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August 23, 2004
Step back in time
Popular Science sent Larry Smith half a century back in time technology-wise, banning him from using any post-1954 technologies for ten days.
The rules didn't demand that I pretend the year was actually 1954. I didn't have to call people "cat" or wear a gray flannel suit. I simply couldn't employ technology that wasn't available and reasonably affordable half a century ago. Obviously, my cellphone, Sonicare toothbrush, DVD player and two computers were out. I embarked on a search for a new winter jacket, as mine was made of synthetic microfibers not on the market in 1954. The Post-it notes that litter my desk had to go. The Cuisinart (née 1973), which lives a lonely life under my sink, could stay right there. While I could still use charge cards (the Diners Club card, introduced in 1950, ushered in a new age of credit--by 1952 it was accepted by thousands of merchants), my ATM card would have to be retired.One piece of old technology which I was surprised to find was still usable was a 1954-vintage black-and-white TV set. In the UK the old black-and-white analogue VHF broadcasts a 1950s TV set would have used were shut down some years back in favour of the 625-line UHF signals which brought us colour TV (which are in turn due to be phased out to make room for more digital channels a few years down the line.) I assume that in the States even quite old sets can handle NTSC colour signals, regardless of whether they can actually display those colours. (A little research reveals that colour broadcasts began in the US in 1953, and they did indeed adopt a standard which permitted black-and-white sets to cope with colour signals. And it still works half a century later: that's what I call backwards compatibility.)
The article provides a nice account of just how far modern technology has insinuated itself into our lives. My conclusion is similar to that of Mr Smith: it might be restful to spend a week or two away from modern technology, but once the novelty wore off it'd be a pain to have to use typewriters to write everything and have to actually set foot in a bank during their opening hours to get cash. And that's before you contemplate the pain of being deprived of the wonders of the internet.
[Via Exclamation Mark]
Posted by John at August 23, 2004 11:33 PM
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