Things that don't happen any more

[Ethilrist]

I only have one phone number memorized–my own.

These days I memorize passwords instead.

I also haven’t had a landline phone in over four years.

I would imagine very few people rent videotapes any more, but that’s mostly because they can’t…

@Astorian

Shoot, does anyone even bother to have TVs repaired any more?

I was going to say, most small appliance repair… anything below the size of a washing machine is basically disposable now. I can’t imaging having, say, a DVD player repaired; it’d cost more than it would to just buy a new (better) one.

@nearwildheaven

I also remember cigarette vending machines.

One of the co-op housing units at UC Berkeley had a beer vending machine back in the 80’s.

[ivylass]

@Smeghead

My wife’s car doesn’t have a remote. We have to unlock it by sticking the actual metal key in and turning.

This is because we bought it used, and the bastard car dealer asshole didn’t bother to mention that he only had one key, without a remote, until after we’d signed the papers and turned over the check. Dickface. I’m still pissed about that. It also slipped his mind that there were no floor mats.

I found some cheap mats online, but replacing the remote is, like, several hundred dollars, and without a working remote to copy, it’s a huge deal to figure out the signal and whatnot. Apparently.

My 2000 Honda Civic didn’t come with a remote. I bought a device at Autozone for about $100 and had it hooked up. Is that an option for your?

[ftg]

@Urbanredneck

The spinning newspaper in the movies announcing a headline.

This trope is actually still used in modern movies and TV shows. I am amazed each time I see it. Not just the spinning part, but that a newspaper is considered a major way to present a breaking story.

[Skald_the_Rhymer]

@Musicat

I haven’t used a paper dictionary for years. It used to be my constant deskside companion.

I don’t look up specific words any more in a paper dictionary (that’s what my online OED is for, but I’ll still read my dead tree dictionary in idle moments.

[Mean_Mr.Mustard]

Regarding faxes, my office sends and receives 100 or so a day. The reason is primarily signature-related, as mentioned upthread. Although there are a few things we can now do with an E-signature, so I expect that will gradually change.

mmm

[Charlie_Wayne]

When an airplane passes overhead people do not stop and look and point at it.

They don’t do that anymore but they used to do that alla time. Remember?

Silly people.

[Smapti]

@nearwildheaven

I also remember cigarette vending machines.

I was in Vegas last year and I stopped in a bar that had one of the old-fashioned cigarette vending machines - and lo and behold, I actually observed someone buy a pack from it. I think the last time I’d seen one before that was in a bowling alley when I was 5 or 6.

[nearwildheaven]

@Charlie_Wayne

When an airplane passes overhead people do not stop and look and point at it.

They don’t do that anymore but they used to do that alla time. Remember?

Silly people.

They might in my neighborhood, because large planes rarely fly over my neighborhood at a low enough altitude for them to be noticed.

[eschereal]

How about flushing the toilet with the foot pedal and seeing ties and gravel rushing by?

Do Not Flush the Toilet While the Train is Standing in the Station

[kayaker]

@Skald_the_Rhymer

I don’t look up specific words any more in a paper dictionary (that’s what my online OED is for, but I’ll still read my dead tree dictionary in idle moments.

I don’t know how far along you are, but I found the "U"s disappointing.

[Crafter_Man]

People used to read magazines while sitting on the toilet. Now they play with their phone.

[That_Don_Guy]

@even_sven

I took my first international trip as a high school graduate in 1999.

Finally, I got a specialty calling card for calling home from pay phones.

Don’t most countries have phone numbers that connect you directly to an AT&T service (so, for example, you can use your AT&T card to charge the call to your home phone)?

Speaking of things that don’t exist any more: AT&T cards with the PIN as part of the card number, imprinted on the card.

@CatastrophicFailure

Looking up old articles on microfilm and microfiche.

I am assuming that microfilm and microfiche still exist; I doubt every library that had them either converted all of them to digital, or converted some and destroyed the rest.

@The_Angry_Badger

Blue screen of death.

I get an equivalent - depending on the computer, either it shuts down, or it locks up - quite a bit, especially when I do something that’s processor-intensive like convert videos to files for Blu-Ray burning or play Elite Dangerous.

[Skald_the_Rhymer]

@kayaker

I don’t know how far along you are, but I found the "U"s disappointing.

Why do you say such things, when you know I will kill you for it?

[Shagnasty]

@Skald_the_Rhymer

Why do you say such things, when you know I will kill you for it?

He was just teasing. The X’s and Y’s make up for it. I won’t say much about the Z’s but be prepared for a surprise twist.

[eschereal]

@kayaker

I don’t know how far along you are, but I found the "U"s disappointing.

Some guy from Montana told me you are supposed to put their back legs in your heavy mucking boots so they cannot cannot kick you.

[Derleth]

@eschereal

How about flushing the toilet with the foot pedal and seeing ties and gravel rushing by?

Do Not Flush the Toilet While the Train is Standing in the Station

We encourage constipation while the train is in the station. Moonlight always makes me think of you.

Here’s one: Going nuts because you can’t find out which song you’re hearing because you can’t place the lyrics.

Another: Having to change the UserAgent ID in your browser to convince a website to not dump you to a “Get a better browser” (“This page works best in IE 3.5 for IRIX”) webpage.

[TBG]

@campp

Libraries are not by any means obsolete.

Not if you happen to have free time the 10 or so hours a week they seem to be open, anyway.

[Ulf_the_Unwashed]

@TBG

Not if you happen to have free time the 10 or so hours a week they seem to be open, anyway.

My library is open 67 hours a week if I have counted correctly. It does quite the booming business. Sorry your mileage is so varied.

[burpo_the_wonder_mutt]

I just can’t stay up that late anymore; do any TV stations still sign off with The Star Spangled Banner? Then a test pattern?

Another grocery store one–The pickle barrel! The one place I wouldn’t mind drowning in.

@Urbanredneck

The spinning newspaper in the movies announcing a headline.

@ftg

This trope is actually still used in modern movies and TV shows. I am amazed each time I see it. Not just the spinning part, but that a newspaper is considered a major way to present a breaking story.

I’ve been binge-watching “Robot Chicken” and they use that quite a bit–the corner of the masthead says All the news that’s fit to spin!

[eschereal]

@burpo_the_wonder_mutt

I just can’t stay up that late anymore; do any TV stations still sign off with The Star Spangled Banner? Then a test pattern?

High Flight, that was what we got.