Article misses the target: As landline use shrinks, phone polls become a tough cell

The recent article, "As landline use shrinks, phone polls become a tough cell", fails to mention the "VOIP factor," or voice-over-i-p phone usage across the United States. This includes services such as ATT CallVantage, Vonage, Packet 8 and Skype. I think they will find that the "lower income" demographic is canceled out a bit because VOIP users also tend to have a cell phone as well. Additionally, VOIP phones tend to have more of a traditional form-factor that is not present with cell phones, which are primarily portable and not attached to a home phone system. VOIP phone usually use existing phone systems inside a household, so the only difference is where the signal is coming from.

Beware of Moral Imperialists!

This Abraham Lincoln quote is so true:

"It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues."

Ode to the pleasure police...

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their conscience."

C.S. Lewis

Nice Quote I got from a tech presentation

“We must master the tools of communications, or we will be mastered by those who do.” Robert Moley (1923)

Cutting off the landlines

There was an article I read earlier this week regarding how segments of the population all over the world are beginning to surpass the use the traditional landlines for the home. The demographic that is jumping on this bandwagon the most are tech savvy adults ages 18-24.

The article mostly gave credit to the rising dependancy and lower costs of cell phones. I can speak to this first hand with the Philippines, as it can take months and even years to get your own landline. The process is also expensive and requires going through a gauntlet of bureacracy. However, when it comes to cell phones, the process is quite simple and cheap, and one can have a working phone within a day.

No wonder people are jumping away from landlines. Burdened with frivolous costs and regulations made possible only through government, landlines have garnered great angst from regular consumers.

New Nepomuceno.com website is coming

After a long hiatus, I will be updating Nepomuceno.com and providing updates on technology issues. Stay tuned!