Don't need that stuff any more (I hope)

A bygone era  ???

Folks who've been "online" for many years, and long-time members of this forum, will recall the days when public internet connections were a combination of science fiction and hacking 101. 'Laptop computers' were more correctly nicknamed 'luggables', and my briefcase went in the computer case, not the other way around.

In my early days of traveling for a living, hotel phones didn't have "data ports", and hotel wifi hadn't been heard of. The only way to get online, especially overseas, was to tap into a phone line, sometimes with pins and alligator clips, hook up a slooow modem, and hack your way through various networks. In some cases, one could connect the modem to the box where the cord from the phone went, but often it was buried in the wall behind the headboard of the bed. On one trip when Chris came along, I recall she wasn't happy being disturbed by me unscrewing the headboard some time after midnight; For me, it was nothing unusual.

All the above (and more) required us to carry a kit of tools that wouldn't easily get through today's airport security; Various types/sizes of screwdrivers, dykes, clips, wires, and more. The dykes were an upgrade; In my younger days I'd strip the insulation from wire with my teeth. I eventually managed to slim down the kit (e.g. by using shorter screwdrivers and smaller dykes), so they could be carried in a small(er) bag in my carry-on. In another bag I carried a 50' extension cord with a duplex on one end, 50' of phone wire, and various power and phone adapters (for the few hotels that had plug-in phones); Usually, the phone jack would be at one end of the room, and the only power receptacle would be at the other end.

We recently remodeled the office at home, making a combined office/music room, but I'm still wading through all the junk accumulated over the years; Lots of stuff has gone in the garbage and recycle, with lots more to follow. Today I came across my "bags of tricks for getting online", and decided I no longer need to keep them 'just in case'. The tools, cords and other bits went in my toolbox in the garage.

When I try explaining this stuff to adult grandkids, it merely confirms their suspicion that I'm from the dinosaur age. Younger grandkids already knew it.

Try explaining to them what a Commodore 64 was. http://ascii.textfiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/c64_10.jpg

Then there was getting online at Quartzsite with an acoustic coupler and the payphone.

I thought my accoustic coupler was a major step forward in technology  ;D

Tom said:

All the above (and more) required us to carry a kit of tools that wouldn't easily get through today's airport security; Various types/sizes of screwdrivers, dykes, clips, wires, and more. The dykes were an upgrade; In my younger days I'd strip the insulation from wire with my teeth. I eventually managed to slim down the kit (e.g. by using shorter screwdrivers and smaller dykes), so they could be carried in a small(er) bag in my carry-on. In another bag I carried a 50' extension cord with a duplex on one end, 50' of phone wire, and various power and phone adapters (for the few hotels that had plug-in phones); Usually, the phone jack would be at one end of the room, and the only power receptacle would be at the other end.

Click to expand...

Try boarding a plane with all that "road warrier" gear today and the only data link you would need would be to contact a lawyer. ;D

Oh boy, wish you hadn't brought up the old stuff subject, Tom.  Sigh....

I always keep thinking that one man,s old stuff is another man,s treasure. What to do ?

  I once bought a surprise grab box...big box full of electronic stuff, some really good stuff and a lot of old parts from the analog era/age. The good stuff I used up but I still have some of the junk which I have always considered as good stuff. That was 50 years ago. Now I call it stupid stuff.

  What to do ?  Maybe we should offer packages of stuff to anyone who likes surprises. Put an approximate small value/price on it and  charge shipping charges .

Called a non-profit enterprise.

On second thought it sounds too complicated.  Tools,automotive/electronic/ old meters, antique specialty items, etc. Perfect flea market stuff.

  I am sure you and I are not alone, Tom

Try explaining to them what a Commodore 64 was.

Click to expand...

... and the Sinlcair and others of the same era.

The adult gradkids, including one who graduated several years ago with a degree in IT, are convinced I'm kidding when I tell them this (true) story ...

Some time in the 80's (that would the 1980's for the young 'uns 'round here), on one of my visits to the homeland, I stayed at a bread and breakfast place, which was actually a remodeled pub. Downstairs was the bar, and upstairs were 6 guest rooms. I'd talked with the owner ahead of time, and he agreed I could "plug my computer" in to his only phone jack, which happened to be behind the bar.

I'd plop my Apple IIe on the bar, fish out an RJ45/BT phone adapter, and be online negotiating various networks. Nobody in this small village had seen a "computer" before, and I had a nightly audience, with pints (of beer) in hand, watching the text scrolling slowly across the screen. There were lots of oohs and ahhs.

Since the only way to the guest rooms was via the bar, I'd come in every evening and be greeted with "hi Tom, have a pint on me, and let's have another show", followed by another offer of a "round on me". Rarely did I make it up the stairs to my room walking straight  :-[

[quote author=Molaker]Try boarding a plane with all that "road warrier" gear today ...[/quote]

Agreed Tom, and that's why I said "a kit of tools that wouldn't easily get through today's airport security"

LOL Carson, sounds like you're as much of a pat rack as I am  :-[

When we lived on the other side of town from Lawrence Livermore Lab, a visit to the old barber shop was often quite amusing. Occasionally PhD's from the lab would come in for a trim between projects, and they'd be talking in terms that made the barbers' heads spin. One day, with no lab folks around, the two barbers had this dialog while I was in the chair:

Barber 1: "I bought a computer".

Barber 2: "What do you do with a computer?"

Barber 1: "I don't know, put programs in it I think".

;D

Tom, it's funny that you brought up this subject just now.  The other day Jerry retrieved from an out-of-the-way corner my first laptop.  This Chembook cost a couple thousand dollars when new and we thought it was really something.  I still had my desktop at home but this allowed me to have my own computer while on the road.  I loved it!  And we thought it was really lightning speed fast.  HA!  I decided to go through it and discard "stuff" no longer needed.  Then I was down to some of Jerry's "stuff" because my computer had one of the programs we used to create his seminar materials.  Knowing Jerry you would laugh because booting up is REALLY slow!  He keeps trying to hurry it up and I keep swatting his hands away from the keys.  Ohmygoodness!  Talk about a dinosaur.  And, yet, it's still a very good little computer.  It's just that it takes FOREVER to do anything.  We were laughing about all those cables and the way we had to tell the computer every little thing.  With our new computers the first time we plug them in they sense wifi or other network connections and we don't have to do anything (comparatively).

Jerry also carried his set of tools and I'm sure the people who cleaned the rooms wondered what on earth he/you were doing taking apart all the phone connections.  Ah, those were the days.

ArdraF

I remember Fred and Daisy being accused of everything from witchcraft to espionage while using their acoustical coupler at the only payphone on BLM lands in Quartzsite.

Aye Ardra, and one time I was really glad I had the kit of tools along. My hotel room door lock was jammed, and I was locked inside. A call to the front desk received the response "maintenance will take a look in the morning". I was paranoid about the possibility of an emergency in the middle of the night, and decided to take the door off its hinges (or the hinges off the frame, don't recall which).

On my first visit to California (in the 70's, before my portable computer days), I discovered the power plugs were different from the UK. This was in the days when I used an electric razor/shaver, and I was aghast at the thought of turning up at HQ with stubble on my chin. Not having any tools beyond a knife from room service breakfast, which I used as a screwdriver, I removed the cord from the bedside lamp, used my teeth to strip more insulation off the wires, and had a temporary hookup for the shaver. I'd put the lamp back together after shaving every morning, and take it apart again the next day. It didn't occur to me to ask at the front desk if they had an adapter  :-[

LOL Margi, and folks were unhappy because they had to wait in line while Fred's slooow modem downloaded/uploaded forum messages  ;D

My first home communications explorations was running a Bulletin Board System using a TRS80 in 1979.  The system ran on 300 bps then 1200 and finally at 2400 bps on an IBM PC.  My first "Portable Computer" was a KayPro running CPM because the Compaq was too expensive for my blood back in 1982.  Lots of fun in communications including running Baudot at 45 baud on Ham Radio RTTY.  All this time I was supporting 50 kbps data transmission via AT&T networks.

Now, I'm just an appliance user with 3 pc's, an IPad and 2 Android phones on the RV.

Wow, what a life.

LOL Bill, technology has certainly come a long way. 1200 baud seemed lightning fast after 300 baud  ;D I had a version of the TRS80 (aka Trash 80) for a while; I finally dug it out from under the bed and sent it to the recycle just a couple of years ago.

My first "online" access was via a college computer interfacing to another campus. Didn't know much about what I was doing, but it sure seemed magical at the time.

My 1st run at it (civilian wise) was a Vic 20 (predecessor to the Commodore 64).  Had to load programs from a cassette tape player.  No disc reader available yet.  Top it off with a 300 baud acoustic modem and we were ready to go.  I moved up to a Commodore 64 then a Commodore 128.  Finally went to a ZDS 286, then a Gateway 386 and on and on and on...' charging up the baud rate ladder until I finally reached 56k baud.  Had to wear a seat belt with that one.  ;D  I even dragged around a ZDS 286 suitcase on the road for a couple of years.  The battery alone weighted 7 lbs, if I recall.  But, all I had to do was boot it up to get through the airline security.

I remember paying $600 for a 32K memory upgrade for my Atari 800 in 1980. I can't even compute what that would be in today's dollars...

Ah yes, Atari aka Chuck E. Cheese's  ;D  I bought Atari game consoles for the kids.

Acoustic couplers, cassette tapes, you think you had it rough? Do I have to tell you about the paper tape system I learned to program on?   No networking in those days.