07-12-2003, 09:53 PM
|
|
Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
|
|
Do PDA's Hurt Our Ability To Remember?
Earlier this week I was talking to Jason about some stuff he wanted me to post during the week and I asked him a question about one of the items. He had no clue what I was talking about.  The sad thing is, I am exactly the same way. I only need to remember some tidbit of info long enough to enter it into my Pocket PC and then I can free up some brain cells to do more important things, like planning a route to Home Depot that will somehow make it convenient for me to pop into a Starbucks, much to the consternation of other family members in the car.
What about passwords, credit card numbers and other vital information? HA! That is what eWallet is for. I used to have several of my credit card and calling card numbers memorized. I only have one of those memorized now because the number hasn't changed in five or six years. Everything else though, I don't even make the effort anymore. What about you?
|
| |
|
|
|
07-12-2003, 10:08 PM
|
|
Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 199
|
|
With all that is being thrown at us these days I don't risk it anymore. As soon as I have a thought, idea, project or whatever, I quick draw my IPAQ and write it down. I have too many things going on at one time to trust I won't forget something. Besides, that's why I got the darn thing to begin with. One place for everything that's easy to find and react to. Then there's all those passwords and user names. No consistency whatsoever that really demands something like ewallet or such.
Bottom line is why would I want to try to clutter my mind up with a bunch of stuff that can all be retrieved from one place - my IPAQ :!:
__________________
Chris Sterns
|
| |
|
|
|
07-12-2003, 10:15 PM
|
|
Mystic
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,911
|
|
I still remember a lot of things. I just use it to remember contacts, list of songs to download, and the back up for things incase I forget.
|
| |
|
|
|
07-12-2003, 10:16 PM
|
|
5000+ Posts? I Should OWN This Site!
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 5,133
|
|
Yes. Definitely. As soon as I unload it from my cache (brain) to main memory (PDA), it's gone. 
|
| |
|
|
|
07-12-2003, 10:19 PM
|
|
Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 321
|
|
Supposedly Einstein did not remember his own telephone number, he said what was the point in wasting brain capacity when he could simply carry it around on a piece of paper in his pocket.
__________________
2B 1 Ask 1
|
| |
|
|
|
07-12-2003, 10:21 PM
|
|
Theorist
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 267
|
|
I'm one of those ppl bad with bdays..so a PIM is Godsend to me in that department. 8)
Plus...I think memory only comes with repetion. That's why ppl remeber commercials than say...their GF's favorite dog name.
I'm the type where I usually meet a person for the first time, talk to them for 2 hrs. and at the end forget their name because it's been only mentioned in the beginning. So I jot it down quickly in my soon-to-be-replaced H3135. :mrgreen:
|
| |
|
|
|
07-12-2003, 10:39 PM
|
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,998
|
|
I found myself forgetting a lot more once I had started using my iPAQ regularly. I was content with this at first, believing that I was "leaving room for more important things". But I found that I became too reliant on my task list. I think I had lost sight of the forest for the trees (or however that saying goes).
I've changed my strategy a little bit recently in that I am not using my task list primarily for high level tasks and projects that I am responsible for. If I do need to get the detailed tasks down, PI's hierarchal tasks is absolutely perfect (I just wish Outlook supported this). But for the most part I am just tracking the main issues. I can figure out for myself what the next steps are.
Oh yes, I do still enter a lot of specific tasks but mostly if they are further into the future.
So far this has been working a lot better for me. I'm able to spend less time planning my tasks and more time completing them.
|
| |
|
|
|
07-12-2003, 10:50 PM
|
|
Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,468
|
|
I have a condtion that 'cripples' my memory - particularly short to medium term (though it also affect the way my brain 'files' things into long term memory - so I'm not always very sure whether I'm remembering stuff from last week or five years ago). The invention of the PDA was, therefore a Godsend! Far from harming my ability to remember things my Pocket PCs enable me to keep memories, short term tasks, lists of information etc. in order and to hand - before, attempting to remember things would have been simply a source of frustration - now I have Pocket Informant to tell me what I'm supposed to be doing any time I feel uncertain, Word keeps shopping lists available (and yet flexible) and other software reminds me that the second boy on the right, with the constantly dripping nose, bizzare semi-mohican haircut, sarcastic attitude and a complete disregard for homework deadlines is actually called Jonathan (better than my old method of simply renaming all of my students - including the girls - Fred!).
So - interesting question Ed but the PPC can work the other way round too - as a strengthener of memory! 
|
| |
|
|
|
07-12-2003, 10:51 PM
|
|
Intellectual
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 115
|
|
All the more reason to back up....back up...back up....
|
| |
|
|
|
07-12-2003, 11:00 PM
|
|
Intellectual
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 151
|
|
I'm sorry, what was the question?  ops:
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Linear Mode
