Digital experience
I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s and my growth into adulthood continued into the 90’s.
I bought my first digital wristwatch from my classmate in my first year of school. His father imported electronics and he was wearing a brown all-plastic Texas Instruments wristwatch, I think. I bought a similar one from him. The wristwatch had a red LED display and a light.
I vividly remember watching the Montreal Olympics in ’76 on our black and white Minivisor De Luxe travel TV, which ran on battery power at our cottage. The same red one, now vintage TV, is today a decoration on my LP shelf to remind me of days gone by.
I got my second wristwatch in the autumn of ‘79. My best friend had received a new Citizen wristwatch as a present and I was surprised to discover that my own wristwatch was out of date. My mother bought me a similar one, but mine had a timekeeping function with 1/10th of a second accuracy. I used this watch for 10 years and then again 20 years ago for six months, although it was no longer keeping time. I had an emotional attachment to it.
The first time I saw a computer was in the room of my neighbour’s son, a few years younger than me. His father was the owner of an industrial company and they were wealthy, so he got a Commodore Vic 20 computer as soon as they became available in Europe. He had already played with his machine to the point of boredom back in ’81. I remember him being embarrassed when we, his mates tried to explain to him that we had never played on such a machine before.
The first time I learned how to use a computer in school was, I think, in 1987. I was studying business, and microcomputing was taught for an hour a week. However, the teacher was a nerd and didn’t care that we were late for all the classes half the time. We learned the Basic programming, and I have no special memories of it. I hardly learned anything. I was interested in other things at the time.
I was in my first permanent job in 1988. There I moved from sales to warehouse work around the same time as the traditional cash register was replaced by a computer system. I remember being hated by managers when I sometimes helped out on the shop floor and used the regular cash register. It was the yuppie era when managers wanted the future to be now.
In 1992, at the height of the recession in our country, I got a job. I needed a phone for work and bought my first phone. It was a Nokia Mobira Cityman 450 and I paid I think 6000 marks. I humbly returned it after a week to where I had bought it. The job of a sales representative was not for me.
In 1997 I worked for an import company. My employment contract stated that my duties included computerised invoicing and stock accounting. I recall that for the first time, I had to enter a password on the computer. The manager asked me which password I wanted and I replied: Jesus.
In 1999 I bought my first personal computer and a modem to access the internet. That was the beginning of a new era in my life. Then in 2007, I took a six-month break from owning a computer as I only used the one I had at work to run my business. Since then I have been addicted to computers like everyone else. But I am not a smartphone addict. I can live without a smartphone.
Risks of Open Society
I understand the importance of cyber security and the risks of living in a digital society. The biggest risk that I concern in open digital society is the data protection. Accessing in more and more internet platforms is increasing the risk of losing your personal data if it is not a trusted source and internet users are not cautious of sharing information. I don’t have any social media account on my own name.
GDPR
GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is an example of the data protection concern in the rapid changes of digital world. It is a need for the society and raising the awareness of internet users to protect data. GDPR gives user more visible practices in handling data as well as a clear handbook for companies and customers in transferring information.
Chat GP T
First I asked GPT 3.5: What kind of digital wristwatches are best selling?
And the answer was ”As of my last knowledge update in January 2022, I can provide some insights into popular types of digital wristwatches… Additionally, the market may have evolved with new technologies and features by the time of your inquiry in September 2023”. So GPT 3.5 listed the categories of digital wristwatches that have historically been popular and told in general level what kind of information buyer should have, if he considers to buy a digital wristwatch.
Second I asked: What kind of vintage digital wristwatches are best selling?
Again the answer was in general level and provided lots of information of which things affect to the price. Wristwatches brands that GPT 3.5 mentioned were the same that I have noticed in marketplaces to be best selling. It also listed James Bond Seiko watches, which I have in my collection, for example The Spy Who Loved Me Seiko (similar to which you can find below, but in Chronograph version).
Third I asked: Which are the most of collectible vintage digital watches?
Again it described things in general level, but it was informational because it mentioned some brands that I had almost forgotten. In my opinion the answer had too much information for me, but had lots of points for those who consider to collect specific wristwatches like vintage digital wristwatches. I think that artificial intelligence could be useful for human kind in the near future, but there isn’t any rules for that, so I’m afraid that some people will use it for destructional purposes.
Self evaluation
My work is about selling vintage items, especially wristwatches. Digitalization is still developing together with that field and there should be right awareness about the data protection. My point of view of as an future entrepreneuer, I would like to point that the need of having cyber security knowledge and practice it into bulding a new business. Internet can be a useful tool but at the same time harmful to your life when using it without cautions.
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Pekka N Digital Watches 
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