Topic: thinking about going off line

[tramp]

just been thinking last few days about going off line
don't use it much, just here and weather and email
just thinking about dropping off
ditching my cell phone and living life simpler
what are your thoughts

[goon 1492]

I dunno what to say since I have yet to get a computer at home.... My ps2 or even my cell phone is the most technologie I have, I use my work computer to do this.....

[detdrbuzzard]

how would you ever post a question or reply on this forum without your computer. stop using your phone fro them and use it for you. don't be in a hurry to answer or return any call. my ring volume is so low that i rareely hear it ring. i answer messages once or twice a week. i have the phone if " I " need it

[Gordon]

I say go for it!  I don't think I could pull it off for any real length of time, but I know I always enjoy it when I go on vacation to more remote locations and don't have all the extra distractions competing for my attention. 

[eldar]

Do you have cable or dish tv? Drop that first. I find the tv sucks more life any anything else does. Ok I should not say tv but television programming. Keep the internet and maybe use netflix for the times you want a movie. I can understand dropping the cell but if you have a land line, drop it first. The awesome thing about internet now is that you do NOT need to have cable tv service OR a phone number to have internet. They have to sell you internet without any other packages if you want. At least that is how it is here.

[heffay]

during school, i lived in a little 375 sq. ft. mountain cabin.
cell phones did not work there so i didn't have one.
no tv
only dialup internet and a vcr for movies

now, i have a cell phone, cable internet, and cable tv.... i don't feel much different but i did enjoy the fewer distractions when i actually had school to take care of... now that i'm out, i'd probably go crazy.

p.s... good luck getting me to answer the phone, that's just how i deal w/ that one.   

is it a simpler life that you want or less bills?  i personally don't think its the gadgets.  i think its mindset.

[Gordon]

p.s... good luck getting me to answer the phone, that's just how i deal w/ that one.   

Same here.  I only answer my phone for three people:  My wife, my mom, and my best friend.  Everybody else gets to leave a message if they really want to talk to me. 

[medic09]

p.s... good luck getting me to answer the phone, that's just how i deal w/ that one.   

Same here.  I only answer my phone for three people:  My wife, my mom, and my best friend.  Everybody else gets to leave a message if they really want to talk to me. 

Pretty much the same here.

As far as dropping the technologies - I say go for it!  Do it for at least 90 days.  Long enough to detox and really begin to see what the benefits are for you.  It isn't irreversible; so the 'risk' is relatively low.

We will miss ya, though. 

[mark]

....
ditching my cell phone .....
what are your thoughts

never been in a cell that had a phone.

[sangyo soichiro]

I went for a while without a cell phone (or any other phone).  I didn't really miss it until a drunk driver crashed into me late one night.  As it was, I really got ripped off for the towing.  The cop must have been in cahoots with the tow guys.  If I had had my phone, I could have called and got a cheaper deal.

I can't stand people who are constantly on their cell phone (especially when driving - putting my life in danger).  I hardly use mine.  But when I need it, I really need it.

[bill440cars]

     I'd hate to see you be gone also. Like others have said, why not give it a "trial run" and see how it will be. Take some time off and give it a whirl. I can honestly say that you WILL be missed.


                                Take care, Bill

[Frankenkit]

I use my cell phone a lot- rarely talk to anyone but MickeyX and my parents, but I don't have a land line and find it pretty convenient to text 3-4 word notes to people I'm going to school with about where to meet them for studying etc. Beats the "I'm not psychic!" argument.

I lived a long time without a TV and can do without it. There are very few shows I will go out of my way to see, and both have only been in the form of reruns for 10-20 years.

I love my computer, though, and use it for school a lot.
I'll simplify vicariously, if that helps, Tramp.

[kirkn]

Not sure what the difficulty is...  or what your real driver for the 'simpler' life is.

If you don't hardly use the 'net, or you can't justify the cost, then by all means, drop off.

On the other hand, it, like so many things, doesn't force itself onto YOU, you go to it.  If it's bothering you, quit.

Like has been mentioned, TV sucks, but it doesn't turn ITSELF on, YOU hit the big round onoff button...

As for the cell phone, it certainly has an off switch, too.  But, again, what do you mean by 'simpler'?  Do you mean just doing without one less gadget?  Or not having a telephone at all?  The former, I can see.  The latter? No.

Sorry, I'm just a bit confused by the question...   

[BeSeeingYou]

I have a good friend who has never had a computer or a cell phone.  He even went back to a rotary dial phone.  He seems to get by just fine.  You will have more time to work on and ride your bike.  The net is a great resource but it is so easy to burn up hours a day on it.

[333]

Just as long as you don't start writing a manifesto about technology.

[billybobobrain]

....
ditching my cell phone .....
what are your thoughts

never been in a cell that had a phone.

Youre missing out!

I thought about taking a break from the forum cuz heffey was pissin me off. Actualy it was because I have a bike in my garage in a 1000 pieces, and the more time I spend on this computer the less time I have out there getting the work done. Spring is in the air and the hillbilly machine (xl250 rat bike) is not going to cut it in the summer.

[DammitDan]

I wouldn't completely drop the cell phone...  Get a pre-paid minutes phone for emergencies (as has been mentioned, it's the kind of tool that you regret not having when life hits ya).

As for the other stuff?  Well, what did people do before the internet, or before television, or before the telephone?  They got along just fine (although I think you may regret the no-internet-period decision later).

[mrbreeze]

I live in the boonies and could do fine without my cell phone that doesn't work worth a sh!t up here anyways. I got Sprint because some little cutie told me it would work good up here (it doesn't).I supposedly should have got Cingular (AT&T). It was my first (and last) cell phone. I lived alot of years without one and come June when my 18 month contract runs out....it will be gone. The nearest cable TV to me is 6 miles away(Comcast) so I have Dish Network.I also have AT&T land phone but thay don't have internet through the the phone here yet so I have to have that through Dish Network also (seperate dish). Its called Wild Blue and comes with the TV bill.
The only problem I see with dropping your internet is if you discover you can't live without it....They will charge the crap out of you for reinstallation and put you on a lengthy contract again. I wish they could do all this sh!t pay as you go.Maybe one day........

[mark]

.....
The only problem I see with dropping your internet is if you discover you can't live without it....They will charge the crap out of you for reinstallation and put you on a lengthy contract again.......

heard that....

my $4.95 would go to $9.95


 

[tramp]

here's the deal
what did people do with thier time 30yrs ago?
you went outside,did something, made models in the winter
read a good book, played board games with the family
sometimes i think this computer is a time vampire
as for the phone, i have a land line still
i get about one call a week on my cell
guess i don't like the way things are going and want to revert to the old times

[heffay]

what did people do with thier time 30yrs ago?

walked around w/ crappy kodaks and took crappy pictures.
used walkie talkies to talk to the truckers driving by the house instead of a cell phone to speak w/ the ones they really loved.
played pong on black and white TVs.
wrote notes and left them on the cork message board for all the other members of the household to see.

 

[goon 1492]

what did people do with thier time 30yrs ago?

walked around w/ crappy kodaks and took crappy pictures.
used walkie talkies to talk to the truckers driving by the house instead of a cell phone to speak w/ the ones they really loved.
played pong on black and white TVs.
wrote notes and left them on the cork message board for all the other members of the household to see.

 

well you got what I wanted to say out before me. To a T  except one thing I spent ALOT of time in the woods on the moutain bike or dirt bike, then PARTAY all night like a rock star. Then talk on the phone about what I didn't remember doing last night at the roller rink....

[billybobobrain]

ATARI!!!!!!!

[heffay]

actually... i originally typed atari...

i don't think they were out when i was 2.     shortly thereafter though.

[kirkn]

Hmmm... I think, now, that my earlier answer may have been a bit smart-a$$ed.

Anyway, if you don't use / can't justify the cell phone, by all means, drop it!  I'd also agree with others in getting the pre-paid kind to keep around for 'emergency' use.  I have to say, it's a great lifeline / back-up kind of thing, and I'm not one to dump a useful technology.  But, having it just to stay 'connected'?  Nahh, I don't need that either.

As for the 'net, hmm.....  I'll agree that occasionally, I'll spend too much time surfing the forums, etc.  Occasionally, I'll get to the end of the day and think 'hmmm..., I should've spent that hour working on the bike (or whatever task I neglected...)'.  But, it's kind of like overeating or watching the TV - it's all up to YOU!  YOU can choose to turn it off.  It (whatever technology you like - Net, TV, etc) can be a time pirate only if YOU let it.

That being said, if you don't have the willpower to resist, by all means, get rid of the temptation.  Kinda like cookies - if they're in the house, I'll eat 'em all.  And my belt just keeps growing...  So, now, I just don't keep 'em in the house, because I KNOW I can't resist.  If you find the Internet (or TV or ??) being like that, by all means, don't keep it!

Whichever way you go, I DO admire you for thinking it thru and making it a conscious choice, rather than just going along and going along and wondering why you're unhappy...  A little more critical thinking and introspection wouldn't go amiss in today's world, IMHO.

Kirk