having a similar debate here in Germany! Many offshore wind parks in the North Sea are now coming online but the transmission lines to Bavaria etc. are just not there! First, everybody objected to electricity masts being built and now other action groups been have formed to oppose underground power lines. It doesn't matter what you do there will always be an interest group that opposes it!
So it will all end up in the courts and take years to settle. This does not happen in France, as if any project is deemed to be in the national interest, any opposition is quite simply forbidden.
2019-11-02 6:27 pm
I order everything online, rarely visiting a store anymore. Saves me a lot of time as well as energy.
Same here. But the problem is that the stores will eventually become obsolete. And then if the Internet goes down we won't be able to get supplies.
Ordering online does make me appreciate the parcel delivery people. I guess it won't be too much longer before the packages will arrive via robotic drones or self-driving trucks.
I don't even know where the library is thanks to Google. The Internet is open 24 hours a day and I don't have to worry about late fees for the books I forget to return.
I live near a small college town. The library is a very old stone building complete with huge columns like an ancient Greek building. None the less it is small, and I had been there so often that it's hard to find a book that I haven't already seen. I haven't been there lately, although I was in there a couple years ago and they had gutted out large sections where there used to be shelves of books. Now those rooms are filled with computer desks and the college students come in to use them. The irony is that as computers become smaller and more powerful, the students won't even need to go to the library to use computers because their personal mobile device will be all they'll need.
And, of course, I have a YouTube channel, a website, and a forum!
Yes, that is really nice! I'm hoping to start up a YouTube channel myself this winter. Just got to finished up my Woodstove Boiler. Almost done! In fact, I might have it fired up today! Hopefully!
DroneBot Workshop Robotics Engineer
James
Topic starter
2019-11-02 9:48 pm
I'm hoping to start up a YouTube channel myself this winter
You've mentioned that before James, and I'm anxious to see it when you get it started. I'll be your first subscriber! And if you need any help just let me know - I do have some experience with YouTube now.
Ordering online does make me appreciate the parcel delivery people.
I couldn't agree more. We have one fellow at Canada Post who is a real delight and always so friendly with my mother - which earns big bonus points from me, as taking care of Mom is my full-time job (the workshop is #2).
I live near a small college town. The library is a very old stone building complete with huge columns like an ancient Greek building. None the less it is small, and I had been there so often that it's hard to find a book that I haven't already seen. I haven't been there lately, although I was in there a couple years ago and they had gutted out large sections where there used to be shelves of books.
I used to practically live in the library, now I honestly don't know where it is. It's sad, but let's face it - Google can tell you everything you need to know about everything. I also used to own the Encyclopedia Britannica, but Wikipedia has eliminated the need for that.
Just got to finished up my Woodstove Boiler. Almost done! In fact, I might have it fired up today! Hopefully!
Best of luck with that, and just in time for Winter!
?
Bill
"Never trust a computer you can’t throw out a window." — Steve Wozniak
2019-11-03 2:02 am
I couldn't agree more. We have one fellow at Canada Post who is a real delight and always so friendly with my mother - which earns big bonus points from me, as taking care of Mom is my full-time job (the workshop is #2).
Taking care of my mom was a full-time job for me for quite a few years. She's gone now. Passed on at ripe old age of 90. She's been gone now for almost 20 years. It's hard for me to believe that it was that long ago. Seems like just yesterday that she was here. I guess I keep her close in my memory.
You've mentioned that before James, and I'm anxious to see it when you get it started. I'll be your first subscriber!
You can be my first Patreon! ? Although I guess that would be kind of silly since I'm already a Dronebot Workshop Robotics Engineer. We'd end up cancelling each other out. ?
Best of luck with that, and just in time for Winter!
I got it up and running! Just now came in from a very long day's worth of work on it. I had to take the circulation pumps out and clean them and reinstall them to get the water to flow, but it's flowing now!
I just built a fire in it for the first time this year. Water temp is up to 90 F so far. It needs to get up to at least 140 F to really start working. I run it at 180 F in the colder days.
So far no serious leaks. I have a few drips here and there, but they typically seal themselves up after it's been running for a while. Only time will tell on that one.
So anyway, it's not heating the cottage yet, but maybe in an hour or two it will be up to temp. This is way over due. I hoped to have this up and running by September, but I had problems galore, not just with building the woodstove, but other things kept coming up as well, like trees falling on the house, and a leaky roof that needed repaired. Anyway, I think I got everything sewn up just in the nick of time. I was lucky because October was like a hot summer month around here. Bright sunny dry days. So I was able to get a lot done in October.
Anyway, barring any major surprises I finally got the woodstove back in order. So now I can start focusing on robots! Yea! ?
DroneBot Workshop Robotics Engineer
James
Topic starter
2019-11-04 5:32 pm
You can be my first Patreon!
Although I guess that would be kind of silly since I'm already a Dronebot Workshop Robotics Engineer. We'd end up cancelling each other out.
I'd be happy to become your first Patron. But we wouldn't cancel each other out unless you also gave me a certificate and a title!
Just let me know when you're ready.
?
Bill
"Never trust a computer you can’t throw out a window." — Steve Wozniak
2019-11-04 6:32 pm
I'd be happy to become your first Patron. But we wouldn't cancel each other out unless you also gave me a certificate and a title!
I can hardly wait to make up the donor titles:
Robo Pi Tinkerer $1 /mo.
Robo Pi Technician $5 /mo.
Robo Pi Robotics Engineer $10 /mo.
Robo Pi Perceptron Intern $50 /mo.
Robo Pi Neural Network Surgeon $100 /mo.
Robo Pi Semantic AI Developer $500 /mo.
Robo Pi AI Entrepreneur Investor $1000 /mo.
? ? ?
Of course I'll let people know that these are just base donation suggestions and they can certainly contribute MORE if they so desire. ?
DroneBot Workshop Robotics Engineer
James
egers and Auto.ai Robotics reacted