Monday, August 18, 2008

Some rain, six windows and a thought

It rained and how!!! Here in Singapore, we live on the 12th floor and every time it rains, we have to close the windows so that the water does not get in. So one dark evening it rained, and I heard G say, Close windows...i was working on my laptop, I blinked, I frowned and I wondered why I should shut down my windows (my windows vista)...before the dim bulb brightened. I walked to the actual window and latched it shut… (sheesh!!!)

And of course, that was enough to get me thinking...:D




So now we live in a world where windows are what you use on the computer. Closing windows has never been this easy. Icons are no longer Mahatma Gandhi or Martin Luther king but those cute little miniatures on your desk top. How uninspiring!

The mouse is lamenting its loss of identity from the cute Tom tormentor to the slick one crawling on the desk. Bugs and viruses ail your computer too and the therapy is not a good drowning of smelly spray but some heavy dose of code. The worm has also made its appearance, where true to its nature, it slithers its way through the firewalls and security systems, creating havoc.

It's time not to bat an eyelid when your ten yr-old wants to burn his CD himself but ask him to do one for you too. (The shocked look on his 5 yr-old brother was priceless!!). My son is amazed that I grew up in a world without computers and mobiles. A world without Neopets and FIFA 2008 - IMPOSSIBLE!! (those are his favorite games)!! Meanwhile, someone please do explain to me why anyone would want to play a soccer game on the computer?

Friends were first segregated into best friends and friends. Next came the popular sitcom "FRIENDS" about the lives of 6, err...friends. Finally, we have 'frenship', which is highly endorsed by the social networking sites. This sure is an instant age - instant food, instant messages, instant pals...If someone were to be introduced as a friend, it’s only natural to ask "Blog friend, virtual friend, orkut friend, or ? friend? Never did I think the day would arrive when there would be so many definitions of a friend...though i must add here, i have met quite a few good people online and we've hit it off instantaneously...lucky me!!!

Web cams and Instant messengers have just brought the world into your home. Grandparents can catch a first smile, the first step, a milestone being conquered without moving a step. Bonds are tightened and the distance shortened with a click. Being in touch has never been this simple. If only we could feel as well!

In retrospect, good thing too, otherwise people would stop stepping out of their homes…:(

Ironic too, that what was invented to give us more mobility, security and time is proving to be just the opposite. The miles have been shortened but has it actually managed to bridge the distance between people? There are times when you have to message the person sitting next to you at work!!!

The web is wide indeed! No corner is inaccessible, it's just a click away...Just make sure you do not get entangled in it, and do scare away those lurking spiders who reside, disguised as internet trolls and worse.

And yes, don't be surprised when you are old, and your grandchildren look at you and say "Oh my mouse!" (That’s the future equivalent of Oh my god! since that’s how the future may soon view their God.. :P)

Hail, the mighty mouse!! might as well get used to it, I see an obsequious attitude to this slick creature in my house..

(Psst...about the disoriented baring of the thought, that's what happens when you sweep away cobwebs in the mind..., besides, i'm too busy wasting time shutting and opening windows to pay particular attention)

33 comments:

Solitaire said...

Haha! Actually I had a dim light. I thought windows are windows! Never once did it occur to me that it could also be your operating system. Duh..Guess I am still in the stone age.

--xh-- said...

yeah... the net have replaced common meanings of many terms, and future kids will find it might impossible to belive a world existed before net and comp.
mail is now invariably 'e-mail' and log is no more a piece of wood, but an account of something...

Inner Vision said...

Very thoughtful and a very well written post.

broca's area said...

hmm...liked it!!1..
good simile!!!....:)

Anonymous said...

er, a lot of people would agree that the CD is dead :p
meanwhile, there is a theory that if enlightenment/liberation is about being in touch with all of the cosmos, the internet is a first step :)

WhatsInAName said...

lol! Oh My Mouse, indeed!
Very thoughtful post. But to tell you the truth, I still miss those days of long letter writings and waiting for replies, the days of scheduled STD calls to my grandparents on sunday evening or night, the days of restricted Doordarshan, the days of dressing up for getting snaps clicked making it an occassion of sorts... sigh! I think I am getting old :)

Cess said...

like ur post specially the 'Close windows', you have no idea how my mum is struggling with new technologies and computer, specially the keyboard, she is always looking for a key missing (which is not missing actually...), typing with only 2 fingers cause it s too difficult otherwise ;)

Rambler said...

may be like the old saying history repeats itself.. I am of the dream that we will go back into old times soon :)

ceedy said...

Hahah

I am waiting for the day when there is no Mouse....a la Minority Report....

everything will be touch screen and I hope and the next version of why would one want to play soccer on the comp is the advent of Wii...where now they have got you out of your seats and moving again...but alone

good post...next time...draw the curtains (sleep mode) on your windows

Jaya said...

haha...we will soon have one langugage - computer lingos.....

rayshma said...

so with u on this one!
just y'day, a friend said "wait, i've to shut windows"... i thought he's rebooting. when he got back i was like "but how did u manage without logging out?"
i was gonna blog that today.. but thought adding it here made more sense! :D
LOL @ oh my mouse!!!
imagine telling a kid that a cat eats a mouse?! HAHAHA!!! :D they'll keep cats away from comps! :D unless they all have laptops, of course.

Neera said...

Ha ha ...thats a good one and u make some really profound points as well :)

Pavi!!!! said...

Ponderin over changed times..is one of my fav thing to do.. u feel good and then bad n agn good n .... well so on..abt all evolution n changes!
it has its pros n cons...an email or phone call can never ever replace the warmth n joy that a hand written letter brings... Readin a book on paper...can never be replaced by reading a book online. well discovery n history channel do provide the visual effects, but there isn't much left to the imagination is there?

I'm not complaining..i u'stand evolution is good for the future...i just miss somethings of the past....like mabbe a game of hposcotch or mud or stone (have u played those??)

"Bonds are tightened and the distance shortened with a click" - Yes n No..
sometimes it makes it easier to stray n bonds are loosened and the distances are increased!

Pavi!!!! said...

Ponderin over changed times..is one of my fav thing to do.. u feel good and then bad n agn good n .... well so on..abt all evolution n changes!
it has its pros n cons...an email or phone call can never ever replace the warmth n joy that a hand written letter brings... Readin a book on paper...can never be replaced by reading a book online. well discovery n history channel do provide the visual effects, but there isn't much left to the imagination is there?

I'm not complaining..i u'stand evolution is good for the future...i just miss somethings of the past....like mabbe a game of hposcotch or mud or stone (have u played those??)

"Bonds are tightened and the distance shortened with a click" - Yes n No..
sometimes it makes it easier to stray n bonds are loosened and the distances are increased!

Preethi said...

I am stepping away from the computer these days.. trying to break an addiction :)

Compassion Unlimitted said...

Well written expressions !Confusions in real life of a different kind.Transcending generations,lol
Tc
CU

aMus said...

solitaire...

hee..hee...
no, you are not!!! you are refreshingly diffrent...:)


xh::
hey, i like the log bit..any more priceless nuggets? :)


innervision::
thank you :)


@brobas
thanks...hopefully this relieved your boredom a bit? :)

aMus said...

@manu..

err...in my house...the CD is very much alive...gives my boys something to tinker about with... :D


@wian..
i miss all that too...that makes me old too...still, we had teh best of both worlds...:)


@cess...
that was so cute!!! but you must credit her for wanting to learn something new and wanting to move with the times...

aMus said...

rambler...
but why, rambler? why do you want to go back..why can't we have the best of both?


@ ceedy...
lol...a no mouse era..? now why do you think i elevated the mouse to the "GOD" status :P

its becuase i've not bought him Wii that he plays fifa on hi sdesignated computer playing days... but he also plays @3hrs of actual soccer...he's soccer crazy and cricket mad ...

i like that bit about drawing curtains...:D

aMus said...

@joy...
perish the thought!!! :D


@rayshma..
so i'm not the only er...you know what ;)
and lol about cats and mouse...laptop zindabad then!!!


@neera
glad you liked it...and my spewing out of some observations...

@pavi...
totally agree...and ya...about teh games, you won't believe it, i was planning to post on that too...

@preethi...
i DON"T believe this, you trying to get deaddicted?!!!...its been some time since you posted...now step forward to that comp and let the fingers tap away..comeon! :)

Keshi said...

haha good one Suma! clever too.


I'm just gonna reboot my system..I mean re-awaken my body n soul by having some coffee.


lol see ya!


Keshi.

Mama - Mia said...

very very cool Suma!! :D

and The Hitchhikers Guide to Galaxy has conculsively proven than Mice are indeed God and created earth! :p so the next gen has it all figured out right!!

brilliant post!!

cheers!

abha

Prats said...

Too cute!! And I actually thought you meant windows of the real kind... :( poor dumb me!

Oh my mouse!!! You live in such an antique era, suma...tsk tsk...hehehhe

Madhumita said...

Well written ... and grin grin to the windows bit - :D

Prats said...

hey...droppe dyou a tag....hope you can take it up

aMus said...

keshi...

lol at the coffee reboot...me can't do without that cuppa either!!!


mama..mia
can u believe i have NOT YET read the hitch hikers guide?!!!!!
...there it goes on my to read list...


prats::
hey..you are excused...you just moved house...you must be seeing doors, windows, pipes, cables all over :P

and will do that tag soon...rayshma had tagged me too...she's gonna claw me if i don't do it soon...:)

madhu::
what to do, i am like this wonly :P
thank you and how's everything in baby land?

Preeti Shenoy said...

Not to mention firewalls and keeping tabs :P
Well said--and a nice post.
Cheers
preeti

Irony said...

You do hv a good sense of humour :)

Sairekha said...

hehe.. so much for windows!:)
But true, we are all turning into giant geeks!:)
Btw... Mouse??? I call all those lil furry fellows rats!:):)

Preethi said...

Something for you at my blog.. come see

Neera said...

You have been awarded my dear :)

Mama - Mia said...

pls to add one more award to your gallery!!

and why am i not surprised you have won it many times over?! :)

cheers!

abha

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately we are so into those networking sites that we're addicted to them. Messenger is all the rage. When a friend hosted a sleepover for her daughter and her friends, she mentioned to me that these children had lost the ability to interact with one another. They spent their time on the computer, on the phones, text messaging their friends. What has the world come to?