Friday, October 25, 2024: 7:46 PM: I’m beginning to make some changes to the way I function on a tech level, like taking banking apps and other apps that I absolutely do not need to control a device out of my iPhone. For instance, I do not need remote access to my router from everywhere and anywhere. “Goodbye Netgear and Linksys apps!”

The only reason I would keep something like the app offered by my ISP (Optimum) in my phone is because that particular app enables me to control the Optimum issued modem in a way that I cannot through the website or by interfacing with it directly due to inaccessibility issues. “Other avenues simply suck when using a screen reader.”

So, something like the Epson app on my iPhone would stay simply because the interface with the Epson printer off the phone enables me to manage things a lot better than the Epson software for Windows, which isn’t quite as accessible or reliable. I can print off my computer, but to manage diagnostics and more advanced stuff of a technical nature with that particular printer, it’s just best done off the phone.

The idea is to pare down and work with apple products as much as possible on their system. The only time I’ll be putting an app on the phone in future is when I need to have another app installed for something I cannot accomplish with my PC.

So, for example, when I need to use Lyft or Uber, I’ll put the Lyft or Uber app on my phone because I need them to use the services offered by these two companies. I’ll probably end up dealing with both companies at some point in the future, but we’ll see.

Why am I doing this? Largely because it hasn’t escaped my notice that I’m constantly running into issues with some apps ever since the Government stepped in and told Apple they’d have to loosen some of their guidelines with regards to the apps they allow in their app store. Another reason is that the layout in some apps is changing at a pace that’s way faster than the changes made to the structure of their correlating websites many of us use to conduct business through as well. “Then there’s the alert factor!”

I don’t need to be emailed on my PC and notified simultaneously by my phone when something happens. “Why use the app when the website does a better job?”

Safari works well with VoiceOver for me when I am set to load the desktop version of the important websites I need to work with and, as already stated, the format is more dependable. “I hate being hounded and don’t need to memorize and constantly rememorize multiple variations on doing just one thing!”

It’s gotten to be too much. So, I’ve cleaned house.

In my Windows machine, I run mostly windows apps. “Why the hell can’t I do the same thing with Apple’s product?”

So, that’s where things are at as I move forward in life, recreating my new normal. I’m good at spotting patterns and know from years of experience that life is way less stressful when you keep third party programs in the Windows environment, just as an example, “Limited!” In the four years that I’ve been working with my iPhone, I’ve noticed that this rule of thumb seems to hold true in that environment as well.

It simply could be the fact that my need to use adaptive software has something to do with it. Maybe the screen readers I have no choice but to work with make systems more sensitive to third party software? “That’s a strong possibility!”

Whatever the reason though, I’ve adjusted accordingly. So, some companies will have to get over the fact they won’t be able to track my every move and grab my attention every time they are feeling needy, financially and otherwise. It’s just my way of lessoning their intrusion into my life with what they have only ever wanted in the first place, “A One-Sided Relationship with me!”

Posting that's a little off the trolley at times... Brian is a single Newtonian Gardens Apartments resident, Self-Publishing Author, cPanel WordPress Web Host and Windows 11 powered computer tech. He’s a musician, sailor, hiker, cycler and some women would say, “Magical, too!”