«I have no liking for prisons, Master Li. Sometimes I suspect that we build our traps ourselves, then we back into them, pretending amazement the while. That this is the way of life, from the All-Highest down to the meanest creature in creation … But whether this is the case or no, it is still a worthy thing to open cages. It is still a virtuous act to free the imprisoned.»
«So the sages tell us.»
«Tools, of course, can be the subtlest of traps. One day, I know, I must smash the emerald.»
«My Lord?»
Sandman and Master Li in «Sandman» by Neil Gaiman
Giving the increasing instability, I wonder which information and tools would be available if shit really hit the fan. Giving the planned obsolescence in some equipment, a world that had to made do on what was already there would be … difficult. Even worse would be subscription models. Once the time is up, you couldn’t access a lot of information. Just take a typical dictionary. I really like the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. But with edition 10, they seem to have gone for a subscription model. If you can no longer pay (or a physically unable to renew the subscription), there goes your dictionary.
Yikes.
Okay, it’s much more likely that you lose your job and do not have the money to renew the subscription, but still, just how many tools do you actually own? How many books are actually under your control?
Perhaps and old but trusted device with locally installed books and a solar charger is a better bet than a new «always connected» device. Perhaps having a few maps on the device itself, instead of hoping for GPS and an internet dependent maps app is a nice backup.
Just saying.
