There is a fine, maybe even blurry line between a serious hobby and an addiction. Sounds like you were able to extricate yourself from what could have been a bad situation. More power to you! The rest of this is just a rant not directed at your post.
I question the percentages that the study came up with just because I don't think you really CAN define what is an addictive level for one person vs. a hard core hobby for another. I play a lot of WoW. Used to do other MMORPG's until I got sick of the game of the moment. It will happen with WoW too. If I'm not doing that with a free evening though, it's probably going to be TV, or a book, or something that others would perceive as equally boring or viewing as a symptom of a "lack of a life". The hilarious thing about those kinds of comments though is that they never come from the people who are spending all their time on "their life" which must be so oh much more fuller than mine. It comes from people who sit around observing what others take the time to post. Then they armchair quarterback the life of the poster based on what? A paragraph? What the heck kind of life is that?
Thank God only a few people responded to this. I'm sure you will see this post in the top 2 or 3 responses:)
I work in San Antonio Texas. A local PC shop here charges $60 an hour for PC work. I charge $75. This keeps 'the masses' from trying to use me. Only people who REALLY want my services will pay and I REALLY don't want to do it unless it's worth my while. I will also barter for the right trade. I have gotten my gutters repaired and am working on my fence!
It doesn't seem as though any of you are looking at this from the legal point of view of the average clueless consumer. They have this technology pushed on them unceasingly though mounds of advertising saying "get a computer! It's what you need!" The vast majority of users have an extremely difficult time doing anything with them but the absolute basics. It won't take but a couple of attempted lawsuits or trials for the Lawyers to figure out that if you put something this complex and potentially dangerous (at least to 1's and 0's and $'s) in the hands of the general public, then the company that did it, with all its associated dollars, is the one who is going to get sued and made responsible. As the internet becomes as essential as phone service, you might as well expect to see it regulated to death. These big companies know perfectly well they will be called to account will force that to happen to protect their precious ass(ett)s. My two cents worth anyway.
Oh, and to all you posters who keep insinuating that if only the masses were as smart as you none of this would happen. Please grab your ears, pull, and make a loud popping sound as you pull you high IQ head out of your low IQ asses. Since when was ANYTHING ever run by you intellectual snobs. I can't believe the arrogance of some of you.
Slashdot Mirror
There is a fine, maybe even blurry line between a serious hobby and an addiction. Sounds like you were able to extricate yourself from what could have been a bad situation. More power to you! The rest of this is just a rant not directed at your post. I question the percentages that the study came up with just because I don't think you really CAN define what is an addictive level for one person vs. a hard core hobby for another. I play a lot of WoW. Used to do other MMORPG's until I got sick of the game of the moment. It will happen with WoW too. If I'm not doing that with a free evening though, it's probably going to be TV, or a book, or something that others would perceive as equally boring or viewing as a symptom of a "lack of a life". The hilarious thing about those kinds of comments though is that they never come from the people who are spending all their time on "their life" which must be so oh much more fuller than mine. It comes from people who sit around observing what others take the time to post. Then they armchair quarterback the life of the poster based on what? A paragraph? What the heck kind of life is that?
What?!?! This is outragious! Preposterous! I'm going to do a quest RIGHT NOW to get to the bottom of this!
Thank God only a few people responded to this. I'm sure you will see this post in the top 2 or 3 responses :)
I work in San Antonio Texas. A local PC shop here charges $60 an hour for PC work. I charge $75. This keeps 'the masses' from trying to use me. Only people who REALLY want my services will pay and I REALLY don't want to do it unless it's worth my while. I will also barter for the right trade. I have gotten my gutters repaired and am working on my fence!
I loved your last line. Don't know if I could reply though, I might be lying! LOL.
It doesn't seem as though any of you are looking at this from the legal point of view of the average clueless consumer. They have this technology pushed on them unceasingly though mounds of advertising saying "get a computer! It's what you need!" The vast majority of users have an extremely difficult time doing anything with them but the absolute basics. It won't take but a couple of attempted lawsuits or trials for the Lawyers to figure out that if you put something this complex and potentially dangerous (at least to 1's and 0's and $'s) in the hands of the general public, then the company that did it, with all its associated dollars, is the one who is going to get sued and made responsible. As the internet becomes as essential as phone service, you might as well expect to see it regulated to death. These big companies know perfectly well they will be called to account will force that to happen to protect their precious ass(ett)s. My two cents worth anyway.
Oh, and to all you posters who keep insinuating that if only the masses were as smart as you none of this would happen. Please grab your ears, pull, and make a loud popping sound as you pull you high IQ head out of your low IQ asses. Since when was ANYTHING ever run by you intellectual snobs. I can't believe the arrogance of some of you.