Thanks for your concerns re. medical privacy, Tothil, but it's not an issue. The phones used are hospital property, issued to each nurse for their shift. they are locked down for the use they are being given. The info is kept within the hospital system only. It works well. We're not talking about your friend Nurse Jim using his personal phone and then having his way with private records or information when he goes home.

My point is that photos on phones are everywhere. We use them for many reasons -- keeping track of where you parked, the exact name of the pool chemicals you need to pick up, the phone number on a flier in the grocery store, notes from a meeting on a whiteboard -- or the name and information of a bolt of fabric you're contemplating buying.

The smart shop owner will use this fact to his or her advantage rather than putting up signs telling people they can't take photos or worse, insulting potential customers.

I don't think that's true if the devices are secured devices. I doubt the home-care people that came to help me after my surgery were breaking any laws by having my records in their iPad-like devices that they brought with them. They used those same devices to take pictures of my surgical site to send back to my doctor.

Don't medical transcriptionists frequently work from home?

I do agree with RST's idea though. All of these devices are being used by people in more ways every day and a smart business learns to make use of them.
My kids shop in a very different way than I do and the business that doesn't realize and grow in that direction will not meet the needs of the younger tech savvy shoppers.

my friend is a home based transcriptionist. They use a very secure program to do their job. The physicians dictate the programs used. Files are sent back and for electronically. HIPPA compliant.
sandy

When I enter a store with my backpack and the clerk says, "You have to leave your backpack at this front counter". I say, "I understand your policy, however, I am not going to leave my backpack with you because it is carrying items I have purchased elsewhere, and I won't have them out of my sight. You can check my backpack when I leave. I've never had anyone say anything more or even check my backpack when I offer it for them to do so when I depart.

I used to frquent a wonderful LQS, that had beautiful quilts on display. You could either buy your own material, or request a kit. I usually bought the material there.I always asked if I could take a picture that I could refer to as a guide. The owner always gave permission, and everyone was happy. Then the owner had a stroke, and her daughter took over. What a difference! The daughter no longer made up kits, as her mother had, and she would not allow any pictures to be taken. She raised her prices, decreased the hours of operation, and eliminated the LA quilting service. Needless to say, she was only in business for a short time, as she lost most of her customers.
While I do understand that she was in business to make a profit, there were too many changes within a short time, and the customer service suffered. If the LQS wants to maintain the business, the thing to remember is that a happy customer will return, while the unhappy one will look elsewhere. The worker in the OP seems to have forgotten that.

Well said.

I know phones are convenient but think what you would have done in the days without cell phones?! I would have bought a quarter yard to have for visual. Now, don't get me wrong, that employee was rude and handled it all wrong!I definitely would figure out wht to make out of it and go back to buy it there---I would make sure she was there and have her help me, but would not mention it to her---she will remember on her own. Next time, do ask first--if the shops know why you want apicture,they usually will agree.

Since each quarter yard now will cost upwards of $3, and most of us complain about having stashes that need reduction, I think taking advantage of newer technology (phone camera) as a tool to conveniently and accurately make a note of planned purchases is a reasonable approach.

I'm sorry the man was rude to you. He could have done said something in nicer way.

I like to take pics of everything. When in an office waiting for a appointment, reading magazines and see a recipe I might like to make, I take a pic of it whereas a lot of people will rip the page out (which I have done in the past). There are lots of ways to use the phone other than just texting and calling people...