You must have noticed just how many computer nerds have recently emerged in the Algarve. I find it remarkable just how quickly these old dodderers have taken up their new roles. I suppose with them having such a strong affinity for their new ‘love’ their enthusiasm is understandable.
They are at their most earnest when gathered together. Their noisy interaction can reach an intensity which I find difficult to accommodate. They rattle on about the virtues of Roku streamers and Apple Boxes as if everyone should know what they are talking about. Which planet are they from? When did they land? What is this? Maca Golden come in plastic bags not boxes, don’t they? Why would anyone want to compare apples with lengths of paper? Obviously, to a non-geek, like myself, their conversation is very confusing.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the BBC have moved house, and yes, we are all suffering from the fallout The BBC exodus has caused the biggest surge in people contact ever witnessed in sunny Portugal. A technological revolution is underway, old grey cells are being reactivated, and best of all people are actually having meaningful discussions with one another.
There is at last something worth talking about, something meaningful to chew over with friends whilst having a cup of coffee. I find this people interaction so much better than listening to Fred telling me about his duff shot on the seventh, or Edith’s praise of the ‘Slow old meo’s’ menu. And of course Ken doesn’t need to refer to the Daily Mail’s columns for his conversation topics, he just keeps telling everybody what I download speed was last night. At any gathering, before everyone is seated, people are discussing the merits of their VPN, (Virtual Private Network), which Point to Point system, (Internet repeaters/distributors to spread the Internet signal through the house), the relative performance of the various Internet Service Providers (ISP wifi), etc etc. These topics have governed every friendly chat for the last month. These and, other issues yet to be discovered, will dominate our conversations for months to come.
My own small contribution to this avalanche of technological mumbo jumbo has been to confuse everybody with my inept knowledge of the relationship between Kilo bytes and Mega bytes. Well that was until I plunged into Wikipedia. Where I was amazed to find, once again, that all things computing are binary and not digital. Lo and behold there are (1024) Kilo Bytes in 1.0 Mega Byte (Wikipedia,Whatsabyte.com). Whoopee.
This revelation was necessary as I was in some very serious discussion with my ISP about the download speed I was, still am, receiving. I was less than pleased with their answer as to why they wouldn’t guarantee a minimum download speed.
In the old days of dial-up and modems we didn’t know anything better, everything was slow, very slow. But things have moved on since then. Technology has advanced. Integral ASDL technology which has been applied, which uses frequencies that were not used in telephone voice conversations through a copper wire. This brilliant advance brought about a faster internet with speeds 5 to 10 times faster than the old dial up. But nowadays even faster Internet speeds are available using ‘Fibre optics’. Unfortunately unless we start digging our own trenches to install the system I fear it will be a very long time before we are all covered by these tiny wires pulsing light, the Fibre, in the Algarve. There is of course the latest, even faster option, available, the 4G system. No wire, no fibre, just wifi transmittance aerials giving Giga byte download speeds, Wow. But 4G systems cost real money and as we know Portugal doesn’t have any. Perhaps an EU grant or even a Chinese partner could be encouraged to come to our rescue.
Who cares really? We will survive. Household lifestyles may have been shattered and the audience viewing figures for the afternoon quiz shows reduced by over 90 % but we are talking to each other. Chat/talk is once again an integral part of our daily bread. It’s really wonderful. Our natural inquisitiveness has been re-awakened and yes ultimately we will find ways and means to restore the status quo of live direct access to all UK channels on our TV’s. The search for solutions will continue to gather pace and we will all contribute. After all, a 24 hr day SKY tv only option, is a “no no.” It would soon result in a cancellation of most subscriptions.
Currently, the restoration of a full direct access to live BBC, is some way off. So where to now. Who knows? Alternatives continue to emerge. Some examples of which are tying into a Gibraltar option or connecting to a new satellite somewhere out west!!! I find that there is a built in redundancy of over 99 % for all these ‘apparent’ solutions. Failing all else go I will simply continue to load up “Filmon.com” to the laptop, plug in the HDMI cable from the computer to the TV, and watch any available UK broadcast. You get used to the advertising. So “Filmon.”
One last observation, the first month of this new era has definitely shown that download speeds will dictate the ultimate solution. If not already, everyone will soon be looking for and demanding faster broadband. A Smart TV will not overcome the lack of speed, neither will any other piece of streamer hardware. And yes perhaps house prices will ultimately come to reflect the available broad band speed in your area. Crikey another factor to reduce the price.
