When Older Technology is Better

[Luna the Great of all the Russias 2,967]

Are there cases where you prefer older technology over new ones?

For myself, I find that touch interfaces are excessively used. Of course, they are sensible for things like tablets, but buttons are far less prone to be finicky. Particularly for devices that do not use a screen of some sort, I would prefer buttons, dials, or any other physical controller to be used instead of using touch sensors, gestures, etc. whenever possible.

O. I will also mentioned vintage toasters, which are superior to modern toasters, because the bread sinks inside the toaster automatically without the use of a lever.

 

 

[ZiggWheelsManning 9,763]

The Nintendo Game Boy over the iPhone.  The buttons and cartridge gaming library are better than touching a screen  

[Nightlight1313 170]

Books are much easier on the eyes than e-readers.

DVDs and CDs don't need internet to work as intended.

I wholly agree with you on the touchscreens. Real buttons feel nicer and are way less prone to breakage.

[KPackratt 234]

Computers used to be a lot better prior to the last decade compared to how they are today, before Microsoft started badgering Windows users about Microsoft services/applications, and when Apple Macintosh computers used to be user upgradeable. Nowadays I have to perform various different modifications to make Windows tolerable and I refuse to purchase an M1/2/3 Mac computer unless Apple makes their hardware upgradeable again.

Gaming was also much simpler in the past. Just plug in your console, put a cartridge/disc in, turn it on, then play. With today's video game systems, you have to register for online services and be subject to their restrictions (for example: not being able to transfer your saves to a new console unless you purchase a subscription to their online service), there's also the concern of online DRM, which can prevent you from playing your games in the event of an internet outage.

[Luna the Great of all the Russias 2,967]

Something I will add is that it is rather annoying when things are made excessively highly technological (or perhaps pseudo-technological). Companies that take, let us say, a blender, which works just fine on its own, and tries to incorporate Wi-Fi, phone application, a subscription service, voice functionality, blockchain technology and machine learning... because a blender is completely useless without those things, I suppose.

[Fluttershutter 2,388]

I hate how everything is made to be controlled by apps just because it's cheaper for the company not to manufacture a remote control. I haven't bough a tv in a long time. Do they still have remotes?

[Brony Number 42 10,057]

My brother's washing machine and frifge have wifi. Why? I also think Alexa, and other spy technology, is a bad idea. My friend's wife uses Alexa for (terrible) music and shopping list. So I like to say "Alexa, add playstation five to my shopping list." I got her an analog Alexa: notebook and pen.

Also leaf blowers. Why do we use these? All they do is blow dirt around. I saw one guy blowing dirt from the sidewalk to the road and another guy blowing the dirt back onto the sidewalk.

[Luna the Great of all the Russias 2,967]

11 hours ago, Nightlight1313 said:

Books are much easier on the eyes than e-readers.

In defense of e-readers, many of them do use E-Ink instead of a backlit screen; it really is as though you are reading paper. E-readers are more convenient than book at least in the sense that you can carry virtually unlimited books within one device. However, my preference for physical books is based on them being, well, physical. As many things are becoming digitized, it is nice to have some things that exist in their non-digitized format, particularly when many aspects of a book inherently cannot be translated into a digital format (e.g. there is no digital equivalent of a leatherbound book with thick gilded pages and "old paper smell"). A point I made numerous times before is that it is much nicer to see bookcases full of books instead of merely a list of books that you own: much nicer to glide the hand across the book spines than scrolling through the list of books that you own digitally (similar idea can also apply to music, games, etc.).

[SharpWit 2,608]

Love technology connections. Entertaining and really good at explaining the basics for a rock dweller like me.

I used to use my old laptop for watching movies and listening to music. There wasn't anything special about it I think, it just had a bigger better screen, and louder speakers than my phone. So when it broke, I went and purchased the same updated model, so I could maintain that quality of experience.

Instead, the graphics for video are garbage, and the speakers sound like they were pulled out of a singing birthday card. I figured I can at least use it to go through my photos, typing, and general browsing, but file transfers don't even work the same anymore. There's no "move" from here to there option, and it gets angry dragging them around, refusing to do so in some instances.

I got back into playing minecraft for a bit and it handled that fine, but thats not asking a lot.

[housepen 9]

9 minutes ago, Luna the Great of all the Russias said:

In defense of e-readers, many of them do use E-Ink instead of a backlit screen; it really is as though you are reading paper. E-readers are more convenient than book at least in the sense that you can carry virtually unlimited books within one device. However, my preference for physical books is based on them being, well, physical. As many things are becoming digitized, it is nice to have some things that exist in their non-digitized format, particularly when many aspects of a book inherently cannot be translated into a digital format (e.g. there is no digital equivalent of a leatherbound book with thick gilded pages and "old paper smell"). A point I made numerous times before is that it is much nicer to see bookcases full of books instead of merely a list of books that you own: much nicer to glide the hand across the book spines than scrolling through the list of books that you own digitally (similar idea can also apply to music, games, etc.).

Physical books are great but there's nothing more convenient for reading while traveling than an e-reader. You can turn the brightness down all the way on some so that there's no light coming from them at all, makes them feel more paper-ish sometimes.

As for older tech I really like those old mobile phones from the 90s to the 00s, modern phones might be more convenient but they don't have the variety they used to have. I'd take a green horizontal brick-shaped slide phone over a modern cell phone if it could be used nowadays. I guess the button thing applies here too.

[A mysterious air dancer 4,227]

Printers are the only real thing I can say are DEFINITELY better the older you go. From what I can tell, only 2 companies are somewhat good to buy from still. The rest will charge you a subscription to print stuff and use ink and toner, and it has to be THEIR ink and toner, which cannot be an already-used product since it would make it not work on purpose. That's not even getting into how easy they break and how difficult they are to repair. I feel sorry for the people who have to design and manufacture these things because I know it's not their best work. They're told to make it this way or they'll get fired.

There is something common though regardless of the tech being talked about. It's the forcing of subscriptions and other unnecessary tech to make something "work" like DRM or "always-online features." It's an excuse to make quick additional money and leads into a bigger problem concerning how businesses are ran from executive positions.

 

 

11 hours ago, KPackratt said:

Gaming was also much simpler in the past. Just plug in your console, put a cartridge/disc in, turn it on, then play. With today's video game systems, you have to register for online services and be subject to their restrictions (for example: not being able to transfer your saves to a new console unless you purchase a subscription to their online service), there's also the concern of online DRM, which can prevent you from playing your games in the event of an internet outage.

To be fair, it was a bit different for PC. A lot of PC games had that stupid DRM like StarForce which is an awful thing to add to anything (not like similar DRM is added today like Denuvo).  If you own a disc of an older game and still own an optical drive on a PC and try to play it now, chances are it will have a DRM on it and it will not like playing with modern OS's. It's easy to blame the OS, but you can find posts online about it breaking something in one way or another on Windows XP and 7 when those were still the latest and greatest from Microsoft. It's no wonder people were cracking and pirating games just to get around that DRM so they could still use their PC.

I'm pretty sure there's a tool made by the people that made StarForce to REMOVE StarForce drivers that broke stuff since it's that bad. LUCKILY.... places like GOG will legally sell the games but without the DRM and a few additional fixes, so you can plug and play that way. Just save the installers of games you like on something like a flash drive or any other preferred storage device and you're set!

As for console gaming, it works until it physically doesn't. Yes you can replace the parts but there's a diminishing amount of original, proprietary working physical hardware kicking around. Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, Sega, and whoever else don't make old gen consoles and their components anymore. The average consumer also didn't take care of their hardware, so lifespan on components can be up in the air. They're gonna go up in price over time (how fast depends on nostalgia and other external factors like financial speculation). Same with the game discs, they don't make those anymore either. There are some people who are making good replicas or modern replacements though, so that's good. Regardless, take care of your stuff as much as you can!

This isn't even getting into the multiplayer side of things with services like Game Spy. When that shut down, that HURT a lot for the multiplayer gamers. So many games relied on those servers for multiplayer. I think since then, a lot of companies moved to their own proprietary solutions which is even worse, but it's still bad to rely solely on one service for multiplayer and expect it to live long when it gets exchanged between other companies, especially ones that are competing with other companies that use that service.

[Ocarina_Lullaby 23]

bluetooth is a big one for me. I find it more of a hassle than a simple cord. My connection is usually disrupted by another device, never seems to sync, etc. In this instance I'm thinking about headphones. I've used AirPods before which are nice, but the cord feels 'safe' to me, I dunno why. 

[Iforgotmybrain 5,362]

Cars. They all look the same now. No personality, boring colors. Filled with smartphone features and touch screens that make them a pain to mess with while driving. And with soooo many sensors and pointless electronics that just end up being extra points of failure. Like, do we really need braking and steering to be controlled by wire instead of a physical connection? No.

Not to mention they all have CVTs now, which, even the most reliable ones won’t last as long as a manual transmission or a good automatic transmission.

That’s not even getting into the privacy issues that come with modern cars being tracked 24/7 by the manufactures.

Modern cars are a lot safer I will say. That’s the main thing they have going for them for sure. Makes me wish we could get a simple, dumb car with modern safety features for car boomers like me.

[Denim&Venöm 18,579]

Oh quite a bit. I purposely went with a QWERTY phone over a new touchscreen. I prefer driving my dads old crossover to my new-ish car just because it has a radio with buttons and not a touchscreen. I did the aesthetics of computers and phones from 20-30 years ago. Because at least those had aesthetics and weren't just shiny and minimalist. I still use a CD player, but out of necessity. Media player doesn't work like it used to and it makes a good back up for when your blu-tooth speaker refuses to hold a charge. I also collect cassettes. I can download music now, so other than as a back up, why own CDs? Cassettes are more durable and sound better. 

We're even getting a resurgence of interest from younger gens for older games and consoles. Easier to pick up and play. More style and imagination. The games are actually finished and they have no strings attached. They do what games today won't. Distance themselves from reality for a bit. 

[Tao 7,459]

Books:   I love me a good book and also with already printed books about history,  you can't edit it like you can wiki to make things what you think history can be.

Older Gaming: I do like my Switch Lite.   Yet I also love my older gaming machines like my ps3, ps3 and my 3DS.   Its like now a days you need the net to even enjoy the games  for download and etc.   Personally, I'm also very much a solo gamer and don't need MMOs.  

Camping:  All I need is a good fire, a tent and some simple food.   I tend to leave most of my tech behind and just bring books and a battery radio for music when camping.   I rustic if more anything due to everyone needing like RV'S these days and a hook-up.  (Also I will have my cell on me for case something does happen)

 

[Dreambiscuit 9,575]

Honestly I like all old technology compared to new stuff. Everything now, from toasters to cars have some dang computer chip in them. They don't make anything better, just more prone to malfunction. And now that everything has to rely on constant updates, everything will become obsolete by design long before their components should expire, just so companies can sell another version of the same thing with the features rearranged so as to look 'new'. 

Nothing works anymore. My old TV that I got when I was 9 years old still works today. It may be small and B&W but it works just fine. My new smart TVs can't make that claim. 

I also prefer anything with physical switches and knobs over anything with a touch screen. Touch screens are touchy (no pun intended) and are never as responsive as a physical switch. And don't even get me started on apps and how badly they all work. 

Give me old tech or no tech at all. 

[EpicEnergy 23,139]

Old technology is usually better than new technology when it comes to durability and repairability. New tech these days are not made to be opened up like the old tech could, and things like computerized cars are too difficult to repair without taking them to the dealership. You used to be able to open up consoles to repair them but now with the new ones I guess once it stops working, you just trash it.

[Samurai Equine 50,805]

For clarification, I don't miss old internet connections. I grew up with dial-up. That was slow and pathetic. I like the modern internet speeds we have now, and I'm an American saying that.

What I actually find annoying is the hardware needed to connect to the internet. Seems like you always need some kind of bulky modem and/or bulky router. Why is it that the DSL era of internet had smaller, space-saving devices? I don't even remember having a modem that required desk space back in the dial-up days.
And on top of all that, everything is REALLY pushing for wireless connections whenever possible. Is it so wrong to get a dependable, wired connection? I had way less headaches with a wired connection. Save the wireless for the mobile devices; I'm a desktop computer user!

And while I am happy to listen to music via the internet, there is something irreplacable about listening to CD's. The joy of opening the liner booklets, getting extras you weren't expecting, learning more about the music or the band, all the various photos and artwork, and savoring the entire collection of songs. Does anyone even listen to a full album worth of songs anymore? In fact, because of the early days of CD's, you never knew when an audio CD might also double as a CD-ROM with data on it. Likewise, you never knew when a PC game disc might have audio tracks you can enjoy on a regular audio CD player.

[ZiggWheelsManning 9,763]

CD-ROM computer games rule @Samurai Equine!  You have a collection of them?  

[Samurai Equine 50,805]

6 hours ago, ZiggWheelsManning said:

CD-ROM computer games rule @Samurai Equine!  You have a collection of them?  

Actually, I do! I've kept most of my CD-Roms from the late 90's and early 2000's! ...Not sure what I am going to do with them since they are mostly outdated and better ports have been released for most of them, but I still have them. 

In fact, growing up with games and software from that era, it really made me appreciate software that runs smoothly on just about any version of Windows without needing any additional software, drivers, or without the risk of making your computer crash. 

[Pentium100 2,115]

I use old technology a lot. My main car was made in 1982 and when I listen to music, most of the time it's from a reel-to-reel tape (when I'm at home) or a cassette (when I'm not). I dislike modern smartphones. I still sometimes record stuff to a video tape.

Older stuff is, for me, more convenient to use and easier to repair and keep going. Not everything, of course, but a lot. 

Speaking about computers, I have some old PCs for playing older games (a 486 with DOS, another PC with Windows 98 and XP).

I even prefer incandescent lightbulbs.

[Sir Hugsalot 9,190]

Since the Internet falls within "technology" I may have few cents to say on that:

• old web design often is significantly better, because less space was dedicated for ads. I feel like more and more websites, especially ones related to news get completely overloaded with these, often leading to ads glitching out of their space and covering parts of text. Also recently yet another idea appears to have surfaced - when one presses "back" from news article with intention of returning to for example Google (where one was before going DIRECTLY into the article) the website instead loads its main page, barraging user with more ads and of course demanding one more button press to return to google. 
• search algorithms and recommendations - more often than not they just push me down a bubble of repeating videos, effectively cutting me from new, potentially fun content. Additionally especially YouTube search these days is an absolute joke to me, at times leaving me with impression that it pays no attention to what I am actually trying to find. 

I feel like Internet is rushing hard towards wild monetization and escapes comfort of its users. Often I end up browsing only closed groups or reddit, because other places in it are just too difficult to deal with. It shouldn't be like this. 

There was already "ad insanity" in the past, at least in Poland. Back then ads were downright predatory, often purposefuly blocking the website, having no "close" button or having a "close button" deeply hidden if not actively fleeing attempts to be pressed (yes, THESE EXISTED). I don't want something comparable to that to return.

[Silly Druid 6,850]

Believe me or not, but I'm still using a TV made in the 80s.

[Sir Hugsalot 9,190]

3 minutes ago, Silly Druid said:

Believe me or not, but I'm still using a TV made in the 80s.

Hey, I sometimes would love to use one for old times sake. These things likely have way worse sound compared to TVs today and of course they're all big and clunky with small screen, but they had certain touch in them that makes them a fond memory of my childhood 

[Castle Bleck 19,318]

On 2024-04-09 at 10:43 PM, Luna the Great of all the Russias said:

For myself, I find that touch interfaces are excessively used. Of course, they are sensible for things like tablets, but buttons are far less prone to be finicky. Particularly for devices that do not use a screen of some sort, I would prefer buttons, dials, or any other physical controller to be used instead of using touch sensors, gestures, etc. whenever possible.

Agreed. Plus, flip phones vs. modern smartphones.