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LockedThe way we were...

posted on October 09, 2009 at 09:54AM Inappropriate?

I had the tremendous pleasure of meeting some Sears retirees yesterday. Many of them worked for the company for several years (20+) and I loved hearing their stories of how data processing was done and how they used the first computers in the 1960s. Everything was manual. It was interesting to think how that wasn't that long ago yet things have changed so much in such a short time.

I'd love to hear your stories of "the way things were" - either at Sears or in general. What did you used to do manually that technology has now made easier?

For me, email and cell phones have completely changed the way I communicate. I stay in touch with more people - albeit for shorter amounts of time - than ever could happen without these technologies. 

How about you?

replies: 10 latest post: November 03, 2009 at 04:20AM by AdamO
Displaying all 10 posts
posted on October 28, 2009 at 11:06PM
 

Yup.

Lots of short eMail and posts, to keep on base with folks.

posted on October 29, 2009 at 05:30AM
 

I hear my Sears order is going to be arriving at the train station - this week.

Times sure have changed.

posted on October 29, 2009 at 07:35AM
 

The first computer I used was called FADAC and it was to compute artillery solutions.  It was huge compared to the current computers and somewhat slow.  I had some Fire Direction folks that could even beat out the FADAC once in awhile on regular fire missions, but not the other technical things we used like metro message computing.

posted on October 29, 2009 at 06:40PM
 

I remember having to distribute my reports at work to several people using multiple layers of carbon paper...really messy and felt sorry for the person who received the bottom copy..hard to read. 

posted on October 29, 2009 at 06:51PM
 

Here's another...Huge adding machines that had many buttons that had to be manually depressed. There was one in the office that took up half of the desk and had to be shared by everyone in the office.  If it wasn't working (which was common), we had to figure everything out with a paper and pencil...so much for accuracy!  No such thing as calculators or computers back then,

posted on October 29, 2009 at 07:25PM
 

I remember back when you had to do math on your fingers and toes. Everythign was built and constructed by estimations and doing it the same way 1000 times.

But if evolution has taught us anything, change is always good, as long as we keep changing.

posted on October 29, 2009 at 07:56PM
 

When I was a young boy at home, I had to cut the grass with a pushmower that had dull blades. 

posted on October 29, 2009 at 08:09PM
 

HAHAHAHA yes I remember those days!

posted on October 29, 2009 at 08:09PM
 

Luckily I've had some form of grazer at my property for most my life, except when I was young.

posted on November 03, 2009 at 04:20AM
 

I think I used to be taller.

With better eye-sight.

And, no limp...

Sporting BRIGHT red hair, with no gray or white.

 

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