# Your Fave Dead-end or Obsolete Technology? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 21, 2003, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-fave-dead-end-or-obsolete-technology/202924 "2003-09-21T05:12:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-fave-dead-end-or-obsolete-technology/202924/21 "2003-09-21T15:54:17Z")
Record players aren’t that hard to fine. Any decent DJ catalog or website will have turntables. ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2003, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-fave-dead-end-or-obsolete-technology/202924/22 "2003-09-21T15:55:41Z")
Airships Steam-powered cars. Semaphore systems. As I kid I had a mechanical adding machine that I found endlessly fascinating. And, of course, Silly String. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-fave-dead-end-or-obsolete-technology/202924/23 "2003-09-21T16:13:59Z")
The first thing I thought of when I saw the title of this thread was the [Pneumatic Telegraph](http://www.du.edu/~jcalvert/tel/morse/tubepost.htm) or “tubular post”, which a “find” in this thread shows that other posters have already mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2003, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-fave-dead-end-or-obsolete-technology/202924/24 "2003-09-21T22:12:11Z")
After I started this thread, I was heartened to find they still have a city-wide pneumatic post in Prague (well at least, it was a going concern in 1999). Ladies and gentlemen, I give you The [Potrubni](http://www.deadmedia.org/notes/43/438.html) [Posti](http://www.deadmedia.org/notes/40/402.html). > [@](#): > > In Prague, there is a fully functional municipal pneumatic tube system == the only one still in operation (the one in Paris was shut down long ago). It runs underneath the entire city == five trunk lines, 55 kilometers of tubes, switches, and relays snaking underground from the main post office in Old Town, south to New Town, which was constructed in the 14th century, across the river on the underbellies of three bridges, and all the way up to Prague Castle. > > It takes eight minutes for a pneumatic tube to reach the furthest point on the network. An air blower starts at the point of origin, and a vacuum starts at the destination. On longer lines there is a relay network of air pumps which switch from vacuums to blowers once the tube passes, sort of like booster stations. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-fave-dead-end-or-obsolete-technology/202924/25 "2003-09-22T07:29:44Z")
Second on [Nixie Tubes](http://www.electricstuff.co.uk/count.html). (Wow, I thought I was the only one!) -[Huge IBM Mainframes](http://www-1.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/mainframe/mainframe_PP3083.html) -…Balanced by the [128k Macintosh](http://www.lowendmac.com/compact/128k.shtml) 🙂 -The [Boeing 2707 SST](http://www.arcair5.com/Gal1/801-900/Gal872_SST_Seeley/gal872.htm) (The “swing-wing” version, only. Preferably in a Pan Am livery) ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-fave-dead-end-or-obsolete-technology/202924/26 "2003-09-22T07:34:52Z")
One more…[Steam Tractors](http://www.museumca.org/global/history/collections_tractor.html). ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-fave-dead-end-or-obsolete-technology/202924/27 "2003-09-22T07:36:35Z")
yes **NoClueBoy** , homing pigeons are coooo’l. there’s something about the idea of watching your mail fly towards you… an abacus. it’s still a great way for kids to learn their 123s. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-fave-dead-end-or-obsolete-technology/202924/28 "2003-09-22T07:53:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by shijinn \* > … homing pigeons are coooo’l … Lay off the seeds, birdbrain! ---
**Author:** ![MaryEFoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MaryEFoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaryEFoo)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-fave-dead-end-or-obsolete-technology/202924/29 "2003-09-22T07:53:50Z")
Phooey, I was going to say Curta Calculator. My brother has one. Grindstones and forges (my childhome had one of each). Vaccuum tube transport, manual typewriters, and DOS 3.1. Dories. With oars. Model A Fords. My other brother had one (far older than he is). ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-fave-dead-end-or-obsolete-technology/202924/30 "2003-09-22T08:20:36Z")
I’d have included Nixie tubes in my OP if I’d known the name wasn’t “those cool orange neon digital displays I saw around the place when I was a kid”. Even when they were in current use, I thought they were quaint and wonderful. And somehow, in common with much older technology from vinyl records through to valve radios, they were _warm_, if y’ know what I mean. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-fave-dead-end-or-obsolete-technology/202924/31 "2003-09-22T08:23:32Z")
you know what **Zenster**? i think i’ll add rearing homing pigeons to that bbc’s impossible list of things to do… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-fave-dead-end-or-obsolete-technology/202924/32 "2003-09-22T11:42:13Z")
Flying boats. Yes, there are 3 that you can get new (Lake, Seawind and the Be-103) but I’m thinking more the luxury Pan-Am clippers Another vote for dirigibles and pneumatic tubes Brian ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-fave-dead-end-or-obsolete-technology/202924/33 "2003-09-22T11:47:57Z")
In Dublin there’s a place called the Bad Ass Café (claim to fame is Sinead O’Connor used to waitress there). They’ve got a spring-loaded system where the waiter writes down the order, then puts it in a can above the table and pulls the can against a spring. The can then flies down a cable across the ceiling to the kitchen (or maybe the cashier, I can’t remember). It’s excellent. Also, the local store by my house in Hong Kong had the best anti-theft device. All the store’s money was kept in a bucket, which was on a string going over pulley, with weight on the other end of the string, and a huge bell attached to the pulley. If you even so much as breathed on the string, the bell rang, and if the bell rang when the shopkeeper wasn’t there, her son would come running out of the back room with a big stick. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-fave-dead-end-or-obsolete-technology/202924/34 "2003-09-22T12:00:12Z")
You know why I love the dope? It’s where the people who groove on the idea of pneumatic tubes hang out. I don’t want a city-wide system – but damn, it would be convenient to have one at work… ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-fave-dead-end-or-obsolete-technology/202924/35 "2003-09-22T12:15:28Z")
I thought AUTOMATS were really cool! You walked in, put your coins in a slot, and opened a little door! Take out your sandwich or apple/piece of cake, etc., annd sit down at atable and eat! Really cool 1920’s technology. Yes, and rotating billboards (you know, the ones that display 2-3 messages by rotating-really cool! ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-fave-dead-end-or-obsolete-technology/202924/36 "2003-09-22T13:40:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duderdude2 \* > \*\*The NES! \*\* The **N** ashville **E** lectric **S** ervice? 😕 Expl. Abbrv. Pls. ? 😃 I like Console Radios, in their giant, polished wood cabinets. [This is a great LINK to images of two dozen & more Console Radios.](http://home.att.net/~antique-radio/consoles.htm) 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-fave-dead-end-or-obsolete-technology/202924/37 "2003-09-22T13:44:04Z")
I want to second **mycoman’s** vote for slide rules. It was the very first thing that popped into my head when I saw the OP title. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-fave-dead-end-or-obsolete-technology/202924/38 "2003-09-22T14:10:23Z")
My grandmother’s '47 Chevy had windshield wipers powered by a vaccum motor, i.e. the motor that operated the wiper arms used the vacuum from the engine. The major difficulty plaguing the vacuum motor was its inability to maintain a constant wiper blade speed. As the engine vacuum was lowered (when you went up a hill for instance), the wipers would slow down or even stop. Of course, as a kid I thought this was incredibly cool! ---
**Author:** ![NutMagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@NutMagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutMagnet)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-fave-dead-end-or-obsolete-technology/202924/39 "2003-09-22T14:29:31Z")
I was going to say “amphibious cars”, remembering these: [http://www.amphicars.com/apics1.htm](http://www.amphicars.com/apics1.htm) but check this out [http://www.aquada.co.uk/aquada/homepage.jsp?flash=true](http://www.aquada.co.uk/aquada/homepage.jsp?flash=true) Play the video. ---
**Author:** ![Black\_Train\_Song](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Black\_Train\_Song](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Black_Train_Song)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-fave-dead-end-or-obsolete-technology/202924/40 "2003-09-22T14:44:57Z")
A lot of the stuff mentioned here has _evolved_ so it doesn’t really qualify as “dead end” which brings me to a thought… Why have certain products stopped evolving? Like sliced bread. Everyone’s still going around touting the wonders of sliced bread and those sob’s are resting on their laurels if you asked me. They haven’t even _tried_ slicing bread differently at all. They could go with an angle cut which will leave more waste at the ends but give a larger total square inchage for sandwich making. Get moving bread people! Those people down at the cigarette lighter factory need a little push too. What’s the latest development in cigarette lighters? About fifteen years ago they came out with a little wind blocker thingy that never caught on. Then they gave us the BBQ lighter, which saves us from scorching our epidermis. But that’s it! Can’t these people pursue newer fuel-efficient technologies? Lets stop our dependency on fossil fuels people! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-fave-dead-end-or-obsolete-technology/202924.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-fave-dead-end-or-obsolete-technology/202924.md?page=3)