GPS? Who Cares

Used a GPS for the first time ever over the weekend.
I've been aware of them for years, even gave one as
a gift about 2000. I'm a map guy, I like knowing where
I am exactly.

My reaction from my experience is, what a pain in the
ass it was. I ended up stopping at several unplanned
locations and every time I deviated from the route,
the stupid GPS freaked out. It starts babbling to do
this and that, so I just turned the sound off.

Turn it back on later and it's giving me directions that
are not the best way to go, so I threw it into the back
seat (instead of out the window) and used a map for
the rest of the trip. I guess a GPS is a godsend if you're
an illiterate dropout, you can have them. My first and
last experience was enough for me.

Quote: Evenbob

Turn it back on later and it's giving me directions that
are not the best way to go, so I threw it into the back
seat (instead of out the window) and used a map for
the rest of the trip. I guess a GPS is a godsend if you're
an illiterate dropout, you can have them. My first and
last experience was enough for me.

I've known how to read a map to get myself states away since about age 10. And I love GPS. I drive too many places to carry maps for all of them. I go to many dealing gigs after dark and it is great. You do have to get used to all the talk and sometimes you have to ignore parts of it. But it is great, though we are making a generation of idiots who will be unable to read maps, which will be bad because they will not know how to get to Best Buy to get a calculator because they can't do long division.

I don't travel much where I don't know
where I'm going. I already gave the one
I was using to my wife's nephew, I found
it irritating beyond belief.

Quote: AZDuffman

But it is great, though we are making a generation of idiots who will be unable to read maps, which will be bad because they will not know how to get to Best Buy to get a calculator because they can't do long division.

I used to pay a lot more attention to computer technology back in early DOS, Apple, Win 3.1 days because you almost had to. They've done a lot more to make process invisible so you don't have to look behind the screen (so to speak) to find out what's wrong, how to speed things up, why something crashed, or why something is not working at all.

Although I guess some people may not find that as true.

But anyway, since I don't need to fiddle with anything usually, I've also kind of lost touch with what goes on in computer tech. It's become more opaque as I don't do anything directly dealing with programming anyway.

Quote: rxwine

But anyway, since I don't need to fiddle with anything usually, I've also kind of lost touch with what goes on in computer tech. It's become more opaque as I don't do anything directly dealing with programming anyway.

It used to be that you had to really know how to figure out how work a computer, now you plug things in, it starts doing all kinds of stuff, and you are up and running. Same for all other kinds of things. Now it is so seamless.

Decades ago Qantas pilots could determine their position within seconds by pushing a button the airline required them to spend about twenty minutes figuring out their position the old fashioned way so as to keep the pilots "in the loop". Alot of sailors now can buy GPS units that are so cheap, but one of the most well attended classes at the DIY sailboat meet up in Rio Dulce was on celestial navigation, even though a sextant is now more expensive than the cheapie GPS units.

As to motorists I knew one woman who had a very close personal relationship with the tiny lady who lived in her GPS; they talked to each other much of the day. Do GPS units send people over non existing bridges or off cliffs or into trackless deserts, sure... but you don't have to follow the directions slavishly; they are advisory and very helpful, but not infallible.

As you might guess from my being math deficient; I never could learn how to refold a map properly.

Quote: AZDuffman

It used to be that you had to really know how to figure out how work a computer, now you plug things in, it starts doing all kinds of stuff, and you are up and running. Same for all other kinds of things. Now it is so seamless.

Early pioneers (the ones that made it through all the winters) would both marvel at all our modern conveniences and laugh at so many people unable to do much of anything to maintain life without them. Our extreme survivalists would be considered their regular Joes of their day.

Oh Bob. GPS units are very handy in your car if you're trying to find an address in an unfamiliar city, or if you need the closest gas station as you're driving a lonely stretch of Route 66. Or a handheld unit is handy if you're backpacking the Pacific Crest Trail.

Posts like this just reinforce what an old fuddy-duddy you are, man! It's 2014! You're like some ol' guy in 1918 complaining about these new-fangled horseless carriages and how you'll never get used to 'em, and all their noise and smoke, and the good ol' days of knowing how to properly navigate a trail with a horse, therefore you're better than the car drivers.

Bad ol' GPS!

Quote: zippyboy

Posts like this just reinforce what an old fuddy-duddy you are, man! It's 2014!!

For 20 years I went to auctions and sales
in strange places and always got there
fine with just a map. I don't see where
GPS is so great, other than dumbing
people down so they have to think even
less than they do, if that's even possible.

Does going to the grocery store make people dumb because they no longer need to farm or slaughter their food?
Does buying a tube of crescent rolls make people dumb because they no longer need to bake?
Does emailing make people dumb because they no longer write letters?
Does perusing an Internet forum make people dumb because they no longer have human contact?
Does having NetFlix make people dumb because they no longer go to theaters?

Or are these things just natural progress, like GPS units? ....like microwaves, iPhones or sewing machines?