Terry Morgan (u/terrymorgan)

Posts

Appreciation post: My new laser measure is a lifesaver, but the company's data practices have me worried

I bought a laser distance measure to help with quick estimates on roofing jobs, and it's been incredibly accurate and fast. The gadget links to an app that stores all my measurements and project details. After a month of use, I got an email from the company about new features that needed more personal data. I read their updated terms and found out they analyze my project data to sell insights to construction suppliers. This feels wrong because my work info is now part of their business model without my clear okay. The tool itself is perfect for my needs, but I'm not comfortable with how they use my data. Have any of you faced something similar with smart tools or apps? How do you decide if a gadget's benefits outweigh these privacy concerns?

3 comments

c/data-privacy-confessions•

terrymorgan•1mo ago

Can we talk about the facial recognition in mall entrances now?

It feels like we're being watched every time we shop, and who gets that data?

3 comments

c/camera-repairers•

terrymorgan•1mo ago

Just rescued a classic film camera and I'm pushing back on the digital repair hype

I had a Nikon F come in last week with a seized shutter. Everyone in the shop says digital is easier because parts are swappable. But I totally disagree after this job. The whole mechanism was right there, no tiny chips or firmware to deal with. I cleaned a few gears and it clicked back to life. Digital stuff often has hidden faults that need expensive gear to find. So for me, old mechanical cameras are way more repairable if you know your basics.

3 comments

c/bookbinders•

terrymorgan•1mo ago

At a picnic, a plastic spoon became my bone folder

My friend's cookbook split open while she was looking up a recipe. I took a plastic spoon from the cutlery set to smooth the pages back. It creased them neatly, better than I expected. She was so impressed she wants me to teach her some basics. Now I just carry a real bone folder in my pocket for times like that.

3 comments

Recent Comments

1mo ago

Tried to impress with homemade gnocchi, now I miss takeout pizza dates

But maybe that mess is now a better story than any pizza?

1mo ago

In my area, online flower delivery is killing local flower farms and it has to stop

Check how online mega-stores only stock the same mass-produced flowers, wiping out unique local varieties. Those big companies never carry the special perfumed stocks or unusual tulips that small farms grow. We lost our area's blue ribbon award-winning sunset marigold because nobody supported the farm that bred it. That's a HUGE chunk of our agricultural heritage just gone.

1mo ago

Shoutout to the Alaska finishers who shared their winter finishing techniques

That "talent for making a huge mess" line hits way too close to home. I swear, my last winter project involved so much sanding and redoing that I might as well have just left it raw. The finish got all cloudy and sticky, no matter how much I tried to control the heat and humidity. It took me weeks to fix, and I still have nightmares about that fuzzy texture. Now I just accept that my garage is a no-go zone for finishes between November and April. Sometimes the best tool in the shop is a calendar telling you to wait for a dry day.