something for the weekend » technology http://www.benlight.org adhoc ramblings about digital media and everyday life Fri, 18 Jun 2010 17:13:15 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 #digcult09 a few amusing stories of sociotechnical problems (I think!) http://www.benlight.org/2009/06/digcult09-a-few-amusing-stories-of-sociotechnical-problems-i-think/ http://www.benlight.org/2009/06/digcult09-a-few-amusing-stories-of-sociotechnical-problems-i-think/#comments Sat, 06 Jun 2009 12:55:01 +0000 Ben Light http://www.benlight.org/2009/06/06/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”

]]> http://www.benlight.org/2009/06/digcult09-a-few-amusing-stories-of-sociotechnical-problems-i-think/feed/ 3 Wiimote whiteboard http://www.benlight.org/2008/09/wiimote-whiteboard/ http://www.benlight.org/2008/09/wiimote-whiteboard/#comments Fri, 12 Sep 2008 23:16:23 +0000 Ben Light http://www.benlight.org/?p=71 www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s5EvhHy7eQ]]> This is a really good example of going beyond what the designer orginally intended!

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s5EvhHy7eQ

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