The Times they are a-changin’

It’s funny, but I always get this funny look when I talk about technology being alive, evolving, and maybe even slightly sentient.

We dumped cable TV today. And it got me to thinking on how certain technologies just become obsolete after a while.

We did it because the only ones who watched TV in our house were our kids, and they only watched two channels. Nickelodeon, and Nick Jr, and becaue Nick Jr was a part of the “premium” cable package we ended up spending $100 a month or more so that my 5 year old could learn Spanish from a diminutive latina with a talking backpack and an oddly-dressed monkey friend.

Now they get that same education from the same shows, but they get it from Netflix streaming through the Sony Playstation. Net cost $16.99/month.

But the cost savings are only part of it. My kids are no longer assaulted by endless advertising, commercials for shows that are NOT on their age level, and are no longer scheduling their lives around what shows come on at what times.  Because of the way Netflix works, I also get a running tally of what they watch.  Not possible with TV.

It really is an amazing freedom when you think about it. And it definitely signifies a technology that is finally moving away from “the way it’s always been done” to ways that may, finally, make more sense and put the consumer in control.

I think we as a culture are tired of having it rammed down our throats…the words “on-demand” are about to become a permanent part of our vocabulary.

In a world where bandwidth is cheaper and cheaper, it really surprises me that more people aren’t making this change.