People pattern-matched it to a curmudgeonly and irrational dislike for modern technology, because they have never tried actually using the magnetic sensor in a smartphone as a compass, so they aren’t aware of just how unreliable those sensors are.
Apologies if my tone was overly critical or hostile. It was a cool suggestion, and I’m glad I heard it. I just don’t think it’s a practical suggestion for most people, given the other alternatives out there these days :)
If you don’t frequently experience navigational problems, clearly a compass is not a sensible investment.
I have to say, I’ve made questionable suggestions on LW in the past, but the tone of the responses to this one has been baffling.
People pattern-matched it to a curmudgeonly and irrational dislike for modern technology, because they have never tried actually using the magnetic sensor in a smartphone as a compass, so they aren’t aware of just how unreliable those sensors are.
Apologies if my tone was overly critical or hostile. It was a cool suggestion, and I’m glad I heard it. I just don’t think it’s a practical suggestion for most people, given the other alternatives out there these days :)