Sunday, June 05, 2005

Text Messages

I know I'm going to sound like an old timer but "back in the day" I remember that technology was advancing so fast. The internet, c.d.'s and parachute pants. Each year everything seems to be getting more and more advanced. The one thing that I really don't understand and keeps holding us back from advancing is text messaging. Without any poetic words or fancy build up I'll get right to the point...it is fucking stupid.

With that statement I'm sure the question of why? "Why Dan why?" I'll tell you why...oh don't you worry...but first a word from our sponsor (unofficial).

Don't forget to pick up the Foo Fighter's new double-disc album, "In Your Honor," on June 14th and now back to our irregularly scheduled program.

Text messaging is lame to the extreme because there is no real use for it. If you needed emergency help, you wouldn't send a message to 911, you would call them...unless you were knocked out. If you needed to find out how much flour goes into your mother's home made apple pie, you wouldn't text her, you'd call. The only point to text messaging is when you are bored to the max but don't really feel like chatting with someone. Even when it comes to that point, you still have to punch in the letters.

"Ok, I need a w. I have to hit 9. Alright now where's the h? K, I have to hit four twice. Oh man, I hit it three times, now I have to hit it another two more times to back to the h."

Now this goes on for at least ten minutes until you've finally typed, "What's going on?" Now you have to wait another ten minutes for the person on the other end to type back, "Not much. You?" And this vicious cycle continues until nothing was really determined. To me, this seems like a big fucking waste of time. Time that people are always complaining that they never have enough of. Well, lets micro-manage here and eliminate text messaging. It's lame, it's stupid and it's...oh crap...where's the d...I can't seem to...oh here it is...dumb.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I disagree... texting rocks my world. Like a Dole Pineapple Whip from Disneyland.

It rocks me that hard.

Anonymous said...

i agree with your view on texting.
why not call me?
i have refused to understand how to do it on my phone.

christine said...

texting is useful if you have friends who you hang with/trade info with constantly, but don't necessarily need to get on the phone to confirm plans/times/places. it's great for things like:

"we're here" --- so then you know you can leave for the bar and meet up with them. or;

"pinback on 5/8, wanna go?" --- you write back "yes" and your friend buys you a ticket.

i was taught the beauty of using the 'TGWORD' function this past weekend so that you don't need to press each number multiple times to get one word out. you punch it in and scroll through word choices (if still necessary) with the zero key. it is great if you can figure it out (i needed an in person tutorial). not great for one who curses a lot in texting b/c they don't come up as choices.

try it again. it is very useful and fun. even better with picture messaging. best used for stupid messages such as 'i peed my pants' and 'you're a whore'

qhunt said...

christine, are you serious??!?!? up until now your comments have been pretty sweet, but now.......I can no longer support your cause, I am sorry.
Dan, i couldn't agree more, texting takes us back to the fricken age of telegraph and the morse code!!

christine said...

oh yeah, straight up - it's the best. planned a shopping trip with a friend via text today. don't want to be caught chit chatting during work! texting is perfect.

m said...

Dan, hilarious post, as usual.

Unfortunately, I can't really comment on text messaging because my phone is so old. Seriously. It's even got a rotary dial.

I see your point though: technologically it seems like a step backward. On the counterpoint, if I could text message, I might rock Erin's world every once in a while.

Anonymous said...

Right on. It may be slightly useful, but in the long run it further degrads the attention spans of teenagers too lazy to put real thought into anything. Anything at all.

qhunt said...

Ok Christine, you have a point. If you are doing it in a tactical espionage sort of way (from work when you are not suppose to) then it can be useful. I stand corrected. ahh, can't you just use your work phone though? ok, i though about it, there is always a better alternative to text messaging, there is no significant practical use for it. BUT, different strokes for different folks, you may love it and use it all the time. Me, it just seems like people may do it because it is trendy or they think they are being sneeky.

kagroo said...

You are right Q...no real use for it. NONE...NONE...that's me yelling.