I Think, Therefore I Rant!

I am sure that you have heard of the current oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico.  If you haven’t, here is a link – please come back after you have caught up with current events.

I am just aghast at how stupid these companies are. Current reports are that they didn’t install an “acoustic switch” on the well. From NewsInferno:

The Deepwater Horizon oil rig that exploded last week was not outfitted with a safety device that might have prevented the massive oil spill now nearing the U.S. Gulf Coast. The device, known as an acoustic switch, is a last-resort protection against underwater spills, and is required by regulators in Norway and Brazil. Unfortunately, the U.S. has no such regulation for oil wells operating off of its shores.  

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I have ranted that software needs to be stupid before. I am not suggesting that software should not work effectively, in fact, quite the opposite.  I just don’t think that software should make assumptions about what I want and it definitely should not override my common sense.

I mention this because I just read about Safe Driving Systems Corporation.  I cannot think of a dumber idea (I know that they have competition so they aren’t the only ones with a dumb idea).

At first blush, their idea has merit. Software that will detect if you are moving at driving speeds and turn off the ability to call and/or text. This may sound great if you are a driver, but what about if you are a passenger? Does this mean that the teenager in the back seat can’t text to her BFF? Even a person that normally drives will occasionally be a passenger therefore they would need to be able to turn the software off.  

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