The Evil That Are Wires - old vs new technology

[mongers]

What's so bad about wires, the trend now seems to be wireless almost everywhere ?

From my own point of view, this largely adds another layer of complexity that I'm unlikely to use, so a wireless computer printer is lost on the likes of me.

This made me think about ones use of new vs more mature/obsolete technology, so a few questions:

When did you last use a 'regular' land-line telephone ?

How many time/how often have you used a cellphone/mobile ?


When was the last time you used a fax machine or sent a fax ?

When did you last use a manual or stand alone electronic typewriter ?

Do you still use a film camera, if not when was the last time you had a film processed ?

When did you last print photos on a pc linked printer ?

Do you watch 'terrestrial' television, if not when did you move to cable/digital/on-line viewing ?

Do you own and actively use any form of FM/AM radio ?

If you drive, when was the last time you regularly used a car without electronic engine management ie a regular 'analogue' ignition system like carbs that you could possible maintain/repair yourself ?

When was the last time you played a vinyl record or used a cassette player ?

When did you last play a team sport vs playing a sports game on a console/pc ?

[Berkut]

What's so bad about wires, the trend now seems to be wireless almost everywhere ?

They are a pain in the ass, and limit your ability to connect things to a physical medium. That being said, sometimes they are still better than the alternative.

From my own point of view, this largely adds another layer of complexity that I'm unlikely to use, so a wireless computer printer is lost on the likes of me.

This made me think about ones use of new vs more mature/obsolete technology, so a few questions:

When did you last use a 'regular' land-line telephone ?

Today.

How many time/how often have you used a cellphone/mobile ?

Constantly.

When was the last time you used a fax machine or sent a fax ?

Several years.

When did you last use a manual or stand alone electronic typewriter ?

Decades.

Do you still use a film camera, if not when was the last time you had a film processed ?

No. A decade, maybe more.

When did you last print photos on a pc linked printer ?

Never.

Do you watch 'terrestrial' television, if not when did you move to cable/digital/on-line viewing ?

I bounce between cable and dish every few years.

Do you own and actively use any form of FM/AM radio ?

Only in my car.

If you drive, when was the last time you regularly used a car without electronic engine management ie a regular 'analogue' ignition system like carbs that you could possible maintain/repair yourself ?

I don't know, I try not to open the hood if I can avoid it.

When was the last time you played a vinyl record or used a cassette player ?

20 years?

When did you last play a team sport vs playing a sports game on a console/pc ?

Last year, hurt my back playing basketball, haven't played since.

[mongers]

Berkut, thanks for the reply, I hadn't expect answers to all questions, in retrospect it looks like I constructed a survey.

Really I'm more interesting in peoples musings on the part modern technology plays in their lives. 

[HVC]

Wireless is more convenient (and no tangles). Don't fear progress mongers, it leads to grey hairs.

[Darth Wagtaros]

I fax something once a month or so. 

We have a land line. 
I use a PC linked printer fairly frequently.

Wireless has some security problems, but it is much easier to use the multitude of devices floating around without running wires all ovr the place.

[dps]

When did you last use a 'regular' land-line telephone ?

I use one at work all the time.  Well, actually, I don't have to use the phone at work all that often, but it is a land-line, and I have to use it a few times a week.

How many time/how often have you used a cellphone/mobile ?

Several times a day.

When was the last time you used a fax machine or sent a fax ?

3 or 4 years ago.

When did you last use a manual or stand alone electronic typewriter ?

Stand-alone electric, maybe 10 years ago.  Manual, probably 25 years ago.

Do you still use a film camera, if not when was the last time you had a film processed ?

Yes, though I almost never actually take any pictures (never have done so).

When did you last print photos on a pc linked printer ?

Photos, as opposed to documents?  Don't think I've ever printed out any.

Do you watch 'terrestrial' television, if not when did you move to cable/digital/on-line viewing ?

I've never not had cable or satelite since I left home.  I think the last year that I lived at home and we didn't have cable was maybe 1973 or so.

Do you own and actively use any form of FM/AM radio ?

Yes. 

If you drive, when was the last time you regularly used a car without electronic engine management ie a regular 'analogue' ignition system like carbs that you could possible maintain/repair yourself ?

When I blew the engine on my '76 Plymouth, so about 1993.

When was the last time you played a vinyl record or used a cassette player ?

Vinyl, about a year (the turntable died and I haven't gotten around to replacing it yet, or I'd still be using it regularly.  Maybe someone will take a hint and I'll get a new turntable for Christmas).  Cassettes I still use occasionally.

When did you last play a team sport vs playing a sports game on a console/pc ?

Kicked around a soccer ball with family this summer, though I couldn't really say we actually played a match or anything.  I've never really played in any organized league except for church-league softball in the early-mid 80s.

[DGuller]

What's so bad about wires, the trend now seems to be wireless almost everywhere ?

They're of limited length (usually about a foot too short).  They limit the number of ways you can lay out all the peripherals that need to be connected.  They become a tangled mess when you use enough of them in the same space.  They can be tripped over.

[Razgovory]

I'm fairly old fashioned it seems.

[CountDeMoney]

When did you last use a 'regular' land-line telephone ?

Today.

How many time/how often have you used a cellphone/mobile ?

Every day.

When was the last time you used a fax machine or sent a fax ?

18 months ago, when I had one in my office when I had an office when I had a job.

When did you last use a manual or stand alone electronic typewriter ?

This week.

Do you still use a film camera, if not when was the last time you had a film processed ?

Yes, I have a 35mm Nikon, but haven't had film developed for it in about a year.

When did you last print photos on a pc linked printer ?

I don't think I have.

Do you watch 'terrestrial' television, if not when did you move to cable/digital/on-line viewing ?

I used all forms of television technology to supplement each other in the glorious cornucopia of modern viewing options.

Do you own and actively use any form of FM/AM radio ?

Of course, my AM/FM clock radio with optional iPod player, or in my car.  How the hell else am I going to listen to the nitwits on sports talk radio bitch, or for traffic in the AM?

If you drive, when was the last time you regularly used a car without electronic engine management ie a regular 'analogue' ignition system like carbs that you could possible maintain/repair yourself ?

Not since my '74 Monte Carlo, which died in Luray, Virginia, May of 1992.  I miss her dearly.   But one day I will get a classic car, come hell or high water.  I'm a little behind schedule, but that's why I had skipped the whole wife and kids bit in the first place.

When was the last time you played a vinyl record or used a cassette player ?

Vinyl, a couple weeks ago;  a cassette player, I have a couple different models, both regular and micro, but haven't used them in a while.

When did you last play a team sport vs playing a sports game on a console/pc ?

Back when I was young enough to do it, Mongers.  My knees are 43 years old too, you know.  Silly question.

[11B4V]

What's so bad about wires, the trend now seems to be wireless almost everywhere ? Nothing

When did you last use a 'regular' land-line telephone ? Daily. If I could I would get a rotary phone for the house.

How many time/how often have you used a cellphone/mobile ? Only at work

When was the last time you used a fax machine or sent a fax ? Today

When did you last use a manual or stand alone electronic typewriter ? Long time

Do you still use a film camera, if not when was the last time you had a film processed ? No

When did you last print photos on a pc linked printer ? Never

Do you watch 'terrestrial' television, if not when did you move to cable/digital/on-line viewing ? What?

Do you own and actively use any form of FM/AM radio ? Yes

If you drive, when was the last time you regularly used a car without electronic engine management ie a regular 'analogue' ignition system like carbs that you could
possible maintain/repair yourself ? I own two

When was the last time you played a vinyl record or used a cassette player ? Long time

When did you last play a team sport vs playing a sports game on a console/pc ?

I dont play gay "team sports console/pc games.

There is a lot of team sports at my job.   

[Caliga]

When did you last use a 'regular' land-line telephone ?

Last Tuesday night.  That was probably the first time in years though.

How many time/how often have you used a cellphone/mobile ?

Constantly.

When was the last time you used a fax machine or sent a fax ?

c. 2008.  I do scan documents and email them to myself using an office fax fairly often however.

When did you last use a manual or stand alone electronic typewriter ?

c. 1992

Do you still use a film camera, if not when was the last time you had a film processed ?

No.  c. 1990.

When did you last print photos on a pc linked printer ?

About 6 months ago.

Do you watch 'terrestrial' television, if not when did you move to cable/digital/on-line viewing ?

No.  I don't watch TV at all unless you could clips on YouTube.

Do you own and actively use any form of FM/AM radio ?

In my car, but I mostly listen to satellite radio in the car.

If you drive, when was the last time you regularly used a car without electronic engine management ie a regular 'analogue' ignition system like carbs that you could possible maintain/repair yourself ?

No clue.  Definitely not since 2008.

When was the last time you played a vinyl record or used a cassette player ?

Vinyl has probably not been since the mid 1980s.  My old car had a cassette player I used on occasion... ditched it in 2008.

When did you last play a team sport vs playing a sports game on a console/pc ?

I'm not a "team player".    Probably not since high school.  Not a huge fan of sports video games, either.  Last one I played might have been Joe Montana Football for the Genesis.  "It's beginning to... rain.  It's beginning to... snow."

[Barrister]

Not going to answer them all... just the ones that amuse me.

Faxing is weirdly prevalent in the lawyering business.  So I send and receive faxes all the time.  The weird thing is that on our end the faxes don't get printed - rather they are converted into PDFs and sent to my email.

As for team sport - I curl every week.

[Josquius]

Faxes are used a shit-tonne in Japan

[Ed Anger]

I still have my old cassettes. Won't throw them away either.

[Admiral Yi]

Word processing is an unambiguous improvement over using a typewriter.