After wheeling in the projector from the other room, for example, the three teachers and technician would spend some time plugging it in, turning it on, spooling the film, and positioning the screen. This requirement has significant energy consuption considerations. A portable device, for example, cannot always be on because it must carry its own power supply. Good technology is always connected . Indeed, were the detector not connected to the warning system, the fire alarm would be useless.
Telephones again are useful because no procedure is required to connect to the telephone system.
As recently as last month, I spent about fifteen minutes in a room with a dozen or so highly paid professionals waiting for the ITV system to be connected to the remote location. Good technology is standardized . One telephone will connect to any other telephone in the world. Technology which requires that you own a MacIntosh computer to play the video, or that you purchase a copy of MS-Word in order to view the document, or that requires that you connect with AOL in order to send email, is stupid technology. I can't believe how much of this stupid technology we have purchased over the years, and conclude that it must be only because there is no alternative.