Monday, November 24, 2014

Distractions

I have written about the other links on many web pages of information.  But the links on that page were stationary ones.  When gathering information from around the web, there are also distractions that are genuine interruptions.  I see a link for jackets and I click on it.  I see a page with pictures and writing that are about jackets but before I can read it, a small banner appears across the jacket page inviting me to give the jacket company my email address.  The wording assures me that really great jacket buys appear in their newsletter all the time and I will be astounded at the prices of these great jackets. If the interruption has a middle level of politeness, there will be a large X in the upper right corner.  The X is a switch to dismiss the invitation and get back to the jacket ads.  In some software, simply clicking elsewhere will dismiss the intrusive "pop-up".


It only takes a moment for me to get irritated with the whole business.  I was interested in jackets, not in an ongoing relation to a jacket company and certainly not in additional advertising of that sort coming to my inbox.  So, when I run into a lower level of politeness and get a page that does not disappear but just keeps on staring at me, waiting for me to enroll myself in their ad list, I will close the whole page. If necessary, I will shut down my computer and go read one of the 60 or so old-fashioned paper books I have that don't send ads at me when I am trying to read a page.


When I first started using a Kindle, just knowing that I had many other books right in my hand while reading was enough to get me tempted to ask myself if one of those other books would be more fun at the moment than the one I was reading.  You know how people sometimes jump through the channels rather rapidly and can't seem to find anything they want to watch.  Just pausing in the story enough to ask myself if I am tired of this one is enough to be a bit of a distraction.


I have other links scattered in and beside on my own blog page so who am I to talk?


--
Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety


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