A Conversation for Ask h2g2

Technology and Over-familiarity

Post 1

Icy North

Are computers getting a bit too 'pally'?

Examples are Facebook's "How are you feeling, Icy?" or "What's going on, Icy?", websites that say "Howdy Icy, welcome back" when you visit them, and Firefox's "Well, this is embarrassing" when it fails to load a page.

There are more examples in this article from today's BBC Magazine: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21196793

Or is this just a general social movement? When did anyone last call you "Sir" or "Madam"?


Technology and Over-familiarity

Post 2

Hoovooloo


Can't remember the last time I was called Sir, but I remember the last time I called someone else "Sir"... I'd just landed in his field. He seemed quite taken aback at how polite I was. Worked a treat.


Technology and Over-familiarity

Post 3

Mr. Dreadful - But really I'm not actually your friend, but I am...

I find the palliness of websites is starting to grate a bit, same with how conversational and anthropomorphic food packaging is becoming.

If I'm speaking to some random spod from A. N. Other Ltd. on the phone I prefer to be called 'sir' or 'Mr. Dreadful' than to have them constantly use my first name.


Technology and Over-familiarity

Post 4

Sho - employed again!

you can tell them to call you sir or Mr. D - I do (well, Ma'am or Mrs G smiley - winkeye) usually it's ok


Technology and Over-familiarity

Post 5

paulh, vaccinated against the Omigod Variant

It may be a generational thing. The social networking sites probably have a huge preponderance of people young enough to be used to being on a first-name basis with everyone.


Technology and Over-familiarity

Post 6

Beatrice

They're developing Genuine People Personalities!

Those automatic doors going "glad to be of service" must be a reality very soon.

Share and Enjoy smiley - cheerup


Technology and Over-familiarity

Post 7

Orcus

Gee whizz - that's actually true. smiley - groan


Technology and Over-familiarity

Post 8

~ jwf ~ scribblo ergo sum

smiley - laugh

At least they aren't refusing to open the pod bay doors.
"Sorry Dave, I can't do that."

smiley - aliensmile
~jwf~


Technology and Over-familiarity

Post 9

Pastey

If someone I don't know phones me up and starts calling me by my first name, I start getting "overly familiar" with them.
I don't like it.

I'm not their friend, usually have no intention of being their friend, so if they want my business it's either Mr or sir.

As for websites, it used to be okay until MailChimp started over doing it. It's nit funny anymore because it's everywhere.

We found this out here too with our error pages, we tried making them amusing by at the time they were appearing too often and soon stopped being funny.


Technology and Over-familiarity

Post 10

KB

The last time I was called "sir" was on the way home this evening, about half an hour ago. While there are more common forms of address, it's certainly not rare. It happens more days than not, at some stage or another.


Technology and Over-familiarity

Post 11

U14993989

Oftentimes I am called "oi you jimmy"


Technology and Over-familiarity

Post 12

SomeMuppet

I'm only ever called Sir if there is a tone attached to it.

It's definitely something with the current generation. My kids get to call their teachers by their forenames. School was the time where, much as it didn't appear to at the time, we did learn respect and part of that was using a more formalised form of address when speaking to a teacher at school.

And this technology friendliness is all Microsofts* fault with that damn paperclip they used in Office.



*It is still fashionable to blame Microsoft for everything bad / annoying with computers isn't it


Technology and Over-familiarity

Post 13

2legs - Hey, babe, take a walk on the wild side...

They still call me 'sir' in my bank, when I go in. smiley - weird and in my Indian takeaway smiley - huhsmiley - blush err, and useually by staff at the rail station, and a few other places like local shops used to do so too, but I've useually gotten past that level of famuliarity with them due to f frequently per using their shops and services. But I always wear a hat, which helps.
I get called Madam on a near daily basis too, but that probably isn't connected to the hat smiley - blushsmiley - handbag


Technology and Over-familiarity

Post 14

2legs - Hey, babe, take a walk on the wild side...

ahh. Yes, and the bit I was goign to say, before I was so rudely interupted.
I just had an error message, for a 'page not availible', which basically, went

"Eh oh".

I left the website, so they've now lost my potential trade... Just seems wildly unprofesional to use a telly tubby quote for an error message, on a commercial/retail web-site smiley - huhsmiley - senior


Technology and Over-familiarity

Post 15

Mu Beta

This might not be an observation that reflects very well on British colonialism, but in all my local Indian restaurants and takeaways I am still called 'sir'.

B


Technology and Over-familiarity

Post 16

2legs - Hey, babe, take a walk on the wild side...

same here... well, I only use one as its less than two minutes walk from my sofa in the front room... smiley - blushsmiley - drool


Technology and Over-familiarity

Post 17

hygienicdispenser


I hate being called "sir". It offends me out of all proportion. I once gave up using a convenient Newsagents because the proprietor, a very pleasant chap about 30 years older than me, persisted in calling me Sir.


Technology and Over-familiarity

Post 18

There is only one thing worse than being Gosho, and that is not being Gosho

One of the things I noticed straight away when I moved from London to Texas was how so many people call so many other people Sir or Ma'am. It's definitely more prevalent in the older generations but still common in youngsters, and even between people who know each other. I found it quite refreshing after the relative informality of London where I'd usually be called mate, geezer or some such nomenclature.

Of course, that could have been something to do with the circles I moved in smiley - blush But I've never been in a restaurant where I wasn't called Sir, unless I was a regular, and if I was working in a restaurant I wouldn't dream of doing anything else to the customers.

But I sure don't want websites or technology calling me by my name... or anything at all.


Technology and Over-familiarity

Post 19

There is only one thing worse than being Gosho, and that is not being Gosho

There's one really ghastly cliché that sets my teeth on edge when I hear it but it fits the bill here: Don't bro me if you don't know me.


Technology and Over-familiarity

Post 20

KB

It makes it even worse when sometimes they aren't even sure how your name is pronounced. The palsy-walsy act sort of falls on its face in the mud there and then...smiley - laugh


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