Portal not Porthole

by John Curnow on 24 Oct 2016 Whilst there are the obvious similarities of a place to look out from and see the world, in the Information Age, the former has taken on greater and greater meaning to everyday life. Even non-IT heads talk about online shopping, iCloud backups, and even Sail-WorldCruising.com is a portal, when you distil it right down.

So given that there are similarities in that regard, it dawned on me that indeed both give one a particular view of the world at a time, and that expanding one’s aspect is always important. If you look through a porthole, you’ll see water, the anchorage you’re in, maybe even a fish or something.

However, if you go up on deck, you can see loads of horizon, the many colours of the sky and water, even your neighbours if it is a popular anchorage. I used to work on a really large craft and the Bosun answered the phone in the Bridge by saying, “Room with a View.” That and the film of the same title, which was set in Firenze, have always stayed in my mind, because it is such a simple aide memoire and so, so true.

Anyway, I think it was the then head of Ericsson who commented that looking at the Internet off your phone was like looking at the world through a keyhole. It was in the day of their ‘Mars Bar’ 331 model, and to be fair and Apple had not created the Smartphone revolution by then.

Think about it, SMS had only just arrived and how cool was that on one of those phones – I mean WOW! The answering machine at home had just gone the way of the Dodo bird! Today, who actually has a terrestrial telephone line anymore??? Now Mr Google is the portal for the world in this dimension. Ask younger people and a portal is all about jumping through the space/time continuum, and there are so many films on/utilising that subject.

Yet a portal, just like a porthole can give you only a very defined view of the world. The online general insurance companies come to mind instantly, for they only have a basket of suppliers from which they make all their statements, and yes, ultimately commissions.

With all of that front of mind, I checked out Carl Crafoord’s, www.sailexchange.com.au, the other day. It has used sails, which can be from just about any loft, offers new sails from all the known brands, has some apparel and personal safety gear, deck and rig hardware, along with plenty of information on how it all works and what you can honestly expect as recompense. Not bad at all, and with over 100 pages of personal gear and also 100+ more for hardware, and something like 367 of used sails, it is a decent old porthole. And yes, I have deliberately used the wee nautical window variety there.

Reason being, that as a portal it is already pretty cool. The concept is not new, and there are ones all over the world, for sure, but the fact that Carl is set to go with Safety Gear Exchange and with plans for Rig Exchange, Parts Exchange, Boat and even Marina Exchange, it is one hell of a porthole and soon to become its very own room with a view.

So get on with the Information Age and check it out. I can’t imagine that you’ll find a 331 there, but given that the original ‘brick’ mobile/cellular phones are worth heaps today as mementos, you just never know. In terms of a nautical portal you could find a sail or something there you’re ready to use now, or maybe see something that you need to go up on deck with the ‘big eyes’ and thoroughly check out. Significant savings may be the prime mover, but another bonus could also be on hand. Over to you…

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