5th gen vs 6th gen and why

Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.

 

Go forth and do noble work. People that understand human/machine interface, as it relates to the purpose of the machine, are few and far between. Good to know we got a man on the inside .

I’m sure that human/machine interface is understood, it’s just that respect for the customer/driver/individual seems to be at all time low. Respect for user and their purposes usually doesn’t result in extracting every last piece of meat off the “profit” bone.

This isn’t NOT directed at you obviously, just general observations. This same stuff happens in non-profit and public service too, in the name of efficiencies.

You may have seen this in your industry as well, but in my line of work, it seems a lot of people talk about “tech” as if it were the 90s, where the term is equated to “progress.” Usually, the people that use conflate the two terms are the ones selling the tech or the ones responsible for implementing or getting workers to “buy-in”, and they are the ones most likely to accuse others of being afraid of tech, or lf being tech-luddites.

I don’t think people are “afraid” of tech. It’s more like people are annoyed at tech, and resentful for how it’s “sold” to them as progress. Users get particularly annoyed at being cornered and pushed into adopting tech designed for other people’s purposes…not to serve their own or to make their own jobs easier. They’re annoyed at having their workflows overturned and destroyed to make some data-cruncher’s job easier on my time. They’re annoyed at the disrespect of having their constructive input disregarded, and dismissively accused of being “afraid” of progress. I understand any piece of software has to meet multiple purposes in complex systems, but it’s possible to go too far, and end up with the user/operator serving the needs of the tech, instead of the other way around.

Back to the automotive world…my extended family and I have had 4 “late” model toyotas. 2018 Highlander XLE, 2021 4runner Off-Road (base), 2022 Highlander XLE, and 2024 Highlander XLE.

Only my 4runner and the 2018 Highlander XLE have the functionality of off-line maps/navigation. The newer highlanders don’t even have a built in compass. They have built in GPS, but it’s not usable to the person who bought the vehicle. The newer Highlanders have the look of tech facing the user, but none of the native functionality. The tech is there purely for other people’s purposes. That shit makes me angry and resentful, not “scared.”

Instead of a huge navigation display that does nothing of the sort, Toyota should just save a few bucks and make a slot in the dash where the customer could securely mount their phones within view. That would be progress for the customer, as long as Toyota is not willing to use the displays for native functionality.

 

An oldie this reminded me of:

 

Always wanted a 4Runner since seeing a couple dogs out the back window back in high school. Hated the 5th Gen. when it first came out but now at 50 yrs old I have a 2020 ORP. With a dog. Love it. That said I welcome seeing the 6th out in the wild.

 

I am not a "tech" person but I know my way around linux servers, and usually work with SQL DBs and Python codes when I am not babysitting adults.

My personal forever car is a 9th gen Corolla CE with manual windows and transmission.

 

You do know that the animal is choking on exhaust fume?

the image may have been romanticized, but doesn’t change the law of aerodynamics

 

Wouldn’t that only be if all other windows are closed?

 

If that were the case the driver and passengers would be choking too.

 

They do… smells like shit when driving with rear glass down

 

Nope… all windows open. Fume still makes it to driver. Imagine if you’re a dumb animal hovering your face inches above the pipe

 

I drive with my rear window down a lot and I never get exhaust fumes in the cab. I do open the sunroof too.

 

Holy $(%*&$%*&% thats true.

I have worked my entire career in software (27 years and counting). At home I listen to music on vacuum tubes and I still have a round honeywell mercury switch thermostat on one heat zone.