QotD: Automation
Posted December 20th, 2004 @ 12:42pm by Erik J. Barzeski
Question: If you could automate one thing in your life for free, what would you automate? Answers like "my job" or "making money" or whatever are not in the spirit of the question, so don't be a goober.
My Answer: I'd automate, uhhh, okay, TiVo already does that for me. Uhhh, no, my computer does those ten things. No, hmm, my debit/credit card does that. Uhhh, no, ok, my cell phone does that. I don't drink coffee, but even coffee pots do that these days. What the hell is left to automate? Lovemaking? Not sure that'd go over too well! Uhh, I'm gonna have to go with "grocery shopping." It'd be awesome if I could add things to a grocery list when I want and then have them delivered. And the nice thing is… you can do this in some places. Publix in Florida does it. Just nothing here in Erie.
You are encouraged to answer the Question of the Day for yourself in the comments or on your blog.
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Posted 20 Dec 2004 at 1:08pm #
Online shopping is getting big here in the UK. The main feature is to set up a recurring order, that you can amend at any time. Generally, if they don't have an item in stock, you get a similar, usually better item instead. Nice. Some people I know do it, it can save a lot of time.
Posted 20 Dec 2004 at 2:37pm #
Domestic duties. I want dishes automatically washed, dried and put away. Laundry washed, ironed, folded (or hung up) and neatly put away. Auto-vacuuming and dusting. The trash takes itself out every Tuesday night so I don't forget. Auto-mopped floors. Auto organization of the crap I leave lying around. Auto trashing of stuff I haven't thrown away that I really should have.
And auto electrification of the friggin dogs that take far too much pleasure in frequently landmining my new lawn!
Posted 20 Dec 2004 at 11:34pm #
I always wanted my alarm clock to dump me out of bed into a waiting hot tub, to wake me up, and a monitor at the end of the tub for TV/web.
The actual bathing is automated by brownian motion.
As far as automated housecleaning goes, I think I have seen more than once design for the "flushable" apartment, or at least homes built where you can clean almost anything by hosing it down in place.
When they invent a Roomba that cleans out its own dustbin, call me.
Posted 21 Dec 2004 at 3:07am #
Some people have figured out how to automate their jobs and making money.
I would automate... travel. I like driving well enough, but I think that it would be nice to have it done for me when I want. I could get other stuff done, get online, watch a movie, or play a game.
Posted 22 Dec 2004 at 4:58am #
if i were to have something automated, it would have to be something i take no pleasure in doing and little or no pleasure or accomplishment in getting done.
the only thing that fits into both qualifiers has to be something to do with getting up in the morning. i dont like, or feel accomplished in, anything about waking up. maybe that dump-me-in-a-warm-bath thing Bud said would work.
Another thing i could automate would be calling Adelphia and Sprint on a weekly basis asking why my service sucks and is so expensive.