On Thu, 19 Apr 2007 21:38:54 -0700, John Larkin
wrote:

On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 04:05:24 GMT, DaveC wrote:

One regular poster here has designed a microcontroller-based, networked (
(remotely accessible), whole-home climate control monitoring system
(heating-AC/hot h2o/heat exchangers/the whole works). Others have modified
their digital toaster (I'm not mentioning names... (c: )

How has your profession (or hobby) leaked into your everyday life? What
customizations or applications have you put electronics to that makes your
life easier and/or more fun?

Working with electronics all day, I want nothing to do with it in my
time off. I want all my household appliances to be as simple, dumb,
reliable, and analog as possible. I'm comfortable with simple, old-gen
PC applications because they work and are predictable.

We push technology only in those places where it really pays off. If
there's no big benefit, stick the the stuff that's known to work.

John

I'm with John on this. At home, things are very low tech.- easy to
use, easy to fix. My Rolodex never needs battery replacement, erasable
if entries are written in pencil, easy to add notes, and easy to
install more "memory". My slide rule still works after 35 years,
doesn't need batteries, and I can spill drinks on it without harming
it. Much of my digital photo album stuff is manipulated by command
line tools unless I need to touch-up images. Still use old DOS Orcad
SDT at work because none of the GUI schematic programs are pleasant to
use and SDT doesn't crash. Still use a compass, map, and occasionally
an altimeter when going in the outback. Use my eyes to figure out
where fish are. Technology is, many times, a PITA!

---
Mark