I’m on my way to the city. There’s a big lot you can with a the Park Princeton app, but I pass it by. I like Al’s better. His old sign says “$6. Cash only.” No app. If you forgot your wallet you can pay him next time. I have been parking by Al for more than 30 years. He takes my 6 bucks, folds it into an impressive wad of bills and says, “Have a nice day.” Al’s about my age. “App? No fucking app,” Al would say.
On the platform I opened the NJ Transit app to buy a ticket. My credit card had vanished. A message read: “INVALID TRANSACTION.” After typing the number three times I went into the station and bought the ticket, got on the 10:01, sat down and opened my iPad, tapped the W. Another tollbooth. 40 years using Word and Microsoft has to send a code to an Authenticator app of which there are two on my phone and no way to know which one. Neither, apparently. At 10:18 having gone back, changed my password and selected a way for not having to use a password, I began writing.
My phone recognizes my face. That’s not enough? What happened to simple? I know. Hackers. But they’re are entrepreneurs too, and they’re smarter, apparently.
Any VC guys out there? Or a student at MIT or RPI reading this? There is a gigantic audience of health- and time-conscious boomers who grew up with 5-cent gum and three-channel TV, still out here hating being made to feel old. Millions of eager customers for simply this: SIMPLICITY! The slogan: “Live App-Free!” Maybe not just us, either, even our grandkids will see that life is too short for signing in, for typing codes and changing passwords, for confirming you are who you were yesterday.
The new new idea? Freedom from techno-innovations! There’s an enormous market waiting. Especially in the automobile design field. A clearly-marked button. Push it, it works. Turn the dial. It’s colder, or warmer, higher or lower, on or off. Probably save lives.
Finally, a fitting coda. I’ve finished writing and want to save this now, but there’s a Microsoft message telling me I have to “Sign In” in order to sign out. I’m going to talk to Al about this.
Nick Hilton - Reflections 