Technophobe at the self-checkout -- a ramble

[TNT]

I'm not totally opposed to high-tech... some of it's probably okay. But sometimes we go too far... I wonder some days who in their right mind thought inventing the self-checkout was a Good Thing.

I admit to being a very simple person... the kind of person who goes to Starbucks for coffee-flavored coffee -- the strong stuff, straight up.

I'm also a technophobe... when I finally bought a cellphone not long ago, I listened to the saleswoman describe all the wondorous features Motorola has given us... camera phones, mp3 phones, pda phones, walkie-talkie phones. "Great, but is there any way I could get like, you know, a phone phone?"

I did buy a Palm PDA once... I don't even know where it is anymore. I still rely on my Franklin Planner (made out of that genuine paper stuff) and a very decent pen.

I was out shopping with someone I know last night. She went to the self-checkout as though there wasn't even another choice. I never admit this, but I did try one a long time ago. What resulted was the machine pitching a world-class hissy fit the whole store could hear... "Put the item in the the bag. PUT THE ITEM IN THE BAG. Captain *********, I told you to put the f*****g item in the f****g bag... SECURITY!" Once was enough... but...

...in the interest of not appearing stupid (a ship that had sailed a long time ago), I figured I'd once more unto it and attempt the self-checkout. Fortunately, the person I was with was taking care of her business at another checkout and didn't get to see me start to sweat or the smoke coming out of my ears. The fates were kind and I made it through... or so I thought.

It gets worse... I tried to explain the whole technophobe thing...

Person I was with: Tell me again what is it you do for a living?
Me: Advanced technical support for cable and internet.
Person I was with: Hmmmm.
Me: What's your point?

Somehow, it got even worse... not long after, I found myself at a real checkout, whereupon the cashier made a comment I could have responded to in a million different ways... and every single one of them would have been wrong. The only winning move was not to play, so I stood there for a very long time hoping a meteorite would fall through the roof and end the conversation.

But it did answer the question of who thought inventing the self-checkout was a good idea... I'm certain that years ago, a smart person was in a similiar position and said, "I'm going to go home now and invent the self-checkout. Have a great day."

[draftermatt]

Man I hate those self checkout things. At BJ's wholesale they holler to put it on the roller. Even if the thing weighs 75 pounds! Then it stops the whole thing and resets if you don't do it.

Or if the end of the rollers gets too full you have to stop and remove items. I always buy 300-500 dollars worth of stuff, so it gets full quick.

Then there are the items that won't scan.

I feel your pain, and I know what it looks like too. I'm a drafter/engineer.

[Ringman]

I love self Checkouts, im always dissapointed when our local wally world dosent have them open. I must be part of a minority that absoulity loves them. :headscratch:

[draftermatt]

I must be part of a minority that absoulity loves them. :headscratch:

I like the ones that work, and don't yell at you. But that seems to be a rarity.

[Argabarga]

I hate em' too, I'm a stick in the mud and resistant to change, so I hate them by default because they're new and like cellphone features, pointless, they weren't built to solve any problem, just give the image of being high-tech and newer

Besides, the cost of my items includes the cost of paying the cashiers, so I might as well use them and , oh, I dread this phrase, "Get my money's worth"

[TNT]

... and like cellphone features, pointless, they weren't built to solve any problem, just give the image of being high-tech and newer



Yes... that sums up my thoughts... they're a solution in search of a problem.