Love the irony of those posting on an internet forum lamenting the march of technology. Were you faxing each other in the 80’s saying that Amstrad was destroying the world?

…oh..Ton: I have a Garmin 800 with full OS 1:50000 UK on it. You can borrow it if you like on a “break it you bought it” basis.

As the IT manager at work (alongside my main role) I get increasingly frustrated by people either being completely ignorant about, or even deliberately obtuse towards, the tools they use 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. It’s like a chef now knowing how to operate an oven.

I think a good deal of the problem there is the automatic assumption that everyone understands the technology they are handed and best practice when using it – handling data, emails, etc. All with no training.

They don’t.

I think a good deal of the problem there is the automatic assumption that everyone understands the technology they are handed and best practice when using it – handling data, emails, etc. All with no training.
They don’t.

And I appreciate that, but my problem is they don’t even try.

Big difference between paper maps and the display on a GPS though

True, the OS map on a phone display will show you exactly where you are at any given moment, even if visibility is down to twenty meters in the middle of Dartmoor, when a (paper) map and compass become very difficult to use accurately due to there being no landmarks to sight on.
I have the whole of the UK OS Landranger maps on my phone, with areas at 1.25k where I spend more time.
I prefer to use satnav when driving, it’s a pain trying to follow a route with lots of junctions using a road atlas, especially on minor roads, and concentrate on the traffic as well; I’m a lot more relaxed in the car with a scrolling map showing junctions coming up and a voice telling me which exit to take while I keep an eye on the muppets yakking to their passengers or on the phone to their friends.
Of course, if you have the luxury of a (competent) map-reading passenger, satnav becomes redundant; I rarely, if ever, have that luxury.
I also like to use ebooks; I have 4-500 eBooks spread across several ereader apps, many of which would otherwise be a bulky 5-600 page paperback or hardcover that would require a fairly large bag to carry around.
One upon a time, you could stick a paperback in a jacket pocket; not any longer, many are up to nearly 800 pages; I’ve got an entire library on my phone, along with a significant amount of music, and the ability to take really good photos, and shoot time-lapse, slomo and regular video, all this on a phone that, while fairly bulky in its case, is still smaller than a Penguin Classic paperback.
I like to use technology to its best advantage, but I don’t let it dictate to me, often, except for the occasional photo, my phone doesn’t even come out of my pocket for hours at a time.
And during working hours, it has to be shut away in a locker, so doesn’t get used for most of a regular working day, the pad gets used at home.

Well hello technophile.

Maybe in that situation a GPS would be useful – I doubt it’s a situation most people on here have ever been in. I’ve spent a lot of time in the outdoors on a bike or on foot (including real wilderness fighting through the bush where no paths exist) and very rarely found myself in that situation (even then if you know what you’re doing a compass works fine). Personally I can’t think of a situation ever on a bike when I’ve wished I had a GPS (or used one for navigation when I’ve had one with me).

Off you go and plan a route on the screen of your GPS.

Personally I can’t think of a situation ever on a bike when I’ve wished I had a GPS

A while back I had the use of a Garmin which at the push of a couple of buttons would come up with a route for me. All I had to do was to tell it how far I wanted to go, and it would direct me turn by turn. It was ace TBH.

Only a moron would find themselfs in that situation without a map and a compass and the skills to use them,

Technology fails – often for no reason …. A flat battery , got wet – even in your wondercase. , dropped it , signals bouncing off geological features and giving wild readings and folk following it religeously leading to you walking off a cliff, (happens in the cairngorms reasonably often)

visibility only required with your map and compass if your lost or did it wrong., its good practice to know where you are on the map and do period checks and take bearings/headings

Technology reliance is a big factor in many mrt responses these days – in some cases it can be an advantage also but it can also get you into alot of trouble.

My rant for today , stay safe in the hills folks. Gps for backup.

I don’t have a smart phone. Or a GPS . I love maps , have a good sense of direction and am a confirmed luddite.

However , a few weeks ago I had to get 2 trains and bus through france into Geneva , at 5pm on a Fri. I eventually got the right bus but wasnt sure how far to travel . I got off after maybe 10mins , no idea where I was or where my destination was. My friend cannot use her phone in work so cant ring her , My French isnt good enough for the Genevois to bother helping.
A smart phone, Googlemaps and 30 seconds would have very helpful , but as it was I walked along the bus route to the next stop, read the list of stops and realised I was halfway ish to my destination , bought another ticket just as the next tram arrived.