George Tincher
What do you think folks? I have been trying to get myself accustomed to the non-human voices now for several years. Yet I still do not like them. For one, the voices mispronounce community names, speed up suddenly while saying a word (making it hard to understand) and just generally annoy me. But the biggest complaint I have is knowing that a machine is telling me information that could be used to save my life. I don't know how everyone else feels, but I prefer having an actual human voice giving me that type of info. A human can place great emphasis on certain words. And just the tone and level of concern in the voice is yet another source of info alone! Mr. Roboto can't do that. And, does anyone remember the big, deep voice on NOAA in the early-mid 1980's that went over severe weather safety rules? That voice just completely commanded attention! I miss that.
I realize the argument for the synthesized voices is that it speeds up the process of getting the warning issued. And that is a plus. But there has to be a better way which would speed up the process while allowing an actual human being to read the warning. And if not, at least allow real voices to read off the area forecasts, climate data and special weather statements, etc. That Roboto thing doesn't have to be left on to yack day and night! LOL. And the female voice is even worse. I think they call it "Donna" or something. This voice sounds like a frightened Sally Struthers attempting to speak! Unfortunately, my local office chooses to use this one frequently and you find yourself listening carefully as it delivers the info by way of quivering voice.
It seems we keep giving more and more tasks to machines as we become more technologically sophisticated. Technology is good, but where does it eventually stop? I suppose part of my hate for automated voices relates directly to the modern answering services. Even the small businesses seem to all have them these days. You call and are prompted to press this, then press that...and on and on and on! Whatever happened to the days when you would call someone and they picked up the phone and said hello? Why have we become so impersonal these days? LOL.
So, am I the only person who really hates these goofy voices? Or are there others out there who wish we make a return to the days when we received our NOAA WX Radio info by way of real, live, breathing human beings?
I realize the argument for the synthesized voices is that it speeds up the process of getting the warning issued. And that is a plus. But there has to be a better way which would speed up the process while allowing an actual human being to read the warning. And if not, at least allow real voices to read off the area forecasts, climate data and special weather statements, etc. That Roboto thing doesn't have to be left on to yack day and night! LOL. And the female voice is even worse. I think they call it "Donna" or something. This voice sounds like a frightened Sally Struthers attempting to speak! Unfortunately, my local office chooses to use this one frequently and you find yourself listening carefully as it delivers the info by way of quivering voice.
It seems we keep giving more and more tasks to machines as we become more technologically sophisticated. Technology is good, but where does it eventually stop? I suppose part of my hate for automated voices relates directly to the modern answering services. Even the small businesses seem to all have them these days. You call and are prompted to press this, then press that...and on and on and on! Whatever happened to the days when you would call someone and they picked up the phone and said hello? Why have we become so impersonal these days? LOL.
So, am I the only person who really hates these goofy voices? Or are there others out there who wish we make a return to the days when we received our NOAA WX Radio info by way of real, live, breathing human beings?
