Luddite Airhead Yanked Screaming

[montmil]

I like new things. Especially when they get old.

2016 has been the year that I have been dragged outta my embraced prehistoric technology and actually forced to join the 21st century. The upgrades were not of my doing. I blame my wife and daughter-in-law. Plus the tech industry.

Computers: A love/hate relationship.

My Mac compuKer was the last model to utilize a CRT screen. A chunky monkey it was. Upgraded many years ago as far as it would go but still a moped in a super bike world.
   Our daughter-in-law is a hot shot something or other with the Apple mothership in Austin, Texas. She decided what I needed so I now have this honking' big flat screen, all wireless stuff, Wi-Fi and more memory and programs than I'll ever need. Tossed in a loaded Mac iPad plus some other stuff I've yet to figure out. Yes, I got the bill for all of it, too.

Cell Phones: All I need is something that will send and receive messages. But, no...

We get a letter that says our provider will no longer support my classic and rather vintage flip-phone. It usually resides in my sock drawer only to be removed when wifey demands I take it with me on extended motorcycle outings. Letter states that they will give me a new phone for free. Just come in and pick it up. OK, free is a good thing. Figuring out how the sumbitch works is another story. Right now, it's in my sock drawer where the two tin cans on a string used to reside.

Motorcycle stuff: The latest and greatest new electronic thang is a pair of Sena intercoms for our helmets. Another Wifey idea.

Now, I get driving instructions from the pillion seat! "Let's stop for a few minutes. I need to pee. When will we get there..." Chit chat, Bluetooth -whatever that is- phone, music, etc. I'm reminded of why I began riding over fifty years ago; the joy of being alone on the road and alone with my thoughts.

Who knows what's next for me. I do know that I'll be at Happy Hour early this afternoon.

[Bob_Roller]

I'm guilty as charged as well !!!!

I got my first computer in 2000, had to replace it in April 2014, it had Windows 96 and could not be upgraded to 7 or 10 .

My 16 year old CRT monitor died in June this year, finally got an LCD monitor .

Finally got talked into getting a cell phone, phone was $20 and was put on a friends account, for $10 a month, I've had it two years and I think I've made one call so far .

I need to remember to put it on charge every 2-3 weeks, or the battery gets low .

Every vehicle I have, has a manual transmission .

I've got an 18 year old CRT television, it's a SONY, I don't think it will ever quit !!

Never used an ATM at a bank or anywhere else .

And I still use cash 95% of the time .

I've had two credit cards closed by the issuing bank due to inactivity for 29 years .

[wilcom]

Never used an ATM at a bank or anywhere else .

And I still use cash 95% of the time .

I've had two credit cards closed by the issuing bank due to inactivity for 29 years .
 

Bob , I used to think I was a dinasour, but compared to you, I'm leading edge stuff LOL

[Bob_Roller]

I am LOW TECH man !!!! 8-)

I don't follow the crowd !!!

[Tony Smith]

Well you luddites!

I have a pay tag glued to my phone battery which means I rarely need cash. My Motorcycle may be "old school" but that's where my belief in "old school" ends. I wear a "modern as tomorrow" Nolan helmet with inner "vision Protection System" (fancy name for an inner dark smoke visor so I don't need to wear sunglasses. My "modern as tomorrow" helmet is fitted with an N-Com communications suite - it integrates with my Android phone, I can make and receive calls, get GPS directions and sundry other stuff all by voice command (good stuff this Android V.6). But wait there is more. I also carry a tiny little ONN bluetooth music player which also connects to the helmet via A2DP protocol - with my old helmet I used to have a pair of bluetooth enabled gloves to handle fast forward, forward, back, skip, pause, stop/start etc, but the N-com handles this with 3 buttons on the helmet so the gloves, which were never all that successful sadly, were pensioned off.


There is something about good music, good roads that really lifts the mood.

[skippyc]

In my work i started out with manual exchanges and BPO step by step switches. Then we went to electro mechanical cross-bar which was semi intelligent, then on to digital equipment which ended my working days with telstra. digital was to reliable and easy to upgrade.
Mobile phones went from analog to pcm to digital.  
Once I knew how things worked now I have little idea.
I like the digital age for convenience, can't live without the mobile as without it you can't communicate with the young. But old bikes are more fun and i can understand how they work.

[Tony Smith]

In my work i started out with manual exchanges and BPO step by step switches. Then we went to electro mechanical cross-bar which was semi intelligent, then on to digital equipment which ended my working days with telstra. digital was to reliable and easy to upgrade.
Mobile phones went from analog to pcm to digital.  
Once I knew how things worked now I have little idea.
I like the digital age for convenience, can't live without the mobile as without it you can't communicate with the young. But old bikes are more fun and i can understand how they work.

You would relate well to a friend of mine in Townsville, he is a couple of years older then me and worked for PMG, Telecom, Telstra man and boy. Started like you on step-by-step then to crossbar and finally to digital. For many years he worked out of the largest exchange in Townsville (and one of the larger one anywhere) Two stories of rack upon rack of equipment with periodic "erlang" meters (never did find out what they were). At the deathknock of his career i went back to that exchange with him - the two stories of exchange equipment were gone and had been replaced by a temperature controlled cabinet about the size of two old type telephone kiosks - that did everything (and more) that the old crossbar exchange did.

[wilcom]

BPO step by step switches.

Aww Skippy.... you bring back memories. After 30 years with the phone company I'll never forget the sound of a step office, click , ratchet, sputter, chunk. I even went and found a few switches that I could listen to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcFpaI1Y_SE

[skippyc]

Hi Wilcom I still use the resid adjusting tube spanner on my BSA B50 to adjust the timing. I have also found a few bolts and screws of the step equipment that work on the B50 aswell.
I like the YouTube clip.