21st Century Buggy Whips

TangoWhiskey said:
Reminds me of the time I bought a $600 MSRP audio tuner / amp for the home theatre system, brand new, for $25 off the "it doesn't work, sold as-is" shelf at the local electronics store.

Brought it home, opened it up, and found that they'd forgotten to insert the 15A main in-line fuse at the factory. It wasn't burnt out, it wasn't THERE. Quick trip to Radio Shack, and voila!! Talk about SCORE!
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When my wife worked in a bank she brought home a dead calculator. This was when desk-model electronic calculators were really expensive--about a month's pay for a bank teller, IIRC. These things had a one-amp fuse in the 117VAC line to the transformer, soldered to the board, and the fuse was burnt. Replaced it, sent it back with her, and scored some brownie points.

She said there were guys working at the bank who couldn't change a light bulb. I fear that there are a lot more of those now.

One of the bestselling books these days: "The Dangerous Book for Boys." Shows you how to make a campfire and other neat stuff. There's a real yearning among men of all ages for man stuff. Most have been feminized by the school systems, where the teachers and insurance companies prohibit anything rough in the playground.

Dan
 
Has anyone mentioned fax machines?

It hasn't happened yet, but they'll eventually go the way of the dodo - scanned documents and e-mail will eventually replace them. Even now, I rarely use our fax machine - to the point that I can never remember whether the document goes through the feeder top or bottom first.
 
kgruber said:
Flight service station

Happy looking airline pilot

A 4 pack of cigarettes with your airline lunch

Airline lunch

Stewardess

Gum handed out upon descent
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In-flight passenger visits to the cockpit of an airliner.
 
Obi Heed Kenobi said:
Has anyone mentioned fax machines?

It hasn't happened yet, but they'll eventually go the way of the dodo - scanned documents and e-mail will eventually replace them. Even now, I rarely use our fax machine - to the point that I can never remember whether the document goes through the feeder top or bottom first.
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Trust me, I'm still waiting for that day. Of course if you setup a fax machine with an email account it'd end up spewing out spam all day long. We still get about five junk faxes per day as it is.
 
Obi Heed Kenobi said:
Has anyone mentioned fax machines?

It hasn't happened yet, but they'll eventually go the way of the dodo - scanned documents and e-mail will eventually replace them. Even now, I rarely use our fax machine - to the point that I can never remember whether the document goes through the feeder top or bottom first.
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Unless your fax machine is more than 15 years old, there should be a legend on the surface of the sheet feeder showing which way the original sheets should lie.
 
Obi Heed Kenobi said:
Has anyone mentioned fax machines?

It hasn't happened yet, but they'll eventually go the way of the dodo - scanned documents and e-mail will eventually replace them. Even now, I rarely use our fax machine - to the point that I can never remember whether the document goes through the feeder top or bottom first.
Click to expand...

I've found a recent increase in my use of fax machines, but maybe it's because of the kind of work I've been doing. It seems that a lot of documents have required me to sign and fax them, if not mail, and a scanned copy wouldn't suffice. Probably use it a couple times a month.

Interestingly, most of those were legal documents, but you're the lawyer. :)
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I've found a recent increase in my use of fax machines, but maybe it's because of the kind of work I've been doing. It seems that a lot of documents have required me to sign and fax them, if not mail, and a scanned copy wouldn't suffice. Probably use it a couple times a month.

Interestingly, most of those were legal documents, but you're the lawyer. :)
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Before the company I worked for officially implemented an electronic time reporting system, I used to submit my "timecards" electronically, complete with a pasted image of my signature. I've often wished I had software that would allow me to do the same with an emailed PDF and return the signed version without ever wasting the paper needed to print it out, not to mention the effort of scanning the signed form back in.
 
gismo said:
Before the company I worked for officially implemented an electronic time reporting system, I used to submit my "timecards" electronically, complete with a pasted image of my signature. I've often wished I had software that would allow me to do the same with an emailed PDF and return the signed version without ever wasting the paper needed to print it out, not to mention the effort of scanning the signed form back in.
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You can use this:
http://www.convertpdftoword.net/Default.aspx
to convert pdf to word.

I have then "signed" in "paint" in blue ink and pasted it back, converted back to pdf and send.
 
kgruber said:
You can use this:
http://www.convertpdftoword.net/Default.aspx
to convert pdf to word.

I have then "signed" in "paint" in blue ink and pasted it back, converted back to pdf and send.
Click to expand...

I'll give that at try. It sounds more involved than what I really wanted which was a way to "point and click" my sig into a pdf without any conversions. At least it would eliminate the destruction of trees, wasting of toner, and time for scanning.
 
Tom-D said:
Heath kits.

When was the last time you made your own TV?

sextons,

When was the last time you shot a star?
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I built a Heathkit TV in 1975.

gismo said:
For the most part (there were exceptions) Heathkits were some of the most poorly designed bits of electronics ever conceived. I put several together and speak from experience.
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Well, I don't know about that. I've got Heathkits I built nearly 40 years ago that still work fine. The TV above isn't one of them, however.

Danos said:
Record stores, video rental stores, and erectile disfunction. I hope they find something for the prostate exam before I hit 40.
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Get your PSA checked every year and follow your doctor's advice. Save you life, it can. BTDT.
 
gismo said:
I'll give that at try. It sounds more involved than what I really wanted which was a way to "point and click" my sig into a pdf without any conversions. At least it would eliminate the destruction of trees, wasting of toner, and time for scanning.
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If you have Adobe Acrobat Professional, you can do this easily... there is a "pen" signature tool on the toolbar. When you apply your graphical digital signature, you draw a box where you want the signature to appear in the document. Not only does it apply your signature, along with the certificate details, but it hashes the document and will alert to future readers (with a green check mark or a red 'x') if the document has been been tampered with since you signed it.

Search Adobe's help for "Digital Signatures", under "Create the signature appearance"; the process below only has to be done once... after that, you can apply your digital signature in seconds by drawing a box where you want the signature to be placed in the document.

If you want to include an image of your handwritten signature in the digital signature, scan your signature and save it as an image file. Place the image in a document by itself, and convert the document to PDF.

Choose Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Acrobat (Mac OS) > Preferences, select Security on the left, and then click New to create a new signature appearance.

In the Configure Signature Appearance dialog box, type a title for the signature appearance. When you sign a document, you select the signature appearance by its title, so use a short, descriptive title.

For Configure Graphic, choose an option: <select "Imported Graphic" and browse to the image of your handwritten signature>
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Obi Heed Kenobi said:
Has anyone mentioned fax machines?

It hasn't happened yet, but they'll eventually go the way of the dodo - scanned documents and e-mail will eventually replace them. Even now, I rarely use our fax machine - to the point that I can never remember whether the document goes through the feeder top or bottom first.
Click to expand...

Interesting, David. While I send/receive faxes regularly, they all go/come from my laptop using an air card and a fax program. Go figure. :)
 
Those in the car biz may recall the "lick and stick" punch time - time cards. Electronic time stamps have all but done away with them.
 
>She said there were guys working at the bank who couldn't change a light bulb. I fear that there are a lot more of those now.

with the new LED bulbs, maybe changing a light bulb will become
a lost skill...
 
Bob Noel said:
>She said there were guys working at the bank who couldn't change a light bulb. I fear that there are a lot more of those now.

with the new LED bulbs, maybe changing a light bulb will become
a lost skill...
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We heard from Henning earlier this year that he was having trouble doing exactly that!! :D
 
Flash Cubes
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Ted DuPuis said:
I've found a recent increase in my use of fax machines, but maybe it's because of the kind of work I've been doing. It seems that a lot of documents have required me to sign and fax them, if not mail, and a scanned copy wouldn't suffice. Probably use it a couple times a month.

Interestingly, most of those were legal documents, but you're the lawyer. :)
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I guess I should have put a "*" next to my post. Colorado is a little ahead of the curve when it comes to electronic documents. Most court business here is conducted electronically (as in, your pleadings are uploaded to a court server, that can then be accessed via interweb).

As to "legal documents," nearly everything can be signed electronically here now. As in, putting my initials at the bottom of an e-mail can count as a "signature." Even deeds for real property can be signed electronically, but it's not done in practice, because recording with the county clerk hasn't caught up yet - and, I think most people like to have a signed "paper deed," just because.

Granted, other states have the same thing - but it just seems like Colorado has pushed it a little bit more. Durned urban hipsters and their lobbying. :)

So, in another 50 years, I don't think we'll hear much about fax machines, in the same way that we don't hear much about typewriters now - it's just one of those things that once taken for granted that will, someday, go by the wayside.

Much to the regret of Office Space fans everywhere, of course. :)
 
kevin47881 said:
Interesting, David. While I send/receive faxes regularly, they all go/come from my laptop using an air card and a fax program. Go figure. :)
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I always knew it could be done - but I've never done it! It's just easier, for me at least, to send an e-mail with an attachment, either scanned or "electronically signed." :)
 
Flash cubes -- good one.

Can you even find them any more?????
 
How about a Compuserve address? (71334,576)

Modems with the telephone handset adapter?
 
flyersfan31 said:
Flash cubes -- good one.

Can you even find them any more?????
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Not that I know of, sadly. Magicubes were fun to play with. The little fulminated primer and shredded foil had some fun alternative uses that could make for much bigger flashes than the original cube...


Trapper John
 
Lunch boxes. Now all the kids eat at school or have cordura nylon lunch "boxes."
 
Trapper John said:
Not that I know of, sadly. Magicubes were fun to play with. The little fulminated primer and shredded foil had some fun alternative uses that could make for much bigger flashes than the original cube...


Trapper John
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But you have to be real careful disassembling those old cubes. I burnt my fingers pretty good when I had one co off in my hand. :mad2:
 
Matthew said:
CPM!!
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My dad bought a CP/M computer with the mammoth 8" (or whatever it was) dual floppy drive for our home computer. All we could do was play a primitive tic/tac/toe game and attempt to use WordStar. Mom was, shall we say, less than impressed.
 
Trapper John said:
LOL, wasn't it the TRS80 that used a cassette recorder for program storage/retrieval?


Trapper John
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Yeah, but I think a couple of other systems used the casette tape recorder for that, too. The Trash-80 I used had the old modem and a new-fangled 8" floppy.

I used a couple CP/M systems, too. Ah, the good old days.

Kids these days, they have all those internets and things. Back then, we had Pong, and we LIKED it!
 
Matthew said:
Yeah, but I think a couple of other systems used the casette tape recorder for that, too. The Trash-80 I used had the old modem and a new-fangled 8" floppy.

I used a couple CP/M systems, too. Ah, the good old days.

Kids these days, they have all those internets and things. Back then, we had Pong, and we LIKED it!
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I'm pretty sure the Coleco Adam used a cassette tape, as well. Probably some others, too, but I forget.

-Rich
 
RJM62 said:
I'm pretty sure the Coleco Adam used a cassette tape, as well. Probably some others, too, but I forget.

-Rich
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Almost all the earliest microcomputers came out with a cassette interface to improve upon having to use TTY paper punched tape or console switches like the original Altair and Imsai. My 1976 SWTPC 6800 system was one of the earliest ones not to have the front panel switches. The TRS-80 was the first mass-produced system.
 
after CP/M we moved up to DR-DOS and then a huge leap to PC-MOS ... boy was THAT fun! (not)
 
Trapper John said:
LOL, wasn't it the TRS80 that used a cassette recorder for program storage/retrieval?


Trapper John
Click to expand...

Matthew said:
Yeah, but I think a couple of other systems used the casette tape recorder for that, too. The Trash-80 I used had the old modem and a new-fangled 8" floppy.

I used a couple CP/M systems, too. Ah, the good old days.

Kids these days, they have all those internets and things. Back then, we had Pong, and we LIKED it!
Click to expand...

RJM62 said:
I'm pretty sure the Coleco Adam used a cassette tape, as well. Probably some others, too, but I forget.

-Rich
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My Commodore 64 started out with a tape drive, too. It's still in a box out in the garage somewhere. Bet it still works, too. :D
 
gkainz said:
after CP/M we moved up to DR-DOS and then a huge leap to PC-MOS ... boy was THAT fun! (not)
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I have in the garage a (working when I last used it) Heath/Zenith Z100.... 5" floppies, CP/M
 
Ghery said:
My Commodore 64 started out with a tape drive, too. It's still in a box out in the garage somewhere. Bet it still works, too. :D
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My pristine condition Apple IIe is one of the extremely few posessions from my past life that I have kept. It's currently sitting 8 feet from me.

Can you say 64K 80 column card? How about super serial card? And 5.25" floppy disks - BTW, all the disks are double punched so I can use the second side for data storage too. pull the disk out, flip it over and reinsert.

300: 60 RTS
 
Obi Heed Kenobi said:
Granted, other states have the same thing - but it just seems like Colorado has pushed it a little bit more. Durned urban hipsters and their lobbying. :)
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You durned kids with your iPhones and your YouTube! NOW GET OFF MY LAWN! ;)

That's intresting that Colorado is ahead of the times on that. I think Pennsylvania has a law that specifically requires us to be behind the times. You know, let the hipsters with YouTube prove it out for a few decades before we risk changing something.

So, in another 50 years, I don't think we'll hear much about fax machines, in the same way that we don't hear much about typewriters now - it's just one of those things that once taken for granted that will, someday, go by the wayside.
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Interestingly, my DE used a typewriter for typing up my three temps (see above for Pennsylvania being required to be behind the times). :)

Much to the regret of Office Space fans everywhere, of course. :)
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Why does it say paper jam when there is no paper jam?!
 
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"Uh, William? I need the TPS Report on my desk an hour early tomorrow, 'k?"

Ironically, they really DO have a daily TPS report here at this client.
 
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