Why hot glue and not just room temperature glue?

Good point, Si_Amigo!

I think I’ve heard that dioctalphthalate (DOP), or diethylhexylphthalate as it’s also called in some circles, outgasses in cars. It’s the oil that’s mixed with polyvinyl chloride to create soft flexible vinyl. Some consider it harmful to the health. I’ve heard it condenses on the insides of car windows and requires alcohol to be removed, which is a shame because spilling alcohol on vinyl dashboards creates permanent stains. I haven’t verified any of this.

Is this one of the things you’re referring to?

As an aside, me too. I worked for Applied Magnetics for most of the 90s.