How do Yemeni youth value Bluetooth? [Archives:2008/1133/Community]

By: Abeir Al-Shami
Technology is double-edged. That is to say, there are many technical inventions and devices which have both good and bad uses. These devices include satellites, the internet, cell phones, Bluetooth and others.

Bluetooth technology has become common internationally since its appearance in 1998. It has actually become one of the essential needs in our modern life. People are interested in using it for many purposes. Recently, there has been a small external device used as Bluetooth for computers that do no have this device in its basic program. But, when they start use it as a means of bad communication, its real value is destroyed.

Bluetooth can be used for many good purposes. But, some people misuse it in different ways. A survey about this topic has been conducted to get the following viewpoints:

Alkholidy, Maged, 27, a university teacher:

“Bluetooth is really useful. Though it can be used for bad things, this does not mean that it is useless. When I bought my last mobile, I insisted that it have Bluetooth. Some of my friends misunderstood me, thinking that I was going to use it for bad things. But when I bought it, they kept checking my mobile folders from time to time. The kind of folders in the memory of my mobile has proved to them that I use it mostly for good. I use it for transferring data from one computer or mobile to another. I really feel disgusted when I see some people using it only as a means of exchanging useless files. Such people actually destroy the value of technology as they destroy the value of themselves.”

Ahlam, student level 2, English Dept:

“Bluetooth can be good. But it is used badly. It must be stopped and banned in our society. Since there are many alternatives for its good uses, we no longer need to use Bluetooth. We can use flash desks (USB) to transfer data and profiles. Bluetooth actually forces its users to indulge in bad things. If I keep my Bluetooth on, for example, I suddenly receive a profile of a blue movie from an unknown source. It is better to avoid this. We will have other alternatives for the good uses that Bluetooth offers.”

Lamia, student level 3, Engineering Dept:

“Actually, Bluetooth is a device that can be good or bad. It depends mostly on the user himself. Some users use it for exchanging profiles of bad and immoral content. But others use it for exchanging programs and data useful for study or anything else.”

Fahd, 30:

“Bluetooth is useful. I sometimes use it for good things, and sometimes for bad things. If I want to have bad things, I will get them even without Bluetooth. I can get them in different ways. So, it is not the Bluetooth which is bad, but me who runs after such things. This is only to insist that Bluetooth is a useful device that can be used for different purposes, just like the internet.”

Ibrahim Shara'aby, 27, a computer engineer:

“Though Bluetooth has many good and bad uses, it is also used by hackers to access the security of mobiles or computers. Sending data is done through a wave of 2.4 Megahertz frequency.

One digital company has conducted research in which it concluded that there is a technical defect in the Bluetooth device because it can be used to steal personal data or files from machines which have Bluetooth. Some mobiles have a security system which helps the users to control others accessing their mobiles. For example, if one wants to send a file, the mobile system asks the sender to add a password which also must be added by the receiver when he receives that file. It also enables the receivers to refuse and reject any sent files to their mobiles if he/she does not like them.”

These are the opinions of different people. Most of them agree that Bluetooth is a double-edged weapon. It is just like the internet, satellite and other technological inventions. It can be used for good and bad at the same time. It eventually depends on the user himself/herself.

Ibrahim Abdulah Ibrahim, 36, a civil engineer:

“Bluetooth offers people many good facilities. It makes it easy to transfer data from one mobile to another or from a computer to a mobile or vice versa. It does so free of charge. Some people, however, misuse Bluetooth. It can be used for sending bad messages of different types. It can be used for sending videos, songs, flashes, and so on. If these videos, songs, and flashes are good, there would be no problem. But, when the content is bad, that is a bad use.

“Another bad effect of Bluetooth,” Ibrahim adds, “is that it can be used to send viruses which may damage the mobile's systems. So it is better to keep the service of Bluetooth “off” and switch it one only when it is needed.”

Aumaimah Esa, 26, Marketing:

“Bluetooth has positive and negative aspects. Regarding its positive aspect, it makes communication among people easier and greatly helps people to transfer date from one cell phone to another. It does not need any credit. But it has negative uses like quickly sending viruses from one mobile to another. It is also a fast means to exchange massages and profiles of bad content like movies, songs, flashes and others.”
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