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Outdated Things That Remind Us Of The ‘Good Old Days’

Darren September 1, 2023

Fax Machines

These days fax machines are mostly obsolete but in the good old days, they were cutting-edge technology. The dawn of email made it possible to save paper and instantly transfer information online. Most industries prefer to streamline data-sharing so it’s obvious why they moved on from fax machines.

But it may surprise some people to learn that some governments and intelligence industries still use fax machines. That’s because they’re concerned about sensitive information. It’s safer to send a fax than to risk sharing a document on the Internet. Faxes are more secure than emails so they’re preferable (via The Guardian).

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Digital Cameras

In the good old days, every family had a camera to record their vacations and special moments. But now it’s not necessary because we’ve all got smartphones. We can instantly snap a picture and share it on Instagram or upload it to an online storage system. There’s no longer a need for personal cameras.

We’re not talking about high-end cameras with expensive lenses because real photographers and serious enthusiasts use these. Meanwhile, film cameras remain fashionable and a high-quality Leica costs lots of money. But regular personal digital cameras are obsolete because a phone does the same job (via PC Magazine).

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The World Book Series

It’s difficult to remember a time before the Internet but it’s crucial to remember that it wasn’t a big deal until the late ’90s. Before we had limitless information at our fingertips we had to use other sources. Many American children grew up with the World Book Encyclopedia series.

These books informed readers about everything from different types of animals to all of the U.S. states. They continue to run today but they’re not as popular. More serious readers also collected the Encyclopedia Brittanica. However, this series went completely online in 2012 (via North Jersey).

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Lighters in Cars

Anybody who hops into an older car may experience a shock. That’s because there could be a few obsolete accessories that they don’t expect to see. These vehicles may have built-in lighters and ashtrays. In the good old days, adults thought nothing about giving their offspring lung cancer on wholesome family road trips.

Nowadays we realize that smoking in cars is a terrible idea. Some US states and countries even legislate against it and fine drivers who allow it. But it shows how much time has changed over the years. Meanwhile, these days it’s uncommon but some older airliners even still have ashtrays (via CBS News).

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Landline Phones

We’ve reached a stage where even homeless people have cell phones. Almost everybody in the world has a smartphone with endless streams of information at their fingertips. But this is a relatively new phenomenon because it wasn’t always true. In the good old days, each house had a landline phone.

This phone had a cable connection and restricted people’s mobility. The signal was also more dependable than standard cellphone networks. But these days, there’s very little difference and most young people never think of getting a landline. Some homes still have them but they’re falling into obscurity (via Dallas Observer).

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Furbies

Hasbro released Furbies into the wild at the tail end of the 1990s to widespread acclaim. They became one of the most sought-after toys in the world and almost every household had one. There’s something about their expressive eyes and ridiculous voices that made them appealing (via Business Wire).

But everything comes in and out of fashion and Furbies were no exception. They’ve had several revivals over the years but they represent a cultural moment. If anybody goes through their garage they may come across an old Furby toy. It will bring back fond memories because they were a part of many childhoods.

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Cartoon Network

Many people grew up watching Cartoon Network. Characters like Johnny Bravo, Ed, Edd, and Eddy, and Courage the Cowardly Dog were childhood staples. But there’s no pretending that Cartoon Network is the same anymore. Nonetheless, it carries a lot of nostalgia and everybody over 25 probably loves it.

These days children are watching Netflix shows and YouTubers doing weird things. They don’t have the same wholesome experience as their parents did. It’s a shame because there was something very special about Cartoon Network during its heyday. Nothing stands still forever but we’ll never forget it (via Animated Times).

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Bootcut Jeans

In truth, we could have chosen any number of fashion items for this list but we went for bootcut jeans. That’s because this nineties staple reminds us of simpler times. Maybe we shouldn’t love them because it’s very hard to pull them off. But there’s a reason why young people still keep them in their wardrobes.

The ’90s was the age before the Internet took off. It was the time of Rachel Green, Sex and the City, and other cultural staples. That’s why we can’t get enough of bootcut jeans and what they represent. No, they probably don’t suit anybody but we’re happy to try and make them work (via GQ Magazine).

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Phone Books

Young people these days don’t realize how easy their lives are. Now every business has a website and social media pages. They put their contact information online so it’s easy to communicate with them. but in the past, they used phone books to find this crucial information. People spent ages flicking through pages to try and find the right name.

It wasn’t very convenient but it was the most efficient system at the time. These days many people don’t even use phone numbers. Instead, they communicate with each other through social media messengers. They add each other by following accounts like on Instagram or on Facebook (via Vox).

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Portable DVD Players

It’s crazy but now most laptops don’t have disc trays. That shows how far the world has come since the dawn of the VHS tape. MacBook Airs don’t even have USB ports. But in the good old days, we depended on different systems to play external media. That’s why portable DVD players were so popular.

Parents loved them because they were a fantastic way to keep children quiet on a long journey. It also meant that they could watch another movie if they didn’t like what was on TV. But then laptops made life easier because they didn’t need to carry two systems. Now we stream everything because it’s the easiest thing to do (via Rolling Stone).

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Blackberries

No, we’re not talking about the fruit, but rather the old-school cellphone. Blackberries earn a special place on this list because everybody wanted one after their initial release. They had more buttons than a haberdashery and appeared to be peak technology. But then smartphones came along and swept them into obscurity.

Suddenly, everyone realized that the only thing better than loads of buttons was no buttons. The problem was the iPhone because Blackberry didn’t take them seriously. This was a big mistake because iPhones are more fun than Blackberries. The business-oriented devices failed but they’re a reminder of the good old days (via The Guardian).

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Viennetta Ice Cream Cake

There was a time when Viennetta ice cream was one of the most popular desserts in the world. The classic vanilla and chocolate ice cake was a luxury and many children ate it for their birthdays. But now it’s falling into obscurity because there are so many other options. Once again, globalization means that there are more options.

People want to eat mochi ice cream or basque cheesecakes, not an ice-cream dessert from the 1980s. But the classic Viennetta reminds us of the good old days when we appreciated these things more. It brought people together on special occasions and that’s why it always has a special place in older generations’ hearts (via Unilever).

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Photo Albums

One of the nicest things that a family can do together is sit down and flick through an old photo album. Sadly, this is something that we don’t do anymore because everybody has smartphones. We take pictures and save them to our cell phones’ galleries or upload them to the cloud or Google Drive (via Metro).

But we rarely remember to look at them and remember our experiences together. Photo albums are a great reminder of the good old days but they’re also a remnant of them. They don’t have to be though because we can still print photos and create albums. Maybe it’s something to consider to share our memories.

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