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Obsolete tech still in use

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 8:07 am
by Brannen
I went to the gym over the weekend, and I'm 99% sure there was a pager on the front desk. I never had one as was still a kid in their heyday, but I can still remember them. Probably the first time I've seen one since my dad had a work one in the 90s. Bizarre, I had no idea they were still a thing.

Re: Obsolete tech still in use

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 9:17 am
by Jimmy Choo
I've not seen a pager outside of a hospital for years!

I've dealt with lots of places that still use fax machines.

Re: Obsolete tech still in use

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 9:18 am
by Jimmy Choo
Is this where we say "manual transmissions"?

Re: Obsolete tech still in use

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 9:53 am
by Jobbo
On Saturday I threw away a fax machine and an electric typewriter as part of my office tidying purge.

Re: Obsolete tech still in use

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 10:03 am
by Mito Man
I see pagers used in some fast food places too. Better system than waiting behind the counter for your food to get prepared.
Image

Re: Obsolete tech still in use

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:19 am
by Jimmy Choo
Jobbo wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 9:53 am On Saturday I threw away a fax machine and an electric typewriter as part of my office tidying purge.
An electric typewriter? I've not seen one of those for ages!

I thought lawyers were the ones who were utterly obsessed with keeping fax machines?

Re: Obsolete tech still in use

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:59 am
by Jobbo
Banks seemed to be obsessed with faxes, but for years I've expressly excluded it in contracts as a method of service and we have taken our fax number off the website and footers now.

Could still operate a virtual fax machine if we wanted to but I don't.

Re: Obsolete tech still in use

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 12:19 pm
by DeskJockey
Jobbo wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:59 am Banks seemed to be obsessed with faxes, but for years I've expressly excluded it in contracts as a method of service and we have taken our fax number off the website and footers now.

Could still operate a virtual fax machine if we wanted to but I don't.
That's excellent! Great that you're just saying no.

Re: Obsolete tech still in use

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 12:37 pm
by Sundayjumper
Brannen wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 8:07 am Obsolete tech still in use
Yo mama.

Re: Obsolete tech still in use

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 1:25 pm
by scotta
Jobbo wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:59 am Banks seemed to be obsessed with faxes, but for years I've expressly excluded it in contracts as a method of service and we have taken our fax number off the website and footers now.

Could still operate a virtual fax machine if we wanted to but I don't.
Fax is still used a surprizing amount. I worked on a project for a large bank to renew their aging fax software recently and did some due diligence on usage. Something in the region of 1.2 million faxes received per annum.. Its still in use for mortgage papers as it's more secure than internet transfer of data due to the point to point connection.

Re: Obsolete tech still in use

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 2:07 pm
by GG.
scotta wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 1:25 pm Its still in use for mortgage papers as it's more secure than internet transfer of data due to the point to point connection.
Very secure... apart from the fact that it spits out the side of the fax machine and then sits on the top for however long until someone collects it :lol:

As Jobbo says I'd be surprised if most faxes weren't just virtual and end up in an email inbox anyway - were those 1.2 million to old style fax machines?

Re: Obsolete tech still in use

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 2:16 pm
by mik
You can’t deny the fax gentlemen.

Re: Obsolete tech still in use

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 2:37 pm
by scotta
GG. wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 2:07 pm
scotta wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 1:25 pm Its still in use for mortgage papers as it's more secure than internet transfer of data due to the point to point connection.
Very secure... apart from the fact that it spits out the side of the fax machine and then sits on the top for however long until someone collects it :lol:

As Jobbo says I'd be surprised if most faxes weren't just virtual and end up in an email inbox anyway - were those 1.2 million to old style fax machines?
They - for this particular bank - did not. The fax system interfaced with their internal mail processing system that scans all snail mail and processes it.

Re: Obsolete tech still in use

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 4:32 pm
by jamcg
Not sure if it’s rectified now but at least 5 years ago mclaren still used a 1990s laptop running a dos operating system for the McLaren f1’s

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/jalopnik ... 662267/amp

Re: Obsolete tech still in use

Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 8:51 am
by ZedLeg
jamcg wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 4:32 pm Not sure if it’s rectified now but at least 5 years ago mclaren still used a 1990s laptop running a dos operating system for the McLaren f1’s

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/jalopnik ... 662267/amp
This happens a lot in garages. Ancient PCs running servicing tools, dynos etc. They work and it would be expensive to change the equipment so they don’t bother.

Re: Obsolete tech still in use

Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 10:20 am
by Sundayjumper
ZedLeg wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 8:51 am They work and it would be expensive to change the equipment so they don’t bother.
That.

Weren't US submarines still running on floppy discs until quite recently ? Something like that.

Re: Obsolete tech still in use

Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 10:44 am
by Beany
I think it was only recently UK subs stopped running Windows NT4 on their internal networks.

Re: Obsolete tech still in use

Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:28 pm
by simon_g
jamcg wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 4:32 pm Not sure if it’s rectified now but at least 5 years ago mclaren still used a 1990s laptop running a dos operating system for the McLaren f1’s

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/jalopnik ... 662267/amp
Apparently they have an interface for modern laptops now, it's referenced in this (very good) article: https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cultur ... h-america/

Re: Obsolete tech still in use

Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 2:52 pm
by Sundayjumper
And of course we can now add the tape deck in Dave!’s car to this list :)

Re: Obsolete tech still in use

Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 3:35 pm
by nuttinnew
Sundayjumper wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 2:52 pm And of course we can now add the tape deck in Dave!’s car to this list :)
From you :lol: