Reasons to be Grateful For “t’Internet” etc.

Many of my friends and aquaintances know that I’m always complaining about the internet, computers etc. and I’m aware that my whining and wittering is often irritating.  The last piece I wrote had some damning things to say about IT and I stand by what I said in relation to drone warfare.  However, I am about to launch into a hymn of praise for how my life has been enriched by IT in general and Apple and Amazon in particular.  I realize that, as an activist, these two Leviathans should be shunned, but I have to acknowledge truthfully that they do help, if I keep them in their place!

A few years ago I was lucky enough to buy a second hand five year old Mac for £250.  This meant that as well as the usual functions such as email and the ability to write essays, journal entries, letters, articles and leaflets, I also had access to a decent DVD player and learned how to use BBC IPlayer as I don’t have a TV.

The greatest joy, however, has been the ITunes library where I can store all my favourite books in audio form and then transfer them to my IPod.  I buy audiobooks from Audible, now an Amazon company.  I have always loved to read and my failing sight has meant that I haven’t been able ro read normal print for the past few years.   It’s a pleasure to be read to, and if I have a favourite book on CD, I can use the computer to listen to that too.

After returning from Afghanistan, Beth and I gave several talks.  I decided to buy an IPad so that we could show pictures of our visit.  Beth set up a Prezi presentation and I was delighted to find that running through the pictures was a breeze, even when I gave solo talks.

The IPad has been a revelation to me.  When I bought it the man in the shop told me that they are very popular with children and the elderly!  I’d like to add the visually impaired to that.  Even though I use my hand magnifyer to look at certain icons and buttons, adaptations make it easier to read emails on the IPad and the picture on IPlayer is really clear and bright.  Despite the fact that the on screen keyboard took some gettting used to, I really like it now and whilst on retreat recently I was able to write all my retreat reflections on the IPad.  During the same retreat I used the camera to take some beautiful photos of the garden which I can look at any time and remember, and be happy!  (I’ll buy a coffee/tea for anyone who gets this reference!)

When I first got the IPad I didn’t use it much, apart from the presentations.  When the police “seized” our computers after our Waddington action, I followed my friend, Henrietta’s, advice and made friends with the IPad.  By the way, we now have our computers , thanks to Keith’s persistence.

I’ve discovered a real interest in Art History and have already completed several courses at the Oxford University Department for Continuing Education.  My methods for viewing pictures in a gallery are for another article.  However, the websites of various galleries really help in looking at pictures before visiting.  One particular website which I like is the BBC’s ‘Your Paintings’.  Nothing replaces visiting a gallery and looking at the original painting, yet the computer makes it possible to pick out detail I might otherwise miss.

In the past few days I’ve found out that I can put a Kindle app on the IPad and get ebooks from Amazon.  I’ve been able to set text size and font and use a white on black screen so that now I can read print again!  The first book I downloaded was ‘Seeking Justice’ by Keith Hebden, with whom I planted the peace garden at Waddington.  I’ve also bought two Chekov stories which we’ll be studying in the Russian Shorter Fiction course which starts in October.

Information technology is a good servant but a bad master.  Apple and Amazon give me what I need; the ability to write, access to well loved books, paintings and programmes, and the facility to discover new ones.  What I need to do is to keep a safe distance from other webs they may try to weave around me!