As usual, Dry Bones says it perfectly.
I'm sure we're not the only people who still have
- camera film, though we only shoot digital
- audio cassettes, some of which would probably rip and subsequently ruin a walkman, if we still had a functioning one
- movie film, but no functioning projector and maybe even an old pre-video movie camera
- various size and versions of data storage discs for ancient computers, data no longer accessible
- old computers, printers, screens and keyboards which aren't compatible with today's computers
- data memory keys which no longer reveal the data so carefully saved
- LP records which could be played if we only had functioning record players
- books much, much older than all of the previous items listed, which we can and do still read with the same enjoyment as when they were new
- Please add more in comments
So, honestly, are those electric books really good investments?
16 comments:
LOL Batya.
1. dial-up Internet access instead of DSL, cable or Fios.
2. books, books, and more books! I'll never get a kindle.
3. landline phone instead of cell phone or wireless.
4. An old, old, OLD Brownie movie projector and reels of developed film; projector doesn't work. The Brownie doesn't work so I must rely on shared memories with family and friends.
5. Digital convertor for TV reception, not cable or satellite. Terra earth TV reception for me.
6.Milk in a carton rather than milk in a glass bottle. Nothing beats cold milk in a bottle!
7. Calling a doctor or pharmacy and getting an actual PERSON person not an automated menu and recorded voice.
8. Buying things on lay-a-way instead of borrowing to buy what I can't afford or charging it (parents drilled that into my head).
Back in the 80's, I was at the checkout in a large US supermarket.
At some point, the handheld barcode scanner failed.
The clerk said "Oh, well. Looks like we'll have to do this the old fashioned way."
So she pulled out a calculator from her pocket to complete the bill.
batya, i love this! i will admit that our family has its fair share of gadgets. but there's *nothing* like an old book! incidentally a few months back pre-digital photography came up with my then 5 year old and she seriously thought we were teasing her! there's always a life lesson in there somewhere!
Keli, Shy, MM, and I forgot the old typewriters, gevalt!
Not to mention White Out! How did we ever type without those backspace and delete keys?
FYI and shhhh...I used to get a little buzz from White Out, and rather liked the smell of it.
I think we're all agreed on books. The kindle will never replace it. As my mom always said, books are sacred.
Keli, when I learned touch typing we had to be perfect. No white-out.
Me spoiled. I remember having an electric SCM with some built-in white-out ability.
Essentially, it was a electro-mechanical UNDO feature.
My dear, Shy, no doubt you are much younger than I am. I was taught typing on a giant manual type-writer when electric ones were science-fiction.
No, don't get me wrong. I had fully manual typewriters beforehand. I think I got a Hebrew Olivetti for my Bar Mitzvah.
I was also thrilled when they started selling white out strips instead of liquid.
My point about the SCM is that as advanced as it was for a late generation typewriter, it's a joke of a relic today.
Somewhere in my files, I still have a copy of my typewritten resume I prepared when I made aliyah.
OK, Shy, bottom line: Are you going to invest in electric "books?"
Eventually, but first I'll watch them slug it out.
As it is, I've been referencing thick technical manuals on my computer for years. However, I confess that I will take one off the shelf in preference to reading one on-screen.
But while a Kindle is not a book, a PC is not a Kindle, either. Bookreaders will get better and better on the eyes, hands and intuitive hand moves.
I don't see a solution for ebook Shabbat reading, however.
But for the other 6 days of the week, they're coming to get you! ;)
For me the big turnoff is that you can't pass around the electric books, text. I don't buy books; I share. The electric concept deletes community, and that's the major problem for me besides Shabbat etc.
Shalom!
I learned how to type on a manual typewriter too, about five years before we first tried out the Apple computers in school. We had an electric typewriter but it was in Dad's study and I don't remember anyone else using it. I do remember very well hunting and pecking on the stiff keys before getting out the typing school manual and touch-typing. I agree with Shy Guy. Those White-Out strips were great.
A few years ago one of my friends children found an old record in their house and said, "What a big CD!" Does anyone remember 8-tracks?
How about plug-in alarm clocks - without the alarm-radio function? I set my cell-phone now. It has six alarms with option for automatic snooze - no need to make the effort to press that button.
I've always loved radio alarms and being able to set the radio just to stay on for up to 60 minutes, but my new radio doesn't have that option. I like to fall asleep to the noise.
Shalom!
Falling asleep to clock/radio music! I'd forgotten about that. I liked that too. Shabbat Shalom!
Ahh the good life. Simple pleasures
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