So in the interests of the Long Term (the halving of my internet/phone bill), I’m in the middle of Hell right now. No freaking internet connection at home. Colour me Manfred-without-his-Spex (and if you miss that ref., you ain’t read Accelerando (correct that, stat!))

After two hours being off-line I’m already looking at my FuturePhone with eager eyes. Sure, it’ll be a bit expensive, but why not up my data-plan just for this month and buy a bluetooth keyboard. ‘Cause like I’m not gonna be down at the local cybercafe half of this long-weekend; while teh_Wife files divorce papers on grounds of my Internet Addiction.

All of which sees me yet again wandering around the worst “Shopping Centre” in the world, so that I can look and touch the keyboards to get an idea of what I like before hunting around online.

I go to the phone shop, a wall full of accessories on display: “Do you sell bluetooth keyboards?” “Nah mate, try [insert Generic Electrical/Phone/Computer retailer]”

Stumble down to said purveyor of fine consumables. “Bluetooth keyboards..?”

“You know we get a lot of people asking for those………..” /me makes hopeful face, “but no, we don’t have ’em”.

Gah! /palm face!

Me: “So, eBay then?” GE/P/C Clerk: “Yeah…”

Ah, life in the tail-end of the 20th C. Physical shops are practically useless for anything beyond basic supplies. Apart from occasional hunting missions into “hip stores” to purchase office-camouflage, I pretty much download / order online the bulk of things; and am slowly trying to get better at making what I can’t find.

But you can’t try before you buy online. Can’t hold it in front of you. Judge the weight. See how easily it fits in your pocket or bag All the really important things. And we’re looking at a few years still before we get functional Fabricators (3D Printers).

Look around any mall these days and think about all this whinging about teh_Envir0nment. How much freaking wasted effort and energy and resources are these places responsible for?

But it takes time to transition a whole populace to a new mode (unless you’re a Fascist, and they’re not generally _nice_ modes).

We’ll solve these problems eventually through the good old mechanism of giving people what they want, not telling them.

Bespoke consumerism will save the day; and the air will get cleaner too, all for free.

I’ll save my rant on the death of Customer Service for another time.