Editor's Corner

None of this technology is NECESSARY, but much of it can be quite useful. You ask, "what happened to old fashion (sic) trust and communication?" Friend finder (or colleague finder, or family guardian angel - they're different flavors of the same application) IS communication, but of a new type. If you're out and about around lunchtime, wouldn't it be nice for you to know that a friend is in the area? Instead of running through your address book to see who might be free to join you? Proximity is no guarantee that you'll have company for lunch, but it's a convenient, non-intrusive filter of your choices. If it's after school, wouldn't it be nice to glance at a map to know that your kids are where you think they are, instead of interrupting them with a phone call? They COULD be at the library...or they COULD be at the mall. In the one case, they shouldn't be on the phone, and in the other, they might prefer not to be. In both cases, however, it would seem that it would be helpful for you to know automatically.

Is location technology necessary? No, we've survived without it. Is location technology valuable? How many times do you begin a cell phone conversation with, "where are you?"