# Second-guessing the Gadget Statement

*Entered: in Alphaword on Alphasmart Dana* |
*Date: 20200904* |
*Soundtrack: Coldworld*

So, almost immediately after [decrying gadgets], I started screwing
around with my gadgets. Some of this was justified by *preparing for
ROOPHLOCH 2020*, but mostly, I have never lost my adoration for the
tech of the late nineties and early naughties.

As mentioned in [this phost], I finally figured out how to get photos
off my handspring visor deluxe + eyemodule2 camera. I have a Sony PEG
UX50 with a camera built in, but it doesn't seem as magical as the
ultralowres monochrome goodness of the eyemodule2.

![](/Phlog/dana.jpg)

![](/Phlog/dana-and-studio-pc.jpg)

Maybe this is the gen-x equivalence of the boomer love of muscle
cars - because when they were young, they could afford them. So with
my generation, gadgets (I have never owned a new car, much less one
with muscle). Who knows?

These objects do remind me of a time before 9/11 when the world was
different. I would carry a computer that ran at a faster clock speed
than my first PC in my pocket, and there was no worrying that it was
spying on me. I could bring websites and usenet news with me for
reading on the go. Have games with me. Even write programs in C and
compile them directly on the device! When I was in college, I had a
margi presenter to go. Along with Documents to Go on my Treo 90, I
presented powerpoint from my PDA for classes. Took notes on that device
and my TRG Pro. Lighter than a laptop, and painless to pop out of my
pocket for studying. My original SDF website (circa 2002) was produced
on a Palm OS device.

So, fine, I have a hard time giving up my gadgets.

[decrying gadgets]: gopher://1436.ninja/0Phlog/20200901.md
[this phost]: gopher://1436.ninja/0Phlog/20200902.md