Life before phones and the internet
Discussion
Just been watching sounds of the 80s (Sarah Cox 
) and reminiscing about how great the 80s and the early 90s were. I've always loved the 80s, I was born in 83 and I'd go back and do it all again if I could.
Anyway, it got me wondering if there are any countries without internet or mobiles, but according to Google there are not many places left now.
I vividly recall life pre internet and mobiles, I don't think I got online till 2000ish. Life was so different beforehand, but how did we ever cope?! I work in travel now which is all online. Manifest reporting gets e-mailed over, could you imagine your job or life pre internet?
Guess nostalgia is a sign of getting old
) and reminiscing about how great the 80s and the early 90s were. I've always loved the 80s, I was born in 83 and I'd go back and do it all again if I could.Anyway, it got me wondering if there are any countries without internet or mobiles, but according to Google there are not many places left now.
I vividly recall life pre internet and mobiles, I don't think I got online till 2000ish. Life was so different beforehand, but how did we ever cope?! I work in travel now which is all online. Manifest reporting gets e-mailed over, could you imagine your job or life pre internet?
Guess nostalgia is a sign of getting old
I also remember it and it still makes me feel odd that my daughter will grow up never knowing how that felt.
I remember my science teacher showing us AOL on his laptop on circa 1998 and telling us how important it was that we all understood the internet etc etc. Oh Mr Watters, how right you were!
I remember my science teacher showing us AOL on his laptop on circa 1998 and telling us how important it was that we all understood the internet etc etc. Oh Mr Watters, how right you were!
In the late 80s our biggest customer went bust owing us squillions. I was on holiday in Greece & blissfully unaware until I saw a newspaper at the airport on the way home. I would doubtless have had to come home if they could have got hold of me! 99/100 better communication is great...this is the 1 
Given up my mobile phone, it was just a way for other people to get in contact with me immediately, they can wait and so can I.
Life without the Internet would be difficult, so much is set up for internet living and paying for stuff.
And my sat nav, couldnt manage without that.
Sat Navs have saved more marriages than Relate.
Life without the Internet would be difficult, so much is set up for internet living and paying for stuff.
And my sat nav, couldnt manage without that.
Sat Navs have saved more marriages than Relate.
Nostalgia is definitely not what it used to be.
Mobile phones, fundamentally, are great, allowing us to keep in touch with nearest and dearest, be more prepared in an emergency etc.
The fact they have turned so many people in to zombie screen junkies is an unfortunate biproduct.
The internet, certainly from a personal point of view, has allowed me to expand my knowledge in so many ways, plus it's cost me a lot of money...
Mobile phones, fundamentally, are great, allowing us to keep in touch with nearest and dearest, be more prepared in an emergency etc.
The fact they have turned so many people in to zombie screen junkies is an unfortunate biproduct.
The internet, certainly from a personal point of view, has allowed me to expand my knowledge in so many ways, plus it's cost me a lot of money...
I can remember all of my schoolfriend's phone nos from 30 years ago. I can only do a few of their mobile nos.
Meeting up with people was much more reliable, much less excuse to run late, no hanging round for 'better offers'. No being caught out on Facebook.
Work is a world different. We had walls of supplier catalogues, searching for stuff took many hours. It then took hours to model it on cad. All downloadable in minutes now. Hence companies such as RS were able to charge a lot of money for parts as they saved a lot of time. They have to be much more competitive now.
Every car had an atlas, and a collection of AtoZ's depending on there nearest cities. And a Haynes manual rather than YouTube.
Buying gentleman's literature was a rite of passage
Meeting up with people was much more reliable, much less excuse to run late, no hanging round for 'better offers'. No being caught out on Facebook.
Work is a world different. We had walls of supplier catalogues, searching for stuff took many hours. It then took hours to model it on cad. All downloadable in minutes now. Hence companies such as RS were able to charge a lot of money for parts as they saved a lot of time. They have to be much more competitive now.
Every car had an atlas, and a collection of AtoZ's depending on there nearest cities. And a Haynes manual rather than YouTube.
Buying gentleman's literature was a rite of passage
My dad (born in the 1930s) always used to tell me I didn't know I was born, with my colour TV and commodore 64. Now I tell my two that they don't know they're born with their playstations, tablets, on demand TV, internet etc etc. Now I know that my sons will tell my grand children exactly the same thing, what I'm looking forward to is finding out what my grandkids will have that that will make them "not know they're born"
RTB said:
My dad (born in the 1930s) always used to tell me I didn't know I was born, with my colour TV and commodore 64. Now I tell my two that they don't know they're born with their playstations, tablets, on demand TV, internet etc etc. Now I know that my sons will tell my grand children exactly the same thing, what I'm looking forward to is finding out what my grandkids will have that that will make them "not know they're born"
Don't worry. Your Grandchildren will have an artificial superintelligence to content with. They'll be too busy being hunted by their robot overlords to show off their ITRTB said:
My dad (born in the 1930s) always used to tell me I didn't know I was born, with my colour TV and commodore 64. Now I tell my two that they don't know they're born with their playstations, tablets, on demand TV, internet etc etc. Now I know that my sons will tell my grand children exactly the same thing, what I'm looking forward to is finding out what my grandkids will have that that will make them "not know they're born"
The way this place is going it has to be an EV.I was born in the 60's, tonka toys, action men, riding a Raleigh Chopper in the dark with no lights, jumping ramps on it and breaking it, fixing it with a box spanner and screwdriver, no u tube videos or online help.
One phone in the living room that everyone could listen to what you were saying, no mobiles so you were free as soon as you left the house.
We also had the Yorkshire Ripper, bin men strike and power cuts but had citizen smith as a middle class left wing role model on TV. Smokey and the bandit, dukes of hazard, Sweeney, The Professionals and Saturday Morning Swapshop.
Life was a lot more interactive when I was younger, despite what anyone tells me now life is less interactive and soul less.
One phone in the living room that everyone could listen to what you were saying, no mobiles so you were free as soon as you left the house.
We also had the Yorkshire Ripper, bin men strike and power cuts but had citizen smith as a middle class left wing role model on TV. Smokey and the bandit, dukes of hazard, Sweeney, The Professionals and Saturday Morning Swapshop.
Life was a lot more interactive when I was younger, despite what anyone tells me now life is less interactive and soul less.
I suspect there was probably a sweet spot somewhere in the late 1990s/early 2000s. The Web was available (to those who had the initiative to "go online"), and mobile phones were commonplace, albeit not in the "smartphone" format we see now.
So the benefits of the Web and basic communication of mobiles (SMS/calls) were available, but without the negative (IMO) side effects we see today: I don't remember seeing too many zombie screen junkies in the early 2000's, although I could still contact a fiend on his mobile if I needed to.
So the benefits of the Web and basic communication of mobiles (SMS/calls) were available, but without the negative (IMO) side effects we see today: I don't remember seeing too many zombie screen junkies in the early 2000's, although I could still contact a fiend on his mobile if I needed to.
I started work in the construction industry (large civils projects) in 2004 - so after phones were widespread/essential. I have absolutely no idea how this industry functioned without them.
My works manager takes ~100 calls a day; everything from his own foreman to lost delivery drivers, the back-office girls, QS's, Engineers etc.
On a personal note, I love memes on instagram for a quick laugh at lunchtime or on the throne, and most nights spend 1-2 hours streaming tv through amazon or nowtv while messing around on the phone. Its tragic how much I would miss both of those things really...
My works manager takes ~100 calls a day; everything from his own foreman to lost delivery drivers, the back-office girls, QS's, Engineers etc.
On a personal note, I love memes on instagram for a quick laugh at lunchtime or on the throne, and most nights spend 1-2 hours streaming tv through amazon or nowtv while messing around on the phone. Its tragic how much I would miss both of those things really...
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