Asklemmy

43761 readers

1142 users here now

A loosely moderated place to ask open-ended questions

Search asklemmy 🔍

If your post meets the following criteria, it's welcome here!

Open-ended question
Not offensive: at this point, we do not have the bandwidth to moderate overtly political discussions. Assume best intent and be excellent to each other.
Not regarding using or support for Lemmy: context, see the list of support communities and tools for finding communities below
Not ad nauseam inducing: please make sure it is a question that would be new to most members
An actual topic of discussion

Looking for support?

Looking for a community?

Lemmyverse: community search
sub.rehab: maps old subreddits to fediverse options, marks official as such
!lemmy411@lemmy.ca: a community for finding communities

~Icon~ ~by~ ~@Double_A@discuss.tchncs.de~

founded 5 years ago

MODERATORS

255

What's Some Tech That Was Better Than It Is Now? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 3 months ago by wuphysics87@lemmy.ml to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

326 comments fedilink hide all child comments

When you connect a new device to a 'smart' tv, you must pay homage to the manufacturer with a ritualistic dance. Plugging and unplugging the device. Turning them on and off in the correct sequence like entering a konami code.

Every time you want to switch devices, the tv must scan for them. And god forbid you lose power, or unplug something. You are granted the delight experience of doing it all over again.

I have fond memories of the days of just plugging something in, and pressing the input button. Instant gratification. It was a simpler time.

What is some other tech that used to be better?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] Today@lemmy.world 74 points 3 months ago (4 children)

Business phones with humans who answered them.

[–] jballs@sh.itjust.works 27 points 3 months ago

I hate this so much. I had to call a clinic the other day to ask about medical test results. None of the options on the menu were for that. So I clicked 1 for appointments. Then my options were to reschedule an appointment or to cancel an appointment. No option to go back. I clicked 0 and it hung up on me. Called back, clicked schedule an appointment and it told me to hang up and go online. Fuck me.

[–] Wirlocke@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

CVS has a speech recognition system that just won't forward me to a damn human.

And the nerve of them to constantly berate you about using the app, when I'm calling because the apps not working.

[–] Today@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

Have you tried calling the IRS? I think it's the worst.

[–] aard@kyu.de 3 points 3 months ago (3 children)

I'm fine with that. I don't want to talk with people - I just want an email address to write to.

[–] lemmylommy@lemmy.world 21 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Here, have this useless chatbot instead.

[–] LavenderDay3544@lemmings.world 4 points 3 months ago

This is only going to get more pervasive with the corporate AI craze.

[–] Drusas@kbin.run 5 points 3 months ago

I agree overall, but it is usually much quicker to talk with a human on the phone than it is to deal with an automated system.

[–] Today@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago

I don't really want to talk to people either, but sometimes you need help right away. I usually try chat first. It's a little less frustrating.

[–] sunbeam60@lemmy.one 2 points 3 months ago

Tbf in many countries you still get this. The Nordics is night and day compared to the U.K. where I live now. You get a local number, a local email and someone who works at that office actually responds and is enabled to make decisions.

It’s a trust thing.