Anyone using "Freedom"?

[patrickt]

"Freedom" is ideal for those who spend money to buy patches and e-cigarettes to quit smoking or pay $1,000 a day for a spa to feed them and make them exercise, or those who pay a lot of money to buy things that will make them "cool".

How about, just spending less time on the internet? Of course, you probably won't be reading. You'll be watching television.

[BeccaPrice]

There's a very interesting book called The Shallows about what the internet, and its constant interruptions, are doing to our brains, making us less able for sustained concentration, and more open to constant stimulus. I disagree with some of his conclusions, but it's very well documented, and I did find it thought-provoking.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

There's a very interesting book called The Shallows about what the internet, and its constant interruptions, are doing to our brains, making us less able for sustained concentration, and more open to constant stimulus. I disagree with some of his conclusions, but it's very well documented, and I did find it thought-provoking.

It's not only the internet that's a problem, it's the ongoing stream of fleeting and fast-paced information, such as Facebook updates, Twitter, WhatsApp, SMS and mobile phone calls. Some people are always in a conversation, but not with the persons in the same room... and IF they're talking to someone, it goes like this:

"Yesterday I was in a restaura..."
*beep!*
"Wait a moment."
*tap, tap, tap*
"... where I ordered a steak..."
*doing!*
"Uh... wait."
*tap, tap, tap, tap*
- "But I thought you didn't like...."
*brrzzz*
"Excuse me!"
- "Ooohkay... gotta go! Have a nice day!"

I think all those fast-paced and different channels of information and conversation, is causing many people to have a very short attention span. For some, it even causes anxiety when there is no information or conversation to react to (No updates? Is my phone broken, or the internet is out?!), or if they can't react fast enough. I know quite some people who utterly panic if they can't check they phone within the next minute if it goes brrzz, doing, or beep-beep.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

It's not only the internet that's a problem, it's the ongoing stream of fleeting and fast-paced information, such as Facebook updates, Twitter, ...

Uh ... you know those are both still "the internet," right?

[calvin-c]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I just use raw willpower to stay off the internet. Errrrr... except just now, of course. I wanted to be on the internet just now. But if I didn't, well... you'd be seeing quite a bit less of me, I can tell you that much. In fact, I'm going offline right now (as soon as I check a couple more threads).

P.S. Anybody else got that George Michael song stuck in their head now?

It's not that easy for everybody. My daughter has a problem-her 'friends' IM, text, whatever her at all hours-including when she's supposed to be doing homework. Sure, you can control what *you* do but how well can you control what your *friends* do? I did, finally, resort to blocking her Internet access via my router but then it turns out that her friends would call or text message her. Personally I'd drop 'friends' that got me into trouble-but some people have problems with that.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by calvin-c

It's not that easy for everybody. My daughter has a problem-her 'friends' IM, text, whatever her at all hours-including when she's supposed to be doing homework. Sure, you can control what *you* do but how well can you control what your *friends* do? I did, finally, resort to blocking her Internet access via my router but then it turns out that her friends would call or text message her. Personally I'd drop 'friends' that got me into trouble-but some people have problems with that.

I realize everybody's mileage varies. That's why I apologized later in the thread for what were--at the very least--insensitive posts on my part.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Uh ... you know those are both still "the internet," right?

Of course, but I think that most people will see things such as Facebook and Twitter updates (and probably WhatsApp updates too) on their phone as seperate from "being on the internet"; as in, using a browser.

E-Mail can also be added to the information stream. It's also "the internet", naturally

[Quexos]

But then again Freedom could be used by those who suffer from the tyranny of piles ...

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The thread topic reads so very wrong. For those who do not know, Freedom used to be a brand of tampons.

[JoeD]

I don't want to get into the discussion on willpower vs paying to use something, however, why bother paying for an app to control your net usage when you can install a free app that does the same? There's ample to choose from and reading a few review sites will avoid the need to track them down and try them all for yourself.

[Nancy Fulda]

Originally Posted by JoeD

I don't want to get into the discussion on willpower vs paying to use something, however, why bother paying for an app to control your net usage when you can install a free app that does the same? There's ample to choose from and reading a few review sites will avoid the need to track them down and try them all for yourself.

Simple expediency. A friend recommended Freedom to me. Given my average hourly wage, it seemed much more efficient to pay the $10 than spend 2-3 hours researching free apps that might or might not come with embedded spyware.

[ForsCream]

Unplug your lan wire and shut the router, then you are offline. You can pay me $10 to do this, no need to buy the freedom service, LooooooooL