Technology. It isn't always the answer

BimboBob said:
I was round my mates house who was showing off his Hive app. "Look!", he exclaimed, "I can turn the heating down and dim the lights". I helpfully pointed out to him that he was stood next to the dimmer switch and the heating controls on the wall.

Utterly pointless.

I also wouldn't use a place that made me download an app to pay. Or scan a QR code to see the menu.
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Hives are actually pretty good entry level home automation systems. I have a few lights set up on mine with different schedules so when we are away we have them all turning on/off at times to make it seem like people are in. I can change those schedules from anywhere in the world.

The ability to boost heating from anywhere is nice too. Hive just scratches the surface on that front.

My boss is well into the whole home automation. He has a disabled daughter and has cameras and mm wave detectors in her room hooked up to the home automation system that alerts him if she’s fallen out of bed etc. he has buttons dotted around near consumables like the toilet roll holder. When you use a roll click the button and when needed they get added to the shopping list etc.
 
hampshireblue said:
I vary between ordering prescriptions on the app or on the surgery website. The turnaround time is the same for both-about 2 days, and no different to when I used to use the paper method.

I get your frustration about the restaurant bill, but the problem was your "weak signal" and the authorisation of the payment is there to protect you.
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Do you collect your prescriprltion ?
 
Prestwich_Blue said:
I'm an FOC but I make my living working in technology. I design technology solutions for companies that hopefully make them more efficient but I see increasing scenarios where technology just gets in the way.

I have a regular prescription these days and previously you'd request it by dropping a form off at the GP surgery, collect it a couple of days later then go into a convenient pharmacy to have it made up. Now I have to submit it online, wait for a GP to authorise it, then it gets sent to my nominated pharmacy, who need 3 business days to have it ready (although they're usually quite quick). If everything works well, I can submit a request on Monday morning and pick it up on Wednesday afternoon. Last week I submitted a repeat prescription request via the NHS app first thing on Tuesday morning but it wasn't authorised till Friday afternoon, and it wasn't available till the following Tuesday, a week after I submitted it. I had to miss 2 days of tablets because of this. Technology just makes the process worse for the user in this case, not better.

Tonight I went to the theatre and we went into Wagamama for a pre-theatre meal. I asked for the bill but the waitress didn't bring it (in complete contrast to America where it gets brought to you in good time even before you've finished your meal). They said I could scan the app to pay but it wasn't authorised till taking ages as my signal was weak, then I had to authorise it via my banking app. It must have taken 10 minutes and I'm not sure it even went through. Just bring me the fucking bill and the card reader so I can pay it without going through all sorts of hoops.

Why do we need to introduce technology that makes it harder for the user, rather than making it more convenient?
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So they need less people. Less people equals much more moola for a few.
Capitalism I think it’s called. Apparently, it makes everyone richer…
 
denislawsbackheel said:
I can do that with Hive from any room I am in.
I love my portable Hive thermostat. I take it to the room I am in and turn down radiator valves in room I am not in. I can also turn the heating on when I am out of the house so it’s toasty when I get in if there’s a cold snap.
Wetherspoons QR code system works easily.
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Thermostat set to 15. House gets below that, heating comes on. Simple.

I'll also add I have no ring type door bell, no alexa on my sonos speakers or anywhere else, no webcam etc etc in my house. My fridge isn't connected to the Internet nor does it have a glass door so I can see in. That's what a door is for.

Seems to me a lot of tech these days is intrusive and pointless.
 
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pride in battle said:
Do you collect your prescriprltion ?
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Yes i do as it's a nice 10 minute walk along the river. But when I do collect it, the pharmacy have to plough through dozens of pieces of paper to find it the prescription. It then comes in a bag with a paper prescription for the next time I need it. I haven't needed that piece of paper for several years. Multiply that by 100s of millions of prescriptions....
 
hampshireblue said:
Yes i do as it's a nice 10 minute walk along the river. But when I do collect it, the pharmacy have to plough through dozens of pieces of paper to find it the prescription. It then comes in a bag with a paper prescription for the next time I need it. I haven't needed that piece of paper for several years. Multiply that by 100s of millions of prescriptions....
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Have it delivered, its free, i use pharmacy2u
 
Prestwich_Blue said:
I'm an FOC but I make my living working in technology. I design technology solutions for companies that hopefully make them more efficient but I see increasing scenarios where technology just gets in the way.

I have a regular prescription these days and previously you'd request it by dropping a form off at the GP surgery, collect it a couple of days later then go into a convenient pharmacy to have it made up. Now I have to submit it online, wait for a GP to authorise it, then it gets sent to my nominated pharmacy, who need 3 business days to have it ready (although they're usually quite quick). If everything works well, I can submit a request on Monday morning and pick it up on Wednesday afternoon. Last week I submitted a repeat prescription request via the NHS app first thing on Tuesday morning but it wasn't authorised till Friday afternoon, and it wasn't available till the following Tuesday, a week after I submitted it. I had to miss 2 days of tablets because of this. Technology just makes the process worse for the user in this case, not better.
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our local chemist dont make repeat perscriptions up any more its out scoursed because they couldnt cope with amount. third day its delieverd then takes day to sort out or wait for them to dig orders out
their snowed under
 
As somebody who works in technology and AI, we're at the stage where there is a belief that every problem has a technological fix, which only serves to create new problems and provides a platform for the very many technology companies that provide pseudo-innovation.

This is particularly bad with software, there is a start up for just about any single task but they almost always make things more difficult than they should be, they're too narrow in focus or try to chew off far too much and value suffers.

That's because it's all about making money in a gap that didn't need filling. As always, the best solution is often the simplest one and that often means stripping things back.

The biggest annoyance for me is with cars, how the fuck people drive these newer cars with the electronic screens, stop start, keyless fobs, buttons for a handbrake and a million options for configuration is beyond me. I drive a 16 year old car and all I have to do is turn my key, use the actual gear stick and handbrake and I couldn't be happier with the simplicity.

It's all about money and selling you something you think you need, rather than something that will genuinely make your life easier. The same applies to companies and government. Everybody falls for it.
 
There are various reasons a lot of apps are crap...

I worked for a large software co, often a product to market team would be assigned to create a new app or software.

They would tell everyone how great it's going to be, how secure, how many unicorns it would have. They would push the Devs, to create within a timescale and ignore all real world feedback.

Once the app or program was delivered (fully working or not) they would give each other a high 5 and tell everyone how great it is - then immediately they would remove themselves from that 'success' and move onto a new project, resisting any attempt to link them back to the negative feedback from the real users.
 
Prestwich_Blue said:
I'm an FOC but I make my living working in technology. I design technology solutions for companies that hopefully make them more efficient but I see increasing scenarios where technology just gets in the way.

I have a regular prescription these days and previously you'd request it by dropping a form off at the GP surgery, collect it a couple of days later then go into a convenient pharmacy to have it made up. Now I have to submit it online, wait for a GP to authorise it, then it gets sent to my nominated pharmacy, who need 3 business days to have it ready (although they're usually quite quick). If everything works well, I can submit a request on Monday morning and pick it up on Wednesday afternoon. Last week I submitted a repeat prescription request via the NHS app first thing on Tuesday morning but it wasn't authorised till Friday afternoon, and it wasn't available till the following Tuesday, a week after I submitted it. I had to miss 2 days of tablets because of this. Technology just makes the process worse for the user in this case, not better.

Tonight I went to the theatre and we went into Wagamama for a pre-theatre meal. I asked for the bill but the waitress didn't bring it (in complete contrast to America where it gets brought to you in good time even before you've finished your meal). They said I could scan the app to pay but it wasn't authorised till taking ages as my signal was weak, then I had to authorise it via my banking app. It must have taken 10 minutes and I'm not sure it even went through. Just bring me the fucking bill and the card reader so I can pay it without going through all sorts of hoops.

Why do we need to introduce technology that makes it harder for the user, rather than making it more convenient?
Click to expand...
I use an app. It requests a prescription from the doctor who authorise it and send electronically to the pharmacy who then update the app to show its ready. Quick and seamless. Technology works for the better in this instance.
 
BimboBob said:
Thermostat set to 15. House gets below that, heating comes on. Simple.

I'll also add I have no ring type door bell, no alexa on my sonos speakers or anywhere else, no webcam etc etc in my house. My fridge isn't connected to the Internet nor does it have a glass door so I can see in. That's what a door is for.

Seems to me a lot of tech these days is intrusive and pointless.
Click to expand...
how they going to sell your data
 
Eccles Blue said:
I've been getting my prescriptions this way for about 7 years. But I don’t need to order as all my tablets are on repeat and they send for me once a year to make sure I know what I am taking and why.
I’m very lucky with my pharmacy as well. They just deliver the medication.
Mind you with all the medication I’m on it takes me nearly half an hour on Sunday morning to put them out for the week!! :-) :-)

I have a routine on Sunday morning, put out my tablets for the week then a 2 hour FaceTime call to my sister in French France as a reward!!
So technology is useful at times. :-)
Like others I only use restaurants that have waiters or waitresses who bring over the machine or who take cash.
Plus I never go to the places where you order from a machine. I order from a person or I walk out. :-) Very fussy. *lol*
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you need to order in blister packs all dated and preslected let someone else do work two hours saved
 
BlueSkyBlue said:
There are various reasons a lot of apps are crap...

I worked for a large software co, often a product to market team would be assigned to create a new app or software.

They would tell everyone how great it's going to be, how secure, how many unicorns it would have. They would push the Devs, to create within a timescale and ignore all real world feedback.

Once the app or program was delivered (fully working or not) they would give each other a high 5 and tell everyone how great it is - then immediately they would remove themselves from that 'success' and move onto a new project, resisting any attempt to link them back to the negative feedback from the real users.
Click to expand...

Had this last year with the implementation of 'one touch switch' on landlines, the cunts who delivered it were going mad because we refused to sign it off due to all the issues. Just desperate to put it in their linkedin profile and move onto their next project, whilst the plebs fix their issues with workarounds. I actually hope AI makes fuckers like that redundant.
 
Prestwich_Blue said:
I'm an FOC but I make my living working in technology. I design technology solutions for companies that hopefully make them more efficient but I see increasing scenarios where technology just gets in the way.

I have a regular prescription these days and previously you'd request it by dropping a form off at the GP surgery, collect it a couple of days later then go into a convenient pharmacy to have it made up. Now I have to submit it online, wait for a GP to authorise it, then it gets sent to my nominated pharmacy, who need 3 business days to have it ready (although they're usually quite quick). If everything works well, I can submit a request on Monday morning and pick it up on Wednesday afternoon. Last week I submitted a repeat prescription request via the NHS app first thing on Tuesday morning but it wasn't authorised till Friday afternoon, and it wasn't available till the following Tuesday, a week after I submitted it. I had to miss 2 days of tablets because of this. Technology just makes the process worse for the user in this case, not better.

Tonight I went to the theatre and we went into Wagamama for a pre-theatre meal. I asked for the bill but the waitress didn't bring it (in complete contrast to America where it gets brought to you in good time even before you've finished your meal). They said I could scan the app to pay but it wasn't authorised till taking ages as my signal was weak, then I had to authorise it via my banking app. It must have taken 10 minutes and I'm not sure it even went through. Just bring me the fucking bill and the card reader so I can pay it without going through all sorts of hoops.

Why do we need to introduce technology that makes it harder for the user, rather than making it more convenient?
Click to expand...
I’ve just moved home and with that had to change my doctors, my previous prescriptions ordered through the myGP app
Would be ready for collection 2 days later
My new doctors and chemist now take 3-4 days and I queried this with the chemist
They said it always takes this long and my previous setup I was just lucky. I got caught out aswell running out of tablets I guess I’ll just order them a little earlier but I do find this method really good.
 
The Light Was Yellow Sir said:
So they need less people. Less people equals much more moola for a few.
Capitalism I think it’s called. Apparently, it makes everyone richer…
Click to expand...
But in the prescription process it still needs a GP to authorise it and a pharmacist to make the prescription up. No one is losing their job with this system. But as the ultimate customer, I'm at the mercy of the GP and my nominated pharmacist.

If I wanted a physical prescription and ordered it first thing Monday, I'd be able pick up the prescription on Tuesday pm or Wednesday am and have the medication in my hand a few minutes later, rather than having to wait for a week. That should be my choice.
 
dadnlad said:
you need to order in blister packs all dated and preslected let someone else do work two hours saved
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I had heard about this but I prefer to put them out myself. Then if it’s wrong it’s my fault. Mind you when you take 11 tablets in the morning then more at lunch and at bed time it’s difficult getting them in blister packs! Thank you though.

Plus I like to think of my call to FrenchFrance as my reward for making sure my medication is correct. :-) :-)
 
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