A Luddite in My Dreams

The more and more I find myself relying on technology in a variety of settings, the more I find myself getting frustrated when I come across a technology fail. Such was the case with my first blog post for NaBloPoMo - which begins today. I wrote the post on my iPad in the cozy confines of a coffee shop then uploaded it to my blog and set the post time to 6:00 a.m. on November 1.

Imagine my surprise when I took a Facebook break a bit later - as I was busy working on the next day's post and saw comments about the post that was not yet supposed to be published. I logged back in to Blogger and checked my settings.

There is was - plain as day - published at 6:00 AM 10/01/11.

Last time I checked I November was "11" not "10". I forgot to change that part of the post date.

I set it to publish a month ago - not the next day.

I wonder how badly it freaked out the blogosphere and Facebook worlds that I then corrected it to publish at the correct time: 6:00 AM on November 1.

Does it count that I published it "twice?" At least it was November in Australia by the time I actually hit the publish button.

A blogger goof due to my own typo does not compare to the work technology goofs I keep coming across. Because I went back to work in a district where I had worked before, some systems keep confusing the new me with the old me. Supposedly in the district all our passwords are the same for every application. NOT true. Some of the applications still have my old password and tech support actually expects me to REMEMBER what my password was three years ago so they can update it.

I keep getting the response, "sorry, I tried, but I cannot see that screen."

Then how do they know if my password really met all the security requirements they demand? (Duh - I know programs can read the binary code when I set my password and that is really how they do it, but I still want to ask the question and make them explain it to me so they will at least think about it before they set another off-the-wall password requirement.)

If I keep trying to log on, I get an error that the account was frozen due to many failed attempts.

You cannot reset my password, but you can freeze my account.

The same thing goes on as I we move more and more of our applications to the "cloud." I am firmly convinced that "cloud" just means a passing fancy that is what you see in it until the next breeze blows and changes its shape because every time we raise a question about something that is supposed to be on the "cloud," the response follows the strain of, "we're working on getting that right."

The more often I get that refrain, the more I am convinced I just want to keep a full supply of Bic pens in my desk and some wide-rule filler paper handy. (I once preferred college-rule, but my old eyes now demand larger handwriting.) At least then all I have to do is open my notebook and everything is filed and well organized as opposed to scattered across a system that may or may not work.

Still the tech geek in me keeps seeking opportunities to one-up others around me. I cannot wait to go into a meeting Wednesday with my new iPad dock and keyboard setup so I can take notes and even text participants from across the room while they think I am paying attention to the meeting.

I am only a Luddite in my dreams.