Went to the parents house yesterday and my father handed me these. These were used before computer databases. Nostalgia, and brand new too.
There was a pace and simplicity to life before computers and the Internet that is missing in our lives today. No doubt, there is so, so much much we can do now. But the dinosaur in me is concerned at the pace and complexity in which we find ourselves these days.
On the other hand, when was the last time you sat to hand-write anything? Ignoring that my handwriting has become totally illegible, I find that I can only think with fingers on keys all within easy reach of a backspace key :rofl:
Quote from: mdconnelly on May 08, 2011, 07:26:03 AM
There was a pace and simplicity to life before computers and the Internet that is missing in our lives today. No doubt, there is so, so much much we can do now. But the dinosaur in me is concerned at the pace and complexity in which we find ourselves these days.
On the other hand, when was the last time you sat to hand-write anything? Ignoring that my handwriting has become totally illegible, I find that I can only think with fingers on keys all within easy reach of a backspace key :rofl:
True. You have to admit though waiting for your computer to boot then going into a program takes more time then a pen and paper or even typing a letter on a typewriter... whats that ?
Quote from: evan1 on May 08, 2011, 05:01:58 AM
Went to the parents house yesterday and my father handed me these. These were used before computer databases. Nostalgia, and brand new too.
Great idea. I'd need about 200 of them to start. :roll: :lol:
All kidding aside, I still keep track of my collection using index cards. Started doing it that way before we had personal computers and just have never had the time to convert over to an electronic database system. (I'd rather spend the time rummaging through old record stores. ;) )
Six years ago I drew up plans for our house and got laughed at from the blue print shop (still called Commerical Blue, but blueprinting had been replaced with large scale photocopying) for 1) asking for blueprints, and 2) having done the drawings by hand. But I did them myself without the cost of AutoCad or the time needed to learn the software. And they were done without mistakes, unlike the CAD drawings that were first developed for the house. Those drawings had dozens of mistakes, even at the schematic stage. Like programming, it'd be harder to find all the flaws than to simply do it yourself.
I find hand sketching to be therapeutic.
When I first started in this job 22 years ago we did all our correspondance using micro cassette dictation that the typing pool transcribed. I was the first to use a computer to directly "draft" documents (due to union rules we are still required to allow clericals to "finalize" all documents that leave the office which of course only adds time and money).
But in many ways I consider this the document age, not computer age. Photocopying has enabled the perceived need for everyone to be copied (or have it available). No longer can anything be done on a hand shake, and no one's word stands up to scrutiny. Honor has been replaced with lawyers. In many ways not much as advanced since introduction of computers (man landed on the moon with a slide rule, the space shuttle can be landed with a calculator, audio still uses pre-recorded copies, cars/houses/TVs/ships/airplanes are basically the same, etc. ....
The transitor's highest calling is amplifying music.... :thumb: But the increased productivity that computers allow has paid huge dividend to everybody. But computers still have a long way to go. We can't even talk to them yet! :roll:
Evan, those are pretty cool. Are you gonna use them for your collection?
Quote from: richidoo on May 08, 2011, 11:14:19 AM
The transitor's highest calling is amplifying music.... :thumb: But the increased productivity that computers allow has paid huge dividend to everybody. But computers still have a long way to go. We can't even talk to them yet! :roll:
Evan, those are pretty cool. Are you gonna use them for your collection?
No records Rich. I'm thinking Ebay just to see if they grab any attention . Someone may want them. Unless someone here wants them.
I held off getting a PDA (personal digital assistant) for may years, until they got integrated with my cellphone in a standard way. It was always easier to just use a pen and a pocket calendar to keep track of things. Now I've got all my "reminders" on my Blackberry, which is easier than pen and paper. It jiggles and rings and lets me know when something is coming up or a task it at hand.
I do find it invaluable, but it is just a minor change from pen and paper. I do think that the computer's keeping track of other kinds of lists is much more convenient, like investments. A push of a button and I've updated my portfolio holdings and valuations. Same for accounting software for my business, although I do still have to manually type in transactions and such. Mostly it makes identifying and fixing a problem in my bookeeping easier than it wouold be on paper. that is the real convenience.
Look at it this way. What would happen to you if the computer suddenly was gone. I know I definitely do depend on it for a lot, including my livelihood.
I used a PDA for years, effectively enough to convince dozens of others to jump on board. But our I.T. department wouldn't support it and every time they made changes I had to try to figure out how to make my PDA compatible again. Finally the I.T. department locked us out of fiddling with our computers at all, so bye-bye went the PDA.
What I found is that it had become a huge crutch. Helpful yes, but I almost forgot how to function without it. I didn't like that one bit. So I'm happily back to using a paper calendar, a box of business cards, and a pad/pen to take notes during meetings/inspections.
BTW I read a book years ago called, "Minutes from the Lead Pencil Club." It's a collection of essays railing against the mindless/useless proliferation of technology. Frankly most of the reasons given for using computers at home are rationalizations.
What really scares me about computers is how mindless our youth (under age 30) have become. No social skills, no "real world" skills, no interest in the "real world", can't connect with "real" reality, they spend all their spare time being entertained by video screens and earbuds. I grew up on a working farm (like kids from the 30's). I knew what Dad did, because I helped him. The farm was inescapable, you smelled it, you stepped in it (walking outside), you saw it (looking outside), you heard it (when the equipment was running in the dooryard), and even inside it was there (listening the weather reports, seeing/helping with the paperwork). I operated tractors (no cab, a/c, power nothing) routinely by age 8. Summers were 60 hours a week of work or trying to avoid work. No one dared say they were bored, even though we only had radio and three TV stations in B&W.
Quote from: JLM on May 09, 2011, 06:44:27 AM
I used a PDA for years, effectively enough to convince dozens of others to jump on board. But our I.T. department wouldn't support it and every time they made changes I had to try to figure out how to make my PDA compatible again. Finally the I.T. department locked us out of fiddling with our computers at all, so bye-bye went the PDA.
What I found is that it had become a huge crutch. Helpful yes, but I almost forgot how to function without it. I didn't like that one bit. So I'm happily back to using a paper calendar, a box of business cards, and a pad/pen to take notes during meetings/inspections.
BTW I read a book years ago called, "Minutes from the Lead Pencil Club." It's a collection of essays railing against the mindless/useless proliferation of technology. Frankly most of the reasons given for using computers at home are rationalizations.
What really scares me about computers is how mindless our youth (under age 30) have become. No social skills, no "real world" skills, no interest in the "real world", can't connect with "real" reality, they spend all their spare time being entertained by video screens and earbuds. I grew up on a working farm (like kids from the 30's). I knew what Dad did, because I helped him. The farm was inescapable, you smelled it, you stepped in it (walking outside), you saw it (looking outside), you heard it (when the equipment was running in the dooryard), and even inside it was there (listening the weather reports, seeing/helping with the paperwork). I operated tractors (no cab, a/c, power nothing) routinely by age 8. Summers were 60 hours a week of work or trying to avoid work. No one dared say they were bored, even though we only had radio and three TV stations in B&W.
Very well said.
charles
Quote from: JLM on May 08, 2011, 10:43:26 AM
Those drawings had dozens of mistakes, even at the schematic stage. Like programming, it'd be harder to find all the flaws than to simply do it yourself.
I find hand sketching to be therapeutic.
But in many ways I consider this the document age, not computer age. Photocopying has enabled the perceived need for everyone to be copied (or have it available). No longer can anything be done on a hand shake, and no one's word stands up to scrutiny. Honor has been replaced with lawyers. In many ways not much as advanced since introduction of computers (man landed on the moon with a slide rule, the space shuttle can be landed with a calculator, audio still uses pre-recorded copies, cars/houses/TVs/ships/airplanes are basically the same, etc. ....
Well said. In my field of orthopaedics I have avoided digital xrays. The technology is getting better but I am still analog in a lot of ways...
Paul
Quote from: orthobiz on May 15, 2011, 09:44:07 AM
Quote from: JLM on May 08, 2011, 10:43:26 AM
Those drawings had dozens of mistakes, even at the schematic stage. Like programming, it'd be harder to find all the flaws than to simply do it yourself.
I find hand sketching to be therapeutic.
But in many ways I consider this the document age, not computer age. Photocopying has enabled the perceived need for everyone to be copied (or have it available). No longer can anything be done on a hand shake, and no one's word stands up to scrutiny. Honor has been replaced with lawyers. In many ways not much as advanced since introduction of computers (man landed on the moon with a slide rule, the space shuttle can be landed with a calculator, audio still uses pre-recorded copies, cars/houses/TVs/ships/airplanes are basically the same, etc. ....
Well said. In my field of orthopaedics I have avoided digital xrays. The technology is getting better but I am still analog in a lot of ways...
Paul
Our kind of guy.
charles