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Old Technology


Palovana

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Does anyone favor older technology? Say, the technology that you grew up with, or technology even older than that?

 

I've personally never been a fan of all the new gadgets, everything being online or digital. When I was in kindergarten, personal computers were just becoming a thing (and they were MASSIVE). Smartphones didn't exist until I was in high school. And while I agree it's impossible to live in this society without an internet connection and a cellphone, bare minimum, I still prefer to use old technology, even some really, really old forms of technology which were commonplace long before I was born. I own a flat screen TV, and an (older) laptop (still has a CD drive), and an iPhone 7. Those are the only tech toys I own. No tablet, no Kindle, no iWatch, none of that. I don't have Netflix, or Facebook or Instagram, and I prefer to speak to people I know face to face or not at all, or perhaps correspond through letters. I still much prefer reading physically printed books and newspapers.

 

I have a sort of fascination with antiques. Especially antiques from the turn of the century (late 1800s - World War I). Stuff like gas lamps, rotary telephones, vinyl record players and gramophones. I like to fantasize about living in an old Victorian style house or a Brownstone, and decorating it with all sorts of old curios. I want a claw foot bathtub and Tiffany lamps and a little conservatory off the kitchen. I want to acquire prints of Monet and Van Gogh, I want a baby grand and maybe a velvet chaise. And I want a 1969 Corvette Stingray, or maybe a Pontiac Firebird...

 

...Okay, obviously I'm getting a bit off topic here, but I love old stuff like that. Old stuff just seems more fascinating. Sometimes I feel left behind by how much technology has advanced, and how society has changed along with it. I remember talking on the phone for hours with people; now, I believe society as a whole has ceased to even speak on the phone, except in some formal or business situations. I don't see the point of getting the latest iWhatever, or the appeal of communicating strictly via social media. Everything just seems kind of boring and ugly to me. And lazy. I still don't see how people talk to SIri without feeling like they're losing their mind. 

 

I'll quit rambling now. 

 

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RoseGoesToYale

I have a 101-year old Kodak Brownie on my nightstand (technically still works... I replaced the viewfinder mirrors, I would just have to outfit it to accept 120 roll film), two miniature oil lamps, a case of floppy disks that I store secret stuff on, a collection of vinyl records, my uncle's old TRS-80 PC-II (pristine condition except a wire came loose), and a 1920s mechanical pencil. In short, if it's old, I dig it. Old tech was made better, looked better, was more usable, and the user had complete control over it. There's something artful in old technology that modern technology is completely missing.

 

25 minutes ago, Palovana said:

I like to fantasize about living in an old Victorian style house or a Brownstone, and decorating it with all sorts of old curios.

Oh my gosh, I just want to live in the Victorian era (minus all the crap that went on back then). I want a hand crank telephone and quill pens, to cook on a wood stove and take a horse and buggy everywhere, and furniture made of real wood. I wish I knew what it was like to live in a non-digital world.

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I go for a mix, but rarely get on the bandwagon with the very latest tech (or social media or anything). I like having a smart phone and prefer text messages or email over phone calls. But I prefer paper books and cardboard games and other non-digital media. Even when I travel I prefer to bring 2 or 3 paper books with me rather than a kindle or other "e-reader". I don't miss manual typewriters or black & white tvs or crt screens. I listen to some podcasts, but not on an apple device. I also still watch tv over the ariwaves and don't have cable, but I do have netflix and roku. I still buy dvds and cds from time to time.

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5 minutes ago, RoseGoesToYale said:

Old tech was made better, looked better, was more usable, and the user had complete control over it. There's something artful in old technology that modern technology is completely missing.

I totally agree. I don't have anything old at the moment, minus some vinyl, but my father had a ton of old stuff from the 60s and 70s, and my uncle does too, and my grandmother before she died had a crapload of cool stuff from the 20s-40s. I believe my uncle still has the Victrola which belonged to her father (my great-grandfather). If I ever have the money, I would love to start collecting antiques.

 

9 minutes ago, RoseGoesToYale said:

I want a hand crank telephone and quill pens, to cook on a wood stove and take a horse and buggy everywhere, and furniture made of real wood.

Lol yes! Well maybe not everywhere, as it's slow, but it would be a novelty I'd be totally down for on a Saturday night. 

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Scottthespy

I favor walkmans, do not own a phone, and have been looking for a reasonably priced hand cranked egg beater for some time. The oldest thing I own and regularly use, however...

 

Is my ninety year old dictionary. While not exactly 'tech', it is HILARIOUS for the definitions, seeing how speech has changed in the last almost-century. I think my favorite part about it is how gender neutral it is. The people may or may not have been closed minded, but the dictionary states only facts, no opinions.

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I like old technology that is still as good as the new stuff. Saturn Vs for example.   I own a 50 year old airplane, but there has been so little progress in light planes that it is as good as a brand new one. 

 

At the same time I enjoy the things that technology has improved, and I have no objection to using the many things that have gotten better. 

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I've never owned a smartphone. I'm fine with a classic one.

I don't have a credit card and only use cash.

I read paper books, because I don't own an e-reader and reading a long text off a laptop screen is a hassle.

While I don't buy CDs anymore, I did do so until a few years ago.

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Since I don't have the money to blow I make it a habit to hunt down older stuff or fix what I have. I think the current most advanced piece of tech I have is my big samsung TV.(probably couldn't live without that fantastic picture quality, it has that going for it over older stuff for certain) Followed by that is my computer which is from 2012(the notorious era for overheating labtops) which I've frankensteined along to reach its current age, and followed by that is my first generation ipod nano(paid for itself, survived a winter in a snowdrift when I lost it and survived multiple work accidents like punctures and dents). That's the extent of new stuff at least

 

Everything else of mine is old. I appreciate older stuff as it was made with durability in mind and generally, ease of use and repair. But I suppose the cost of that in this day and age is that parts are a pain to come by or expensive due to rarity. My truck's not too old but I'm having a hard time hunting parts for it now. I've got a working pure silver pocket watch. I'd actually like to use it as my time piece but I find that it's too valuable. People'd steal that in a moment and I don't want to risk destroying it in work accidents.

 

I hate phones so I go without a cell. I hate credit cards so I go without. In general, honestly I like to keep things less tech involved if I'm able to. Really, what appeals to me most over old things however, is being able to build or repair them myself. I find one of the downfalls of modern tech is the gap in knowledge of how it functions and the lack of equipment to work on it accessible to common people. I've never liked depending on other people, and that extends to breakable technology I have no working comprehension of.

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I grew up with old Macs during the 90's, and I found out that there's a VM made specifically for that, plus one or two small websites that hosts old software etc. It's sorta nice being able to go through and find old games and stuff that I grew up with, and still be able to play them.

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I still use floppy discs?😋 😋 Vinyl records and cassettes. 

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overturn overturn overturn

We love all real instruments, not the digital ones (same relation like between good old vinyls and digital sounds).

 

And stupid auto-tune, it took all what is human from music. Every song recently on the radio sounds the same!

 

And, what is the sense in correcting the pitches of human voice? Or violin, and every absolute chromatic instrument? There are nuances in sounds, little cracks, very slightly moved pitches which are parts of expressing human emotions (it's for the highest leveled performers, using nuances and it sounds breathtaking...) 

Technology is very dangerous used on this way, as auto-tune, taking away everything what makes human, robotizing everything.

It's all artificial, not genuine... 

There is so many dead songs, so many on this world... It sounds fine, tuned perfectly, but there's no Spirit of Life in them...

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andreas1033

I totally agree, that todays music i hear sounds dead.

 

Its highly likely that very un-imaginative people are putting this music out, thinking its great, when its devoid of anything real. I totally agree todays music all sounds the same, and sounds dead. I doubt there is many in todays music scene, that actually have a great voice, and the digital age is making them all sound the same.

 

The last band that changed music was nirvana, and thats along time ago now, over 27 years ago, nevermind came out. It shows how lacking in creativity these people are today in the music world.

 

Thats the problem with digital age, they fine tune everything to sound like something they want. It just ends up sounding dead.

 

Its a bit like how they use cgi in films today and tv, and cgi, is devoid of something in nature that makes everything unique, ie energy.

 

I am glad i neither listen too todays music, or watch todays movies.

 

So although people born since the millennium probably do not know any different, if you lived before the digital age of last 20 years, you will know the difference.

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The Anchorage

I can't really say whether I "prefer" older technology. I'm very happy about some new stuff, but I would be able to live without most of it. And there is something genuinely funny and exciting about doing things the old-fashioned way. Like using map and compass instead of Google Maps.

 

I just realised that over time I build up a relationship with my stuff. My laptop for example is now 6 years old and there is a key missing and it's slow and has Windows 8 (*gasp*), but I can't help myself. I don't want a new laptop. This one served me very good. We never had problems with each other.

 

Until last year I didn't own a smartphone and while I like my new phone and all the useful apps and stuff (especially to be in close contact with friends all over the world), I sometimes wish I had my old phone back bc some things were just easier.

 

I like modern technology as long as it makes life easier. If it just complicates my life or I need an degree in engineering to even use it I'm not interested.

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E-mail is a good invention, especially considering than I'm one of those people who find it easier to express themselves through the written than through the spoken word.

I'm also grateful for the internet, not least because it allows me to connect with people (I'm lousy at coming into contact with like-minded people in real life ... well, with people in general) and for the plethora of entertainment stuff it offers.

But apart from that, I'm a huge nostalgic, and I don't really see the appeal in new technologies. I have never possessed a kindle (nothing can ever replace printed books), or a tablet, or an iPhone. I got my first smartphone at the age of 28 or thereabouts.

I miss the times when I had an actual radio set, and a cassette player. I miss the days when people used paper maps instead of resorting to Google Maps on their electronic devices, and after all, isn't it much nicer to ask someone for the way when you're in a new place, or to ask someone to take your picture instead of using selfie sticks? Whatever happened to direct communication?

I still write letters, I plan to buy a typewriter as well as a record player - in order to listen to glorious old music on vinyl. And like you, @Palovana, I want to start collecting antiques. If only I had enough money ...!

 

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I'm all over the place. I love (and own) vinyl and cassettes, I have a ~thing~ for typewriters (especially the early 1900s Underwood No. 5 that belonged to my granddad), I'm still fond of film cameras (although I admittedly rarely use mine these days), usually prefer real books to e-books, etc. I kinda miss rotary phones sometimes hahaha. But I have a smartphone and use it all the time, make use of some social media platforms, generally prefer texting or emailing to phoning, find Netflix pretty handy, frequently purchase things online that I can't find close to home...

 

Old stuff is pretty neat and modern stuff is great too.

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On 7/21/2018 at 2:28 PM, kiaroskuro said:

E-mail is a good invention, especially considering than I'm one of those people who find it easier to express themselves through the written than through the spoken word.

The ubiquity of typed written communication is a mixed blessing for me. On the one hand, I no longer have to wonder whether people will be able to read my handwriting, on the other I never learned touch typing so I'm still pretty slow despite typing something every day.

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1 hour ago, Piotrek said:

The ubiquity of typed written communication is a mixed blessing for me. On the one hand, I no longer have to wonder whether people will be able to read my handwriting, on the other I never learned touch typing so I'm still pretty slow despite typing something every day.

As a matter of fact, I learned touch typing in a typing class on a mechanical typewriter. Anyone else?

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On 7/21/2018 at 5:53 AM, HayaH said:

It's all artificial, not genuine... So autistic.

As an autistic person, I find this use of the word very insulting. I hate how autistic has become a derogatory term like gay used to be. Neither is ok.

 

As far as the topic, I am on a line that I love all of my gadgets and how far technology has come, but I can appreciate older things. I still have an Atari and I've played some of the old abandonware games made for current gen systems. I only got my first smartphone last year, though. I didn't need it before then. Now with taking college online, it's a near necessity.

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2 hours ago, kiaroskuro said:

As a matter of fact, I learned touch typing in a typing class on a mechanical typewriter. Anyone else?

I took a class many years ago to learn typing (on manual typewriters), but never got the hang of it. Only class I ever flunked. :( 

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4 hours ago, kiaroskuro said:

on a mechanical typewriter. Anyone else?

I learned on my dad's Underwood typewriter....it was a big deal to be allowed to use it. The typewriter and the slide rule were accessories of adulthood that I aspired to. In the seventh grade I had to turn in a book report. My father suggested "On Civil Disobedience" I was allowed to use his typewriter to type the report.

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On 7/21/2018 at 12:10 AM, Scottthespy said:

 

Is my ninety year old dictionary

I very much like my dictionaries and lexicons. I found a 1928 Websters in a thrift store for 50 cents. Its a bit less unwieldy than the 2 volume compact Oxford (that requires a magnifying glass to read).

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5 hours ago, kiaroskuro said:

I learned touch typing in a typing class on a mechanical typewriter. Anyone else?

I did too, around the ninth grade. I can actually still hear my typing teacher's voice in my head calling out our typing drills: "A, S, D, F, G, F, space..." Despite those drills, to this day I type with only three or four fingers. -_-

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I still have a rotary phone in my house, and one of my TV's has a VCR.  I still have my old (restored) Buick, which still runs pretty good, too.  I love old machines.  If they still work fine, why get rid of them?

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Gentle Giant

I like and use both old and new technology. I use a turntable, cassette deck and portable cassette players, CD players, VCR, DVD player, older type TVs, landline phone, older video game systems, etc.

 

For newer tech I have a desktop computer, iPad and a flip style cell phone.

 

I remember my Grandma had an antique typewriter that I loved using when I was a kid. I got my own typewriter later on, but I’m glad to not have to use them anymore. Computers are so much better for word processing. I took a half year class on typing in high school and highly recommended people do that. So helpful to have that skill.

 

I prefer reading paper books over ebooks on electronic devices.

 

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I really like the convenience of having a PC and a phone... it's especially good to be able to talk to folks over voice and chat who live overseas! But I guess the attraction I have for older, more specific of equipment stems from how deliberate it all is - like, you could just stream a song, but by choosing to put a record on you're doing a bit of extra work/maintenance that... kind of connects you to that music a little more, I feel?

 

This is just silly rambling now... but those "hipsters" that people love to complain about, who make their own beer and buy records and write on typewriters: maybe part of what they are trying to achieve is a sense of purposefulness through those old things amidst all of the convenient things we have? Anyway... IDK... :P

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I prefer paper books over e-formats, and I love the sound of vinyl records, but I can't really afford a player and a good collection.

In my opinion, virtually every technological advance (with a few exceptions like polio vaccines) has been a mixed blessing.

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Charity shops are a good source of cheap vinyl. 

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I love older things for their quality, but I am tethered to my smartphone (which I use as a phone maybe 2x/month).  Mix here...

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I don't have a data plan on my phone and I still use checks to mail in my bill payments, which all my coworkers make fun of me for. I'm not even that old, but I've never been that interested in gadgets.

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19 minutes ago, utca said:

I don't have a data plan on my phone and I still use checks to mail in my bill payments, which all my coworkers make fun of me for. I'm not even that old, but I've never been that interested in gadgets.

Whew, someone else who pays by check!!  :)

 

I might die without my data plan, though.

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