this post was submitted on 10 Mar 2025
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Asklemmy

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[–] RecipeForHate1@lemmy.ml 16 points 2 days ago

Wired headphones

[–] BrazenSigilos@ttrpg.network 39 points 2 days ago

Guillotines

[–] HiddenLayer555@lemmy.ml 26 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (3 children)

Tape drives. Remember those big reels of tape on mainframes in the 80s? They don't look exactly like that anymore, but tape is still used for backups/long term archival because they offer the lowest cost per gigabyte and decent longevity without needing to be powered, as long as you don't need to access the data all that fast or often.

Those dank memes and cat videos you posted in 2010 are probably on tape in a data centre somewhere

[–] applemao@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Im obsessed with tape storage, but for audio. Nothing more real than audio on tape! Luckily it's catching on again. Music is so disposable now, I hope we can keep physical formats alive and keep corporations away from it (digital offers them unlimited control over us).

[–] DogEarBookmark@reddthat.com 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Can you drop some tape player recs to save me on tape spaghetti?

[–] applemao@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Oh sorry, I meant more reel tape not really casettes, but I love the otari mx5050, and the teac 2340sx. Good machines and 1/4" tape is still affordable. PM me if you'd like more tape info, I love to share.

[–] DogEarBookmark@reddthat.com 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Ah okay haha. Ive been buying vinyls lately and there's a lot of people with casette merch too. I didnt remember tape being that amazing but was willing to give it a shot. I don't have reel to reel space at my place unfortunately. Thanks for putting it out there though!

[–] applemao@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

Well I'll say cassette quality can never really be good becaise of the slow speed and narrow width. . But 1/4" tape is about the best analog quality you can get (feasibly cost wise) if you go 15 IPS and half track (1 way play, no flipping).

If you want good sound for cassettes you can't beat a Nakamichi deck, best there are.

[–] Irelephant@lemm.ee 3 points 2 days ago

Tape itself is cheap, but buying the other equipment for it costs a fortune.

Tape is rad for long term storage

[–] LordGimp@lemm.ee 25 points 2 days ago (11 children)

Pretty much anything in a machine shop made in the last 80 years or so. So many people turn up their noses at anything that isn't computer controlled anymore. Yknow what a big old mill can do that a CNC can't? It can make every single part needed to make a new mill. It's a self replicating machine with the right know how. People don't respect that kind of quality anymore.

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[–] andallthat@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago
[–] SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.ml 26 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Printing out tickets as a backup. I do this for concerts and travel because then I don't have to worry about batteries dying, wifi/roaming not being available, getting logged out and having trouble getting back to the ticket, etc.

I also print out maps when doing wilderness backpacks because even if you download the map you'll burn through your battery life well before the hike is over but a paper map is just as good. If I really need to confirm my location I can occasionally turn on the app and shut it off. I keep the maps in a gallon ziplock so water isn't an issue.

[–] NGnius@lemmy.ca 12 points 2 days ago

Ticketmaster is doing their very best to make paper tickets unusable with refreshing barcodes. Funny thing is that "anti-theft" feature is needed because of their own systemic failures. I do like tickets that are just sent to my email or similar (e.g. as an attachment that I can save to my phone) though, it's better than wasting paper when I know my phone won't fail me.

[–] ray1992xd 18 points 2 days ago
[–] ICastFist@programming.dev 27 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Writing your passwords in a piece of paper. Safer than storing it digitally and easier for people that don't know how to use password managers or computers in general to understand what to do to access your stuff if you're under a difficult situation or dead.

Also, physical photos. Yes yes, we all have gigabytes of photos, but almost never check any of them. Physicals catch my glance at home very often, great decoration. I've also took to writing the day, place and people on the back, plus any other important bits of context.

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[–] Arfman@aussie.zone 7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Apparently trains for some people

[–] unbanshee@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago)

...how are trains obsolete to anybody?

Hundred of billions of tonnes of freight are moved by rail each year globally, and people travel hundreds of billions of kilometers by rail.

[–] BonesOfTheMoon@lemmy.world 10 points 2 days ago (4 children)

Fax machines. Government and medical offices would grind to a halt without them. That's just reality.

[–] howrar@lemmy.ca 10 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Because it can do something that the alternatives can't do or because they refuse to use something more modern?

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 13 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (4 children)

"It can't be hacked"

Of course, it can, and a lot more easily than a TLS stream, but try convincing them of that. So, more like they refuse to use something more modern.

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[–] Ghamorra@lemm.ee 5 points 2 days ago

Because it works. Every part needed to run those machines, even line of code, every possible cause of failure is well documented and there are layers and layers of redundant protocol to ensure that if something does go wrong downtime is minimal.

The entire purpose of these machines are designed to run for as long as they’re needed. They’re not replaced or upgraded because they were never meant to be. A lot of effort went into this being the case.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 5 points 2 days ago

Even worse, the US military, at least, is still using teletype machines and COBOL.

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[–] MTK@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Trackballs

You might think of them as this old mouse that you had 20 years ago, but actually the technology is still being used for all kinds of things, including ergonomic mouse

I can actually game with one, and I've outright worn out 3. They last longer than traditional mice too.

[–] SLfgb 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)
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[–] Wahots@pawb.social 35 points 3 days ago (10 children)

Wrist watches. Extremely convenient, even when your phone is buried or you don't want to be distracted.

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[–] phampyk@lemmy.world 157 points 4 days ago (11 children)
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[–] crmsnbleyd@sopuli.xyz 39 points 3 days ago (7 children)

IRC: simplest way of communicating online, and a bouncer can be availed for free

Forums: great store of knowledge and friendly, helpful people. If you ask a question in discord, nobody will ever see the answer again.

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[–] SplashJackson@lemmy.ca 11 points 2 days ago

Being kind to one another

[–] VinesNFluff@pawb.social 65 points 3 days ago (6 children)

Buttons, knobs, plastic bezels.

At least according to the industry those are all in the past. The future is screens that go to the very edge of the device and absolutely nothing tactile.

And it is bullshit. It is less reliable, less convenient, less cool -- To say nothing of the safety disaster that nailing a tablet computer to the dashboard of every car has been.

[–] SheenSquelcher@lemm.ee 3 points 2 days ago

Absolutely hate cars with those stupid big screens on the console. Give me buttons and knobs any day.

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[–] weeeeum@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

Handtools in woodworking. There are some people who refuse use a tool without a cord.

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