You verses technology

[empirestate]

I still have a number of transactions that require paper checks. My local water bill, for one.

Or cash. You can always pay cash. :-)

[Pete from Boston]

I still have a number of transactions that require paper checks. My local water bill, for one.

There are a lot of small-businesspeople that won't leave your property unless you hand them cash or a check.  Though the desk-bound or tech-tied among us may not realize it, there's still a huge part of the economy where payment in hand upon completion of services is required and critical.  Too many swindling douchebags out there to accept "It's electronically on its way to you, I swear" as reliable.  I think there's still quite a bit of naïvete about how a lot of business gets done on the person-to-person level among those who advocate a cashless/checkless society.

[xcellntbuy]

I use technology and it does not use me.  I am one of few people who proudly does not have a cellphone.  You should see the stunned and amazed looks on people's faces when I am asked for a cell number, I state that I have none.  Often, they stop and say something like, "aren't you lucky," or "oh, it must be wonderful not having that thing ringing all the time."

[renegade]

My problems at work are basically annoying IT policy, not anything to do with the software itself, in most instances:

• Mandatory password changes and lockouts after too many incorrect password entries are a pain in the ass. I understand they are good IT policy but it is easy to mistype three times, especially if the last person to use the computer left caps on and you're not expecting it to be on, so you don't check. Having to call up the IT help desk and have your account unlocked is a waste of everyone's time.

<snip>

I do have problems with the recent trend of "let's 'simplify' interfaces by hiding/removing useful features!" Instead of simplifying things, I have to go on a hunt for my desired feature or kludge some workaround for the lack of said feature.

^This is my mortgage holder.  Mandatory password change every 90 days, cannot use the same password more than once, ever.  Oh, and the THREE-factor login:  user name then password, identify the photo and answer a security question.  Just to pay my mortgage.   Ya know, if someone wants to hack into my lender's system and make a payment on my behalf, then more power to them.     



Don't freak out, you know I am just kidding.  I understand the need for Internet security.  It just seems that they are trying really hard to protect me from myself.  Meanwhile, the Hackers have simply run amok.

[Scott5114]

• Paper towel dispensers. At one time, you pulled a piece of paper out of a slot, a process with which I rarely had any trouble. Today, you must rely on a machine to do this job for you, and it invariably performs poorly, if at all, at this most basic of tasks.

I really hate paper towel dispensers, since they are inevitably set to the size of towel that would only do an adequate job drying a grade schooler's hands. So you have to pull out multiple servings, and if it's one of the stupid automatic ones, wait three seconds each time so it thinks you're a different person.

Not that the non-automatic ones are much better these days. My old job had those Dyson hand dryers (which work very well) but my current one has some where you have to pull a pre-perforated towel roll down out of the dispenser. Of course, since your hands are wet, the towel gets soggy and tears prematurely, so you don't even get the entire parsimonious towel portion allotted to you in one go sometimes.

The ones we had in school seemed ideal. You pushed a lever down to dispense a towel portion, but if you felt the need for more you could pull the lever multiple times in succession.

Automatic sinks are also pretty shit, especially the ones that decide you get five seconds of water and then NO MORE, CITIZEN, YOUR HAND WASHING RATION HAS BEEN EXHAUSTED, GO WIPE OFF THE REMAINING SOAP ON YOUR SQUARE DECIMETER OF TOWEL RATION. I would like control over when to turn on and off the tap!

Automatic toilets and urinals aren't bothersome, since the worst they can do is flush excessively, and it's not my water bill. They should have a button to force a flush if it's having problems, though.

[maplestar]

Automatic sinks are also pretty shit, especially the ones that decide you get five seconds of water and then NO MORE, CITIZEN, YOUR HAND WASHING RATION HAS BEEN EXHAUSTED, GO WIPE OFF THE REMAINING SOAP ON YOUR SQUARE DECIMETER OF TOWEL RATION. I would like control over when to turn on and off the tap!

The thing I find with most automatic sinks is that the sensor placement makes no sense...it's so high up that if I were to wash my hands where the sensor can see them, I would be splashing all sorts of water outside of the sink. If I lower my hands to a "doesn't make a mess" level in the sink, it doesn't trip the sensor, so I don't have water!

[formulanone]

I REALLY hate automatic toilets.  Seriously, in the time it takes to put myself back together, they inevitably decide to flush multiple times.  It's embarrassing.

There's another thread right over there that talks about why your fellow citizens have created the need for this.  I'll take the embarrassment over the alternative.

Very simple: it prevents the spread of germs. While it's likely not needed in homes, they're quite welcome in restaurants, businesses, and airports. Some are just better at rationing the water than others, some just detect your presence better. Maybe I'm just used to the versions styles by now, but they're no more frustrating than they were a decade ago, just more prevalent.

Can't say I'm a great fan of the air dryers, because there's a 50/50 chance the entire handsfree-and-paperless premise is struck down by actually having to pull on a door handle to leave, rather than pushing out with an elbow, shoulder, or foot. Welcome back, germs...I may have well not washed.

[PHLBOS]

"It's electronically on its way to you, I swear"

Back in a day, the phrase was, "The check is in the mail."

I use technology and it does not use me.

Amen!  That's how it should be. 

I am one of few people who proudly does not have a cellphone.  You should see the stunned and amazed looks on people's faces when I am asked for a cell number, I state that I have none.  Often, they stop and say something like, "aren't you lucky," or "oh, it must be wonderful not having that thing ringing all the time."

I didn't get a cell phone until 2007 and the one I have today (my 2nd unit that's only a year old) is still a conventional flip-type that would be viewed today as an antique by some.

My only reason for getting one was due to the fact that pay phones (an item that I often used in my past travels) were just getting too darn scarce and my not having a cell phone contributed to a couple of missed communication issues (including one blown meet that was planned on another internet forum) with those that had cell phones. 

While steps should've been taken on the other's part to rectify the situation (one person knew that I did not have a cell phone at the time); that fact is the busts happened and I had no choice to take matters in my own hands to rectify such.  I found a cell plan that met my needs and budget and the rest is history.

[agentsteel53]

There are a lot of small-businesspeople that won't leave your property unless you hand them cash or a check.  Though the desk-bound or tech-tied among us may not realize it, there's still a huge part of the economy where payment in hand upon completion of services is required and critical.  Too many swindling douchebags out there to accept "It's electronically on its way to you, I swear" as reliable.  I think there's still quite a bit of naïvete about how a lot of business gets done on the person-to-person level among those who advocate a cashless/checkless society.

because swindling douches wouldn't try to pass a bad check?  for on-the-spot transactions, I prefer cash for ease, but am okay with a mobile phone based paypal transaction, verified by my own mobile phone.  (I'm far too lazy to get a portable card reader.)

[jeffandnicole]

Can't say I'm a great fan of the air dryers, because there's a 50/50 chance the entire handsfree-and-paperless premise is struck down by actually having to pull on a door handle to leave, rather than pushing out with an elbow, shoulder, or foot. Welcome back, germs...I may have well not washed.

If I had a nickel everytime someone got sick from using a door handle to leave a bathroom, I'd be a very poor man.

Many people focus on that bathroom door.  But at a restaurant, once you exit that bathroom you're still touching the chair, the menu, the condiments, and the doors to leave the establishment.  In other stores, you're touching products, counters, doors, etc.  Even touching your wallet to pay, you're touching money that has been through many other hands as well.

Forget worrying about the bathroom door - that's probably one of the cleaner things you'll touch all day!

[1995hoo]

I still have a number of transactions that require paper checks. My local water bill, for one.

I use my online banking for most personal bills. If the recipient doesn't accept an electronic payment, the bank will cut a paper check and mail it.

If I had a nickel everytime someone got sick from using a door handle to leave a bathroom, I'd be a very poor man.

Many people focus on that bathroom door.  But at a restaurant, once you exit that bathroom you're still touching the chair, the menu, the condiments, and the doors to leave the establishment.  In other stores, you're touching products, counters, doors, etc.  Even touching your wallet to pay, you're touching money that has been through many other hands as well.

Forget worrying about the bathroom door - that's probably one of the cleaner things you'll touch all day!

I make a point of washing my hands every time I get home, unless I did nothing other than drive my own car (say, if I pick up my wife at the subway and make no other stops). It's easier than trying to figure out what I touched that other people may have touched.

I seem to recall there was a rather effective pro-hand-washing ad campaign on the New York subway a few years back with signs saying things like, "You are the 423d person to touch that pole today. Enough said." or "The last guy holding that pole was named Sal Monella."

[formulanone]

Can't say I'm a great fan of the air dryers, because there's a 50/50 chance the entire handsfree-and-paperless premise is struck down by actually having to pull on a door handle to leave, rather than pushing out with an elbow, shoulder, or foot. Welcome back, germs...I may have well not washed.

If I had a nickel everytime someone got sick from using a door handle to leave a bathroom, I'd be a very poor man.

Many people focus on that bathroom door.  But at a restaurant, once you exit that bathroom you're still touching the chair, the menu, the condiments, and the doors to leave the establishment.  In other stores, you're touching products, counters, doors, etc.  Even touching your wallet to pay, you're touching money that has been through many other hands as well.

Forget worrying about the bathroom door - that's probably one of the cleaner things you'll touch all day!

I'm well aware of that, but I'd bet that same nickel most of those particular germs would be spread from the point of initial contact, the door handle or water faucet. There's germs everywhere, I go to enough hotel rooms, aircraft, rental cars, et al to not be much of a "germiphobe", but it does gall me to have to shake hands with someone who I've known does not wash themselves.

That said, it only all works together if folks do wash their hands in the first place, especially if you're preparing food, medicine,  coming in intentional contact with others, or responsible for cleaning things.

[PHLBOS]

FWIW, Some properties/rental agencies still require their mortgage/rent to be paid by check and to be mailed to their P.O. Box.   So even if one pays for everything else by phone, electronically or what have you; there's still a need to write out a paper check and mail it somewhere... contrary to popular belief.

the bank will cut a paper check and mail it.

Such might be dependent upon who one banks with; plus could be subject to an additional bank fee (depending on the particular bank's policies).

[1995hoo]

the bank will cut a paper check and mail it.

Such might be dependent upon who one banks with; plus could be subject to an additional bank fee (depending on the particular bank's policies).

Of course. I thought my comment clearly implied that. The banks we use do not charge a fee for that, BTW, although it's interesting–I used online banking to send a check to my father once when I owed him some money and I told him he would receive a check that did not look like my normal ones. I wanted to warn him of this so he wouldn't think it was one of those scams where cashing the check allows them to change your long-distance provider or some such. Telling him didn't help–next time I was over there, he claimed I hadn't sent him the money. Of course when I went and looked on his desk I immediately found the check sent from the online banking!

[PHLBOS]

Of course. I thought my comment clearly implied that.

Not all areas have banks that aren't fee/money-grabbing leeches.  Most banks in the Philly area, where I live, fall in the fore-mentioned fee-frenzy category unless one carries & maintains a rediculously large balance in their account.

But that's another topic for another thread.

[hbelkins]

I still have a number of transactions that require paper checks. My local water bill, for one.

Or cash. You can always pay cash. :-)

Won't work in my case. I work out-of-town and am generally not able to visit the office during normal working hours to pay in cash in person, and I'm hesitant to send cash through the mail. I drop my payment at a box at the office and they caution against using cash.

Until recently, I also had a car payment for which I had to use checks.

[agentsteel53]

I pay my mortgage with a check, because a one-time bank transfer costs $3.50 (logic that, folks!) and recurring direct withdrawal has just ... failed.  I set it up, they say it will start on the next 16th of the month.  and it doesn't.  and I discover this, and have to send a check every month.

[MikeTheActuary]

My two current big gripes with technology:

1.  The rise of the robocaller.

2.  Phones that have a bazillion memories for storing phone numbers of people you want to call, but lack sufficient space to auto-drop calls from callers you don't want to be bothered with.

The reason for those two gripes is left as an exercise for the reader.

[Pete from Boston]

There are a lot of small-businesspeople that won't leave your property unless you hand them cash or a check.  Though the desk-bound or tech-tied among us may not realize it, there's still a huge part of the economy where payment in hand upon completion of services is required and critical.  Too many swindling douchebags out there to accept "It's electronically on its way to you, I swear" as reliable.  I think there's still quite a bit of naïvete about how a lot of business gets done on the person-to-person level among those who advocate a cashless/checkless society.

because swindling douches wouldn't try to pass a bad check?  for on-the-spot transactions, I prefer cash for ease, but am okay with a mobile phone based paypal transaction, verified by my own mobile phone.  (I'm far too lazy to get a portable card reader.)

Do you tell the electrician when he finishes up, "I'll paypal it to you?"  This is the kind of situation I'm talking about, where an individual provides a service where payment is due upon its completion.  Generally cash or check is accepted in such situations.  Given the potential problems with checks, I see your point, but checks are very, very common in small business. 

[1995hoo]

The HVAC service company we uses takes cash or check only. Period. But a customer can use one of those checks the credit card companies send if he so desires.

It's pretty common for small businesses to want to avoid the credit card fees.

[DaBigE]

The HVAC service company we uses takes cash or check only. Period. But a customer can use one of those checks the credit card companies send if he so desires.

It's pretty common for small businesses to want to avoid the credit card fees.

I was just at a pizza place last week up in Appleton, WI...it's been around for over 50 years but still doesn't accept any plastic. Luckily, they had an ATM across from the cashier, but unfortunately, it was one with a surcharge

[hotdogPi]

For me, there is nothing wrong with a place that doesn't accept cards.
The problem is when a place doesn't accept cash.

by the way, it's versus not verses

[sammi]

by the way, it's versus not verses

I actually noticed the first time, but didn't bother commenting, hoping OP would change the title.

[realjd]

About the OP's chip card complaint: the US is finally starting to implement EMV. Both of my credit cards now have chips. The US is going chip-and-signature though, not chip-and-PIN like most of Europe has. The card authenticates through the chip but you still have to sign a receipt. This isn't as secure as having a PIN but it will all but eliminate credit card cloning.

[vdeane]

The card authenticates through the chip but you still have to sign a receipt.

My understanding was that it was dependent on which company you had.  Honestly, it should all just be chip and pin so that American cards would actually work in foreign countries.