Comment by RetroTechie

> I think the problem is that things that once did not require and realistically shouldn't require apps (like the toilet example - which I can't tell if hyperbole or not) are now "app enabled" by default.

It's ridiculous how often & where tech is required these days where it really shouldn't.

One example: recently I discovered that on the (main) train station in the province capital near me, going to the toilet requires a bank (ATM/debit) card. What?!? FYI: we're talking a city with ~100k inhabitants.

Decades ago, you could just use a toilet. Done.

But ofcourse it needs cleaning, and personnel costs money. So, they'd put up a bowl where people could drop a few coins.

That didn't last long lol. Next: some small mechanism attached to door handle. Insert coin, open door.

Of course, some acts of vandalism & theft later: do away with the cash. And because 'everybody' around here pays with card+PIN 'everywhere' anyway, let's stick that onto the access-to-toilet.

On the surface, this whole progression seems 'logical'. But it's not! You've replaced something that shouldn't require tech at all, or at most a simple mechanical thingie, with something that requires electricity, internet connection, an electronic payments system backend, and may have the ability to track who used what toilet, where, when & bank account involved.

Insane! Issues like 'how to pay for toilet use' play worldwide, and this is the best you could come up with?