#digcult09 a few amusing stories of sociotechnical problems (I think!)

Just finished up the digital cultures workshop for this year – some really great people and talks! I wanted to share a few of the stories I mentioned at the beginning of the workshop – my attempt at showing how we always encounter problems/issues with ‘technology’.

Story 1: Wednesday night, I was at Piccadilly station picking up Sian Lincoln and Steve Sawyer (two of the organisers). My phone goes – it’s my Aunt. “Sorry, I know you have visitors and your really busy but this is Urgent – Keith (my uncle) has ordered 3,000 books on Amazon by accident.”

Story 2: A certain academic’s dad believes that when you change your laptop, you have to change your email address. The academic recently changed institutions and so got a new email account but kept his laptop. His father’s explanation for this – his new institution must have really great technical staff!

Story 3: Another academic that I know – his mum made everyone sit in the Kitchen and be quiet for 30 mins when they got their first VCR – she was recording Coronation Street and didn’t want the family’s conversations to be on the tape!

Story 4: My family clubbed together and got my partner (John) a Netbook for christmas. John and I were discussing how it’ll be useful for us to webcam with each other when he goes to Japan for the year late 2009. My Aunt (story 1) says “your quite a big man John, will all of you fit on it”