Photo Contest - Old Technology (9/9-9/15)

  • Thread starter Thread starter ZapperZ
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    photo contest
AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers around a photo contest themed on "old technology," inviting participants to submit images of obsolete tech. Contest rules emphasize that submissions must be original photos, resized appropriately, and limited to one entry per member. The conversation features various nostalgic references to outdated technology, such as old calculators, steam engines, and early computing devices, sparking humorous exchanges about past experiences and the evolution of technology. Participants also discuss the nuances of what constitutes "old technology," with some debating the relevance of books in the digital age. The thread highlights a mix of nostalgia and humor, as members share their memories and interpretations of the contest theme.
ZapperZ
Staff Emeritus
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
Insights Author
Messages
32,814
Reaction score
4,725
Old Technology

Certainly the word "old" is relative, but let's try to have photos representing technology that many of us would consider to be "old". Something that is obsolete is a good start.

Contest Rules:

1. Any digital photo or digitally-scanned photo relevant to the theme will be accepted within the contest period. In case there's a gray area, or you're not sure if the picture is suitable, check with me first.

2. Please resize your digital photo to no more than 800 x 600 or 600 x 800 pixels. You may also crop your picture if you wish. You are also allowed to adjust the brightness and contrast of your picture but these should not dramatically alter the look of the picture. But other than those, any form of picture editing or modification is not allowed. This is a photo contest, not a picture editing/special effect contest. You may add a watermark or your name/nickname to the photo for identification purposes.

3. Upload your photos to any of the photo servers such as imageshack or photobucket. Then post it the relevant contest thread and link your picture using the img command. PM me if you do not know how. Alternatively, you may simply upload your image file to PF, and then have the full image displayed in your post.

4. Only ONE picture per member per contest. Once a picture is posted, it cannot be changed other than a total withdrawl by that member from that week's photo contest. Exceptions will be made for modification to comply with the rules, such as resizing.

5. At the end of the contest period, I will open a poll and every PF member can vote for the picture they like best.

6. Note that in case we have a large number of entries, I will do the polling in more than one thread. If that's the case, you can vote in each of the polling threads. The photos will be assigned in the polling threads in the order they were submitted.

7. The photo of the subject must be something that you took directly, not via in intermediary medium, and not taken by someone else. Unless otherwise noted, a photo of another photo, painting, print, etc. does not qualify.

8. You can use a picture only once. Once it is used in a contest, it cannot be reused in another contest.

9. Please post only pictures meant for submission in this thread. Photos not meant for submission must not be posted in the contest thread. Posting of more than one photos by a member may result in an automatic disqualification from the week's contest.

Zz.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
HP-27 (RPN calculator, ca 1976-1978)
36299899934_0da9a8864c_c.jpg
 
  • Like
Likes jtbell, Asymptotic, berkeman and 4 others
And I summon @dlgoff for this contest, OP of this thread... :wink:
 
  • Like
Likes dlgoff and davenn
Nothing inspires runners and football players better than an old Steam Engine!
They always know they are expected to be as powerful and swift and steaming hot
(and to drink only pure water).
TH81xfcsGPs.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Likes jtbell, Asymptotic, NFuller and 2 others
Electron Valves
upload_2017-9-10_12-34-2.png
 

Attachments

  • upload_2017-9-10_12-32-4.png
    upload_2017-9-10_12-32-4.png
    128.5 KB · Views: 528
  • Like
Likes Asymptotic, davenn, AlexCaledin and 1 other person
The guns of the old battleship USS Missouri.
USS Missouri GUNS.jpg
 
  • Like
Likes Asymptotic, NFuller, DennisN and 1 other person
Old and less old in the same box.
37166909695_2e2b53a3b0_c_d.jpg
 
  • Like
Likes Asymptotic, NFuller, DennisN and 1 other person
Old photo taking technology.
FILM_SLR.jpg
 
  • Like
Likes jtbell, Asymptotic, DennisN and 5 others
This was an absolute necessity back when I was in engineering school. This was back when everybody lived in log cabins and had to walk to school, uphill in both directions.
upload_2017-9-11_22-4-21.png
 
  • Like
Likes CalcNerd, Asymptotic, DennisN and 4 others
  • #10
Apple IIc - I still remember when this was NEW technology. I feel old!

IMG_5449.JPG

Zz.
 
  • Like
Likes jtbell, Asymptotic, DrClaude and 3 others
  • #11
phinds said:
This was an absolute necessity back when I was in engineering school. This was back when everybody lived in log cabins...
View attachment 210914
I bet you even had log tables.
 
  • Like
Likes phinds, Asymptotic and davenn
  • #12
  • Like
Likes CalcNerd, nsaspook, Asymptotic and 4 others
  • #13
phinds said:
This was an absolute necessity back when I was in engineering school. This was back when everybody lived in log cabins and had to walk to school, uphill in both directions.
View attachment 210914

remember those well

Janus said:
I bet you even had log tables.

uh huh and for punishment for being bad in some classes students were given detention where they had to copy out a page from the tables
 
  • #14
This is a fairly old Veeco ER-2A air cooled oil diffusion pump that's really useful.
EP-2A.jpg
 
  • Like
Likes NFuller and DennisN
  • #15
Horse-drawn streetcar built in 1859.

oldtech.jpg
 
  • Like
Likes AlexCaledin, dlgoff, NFuller and 3 others
  • #16
2016.07.08.1611.OCF.boiler.temp.recorder.png

Might have been brand new when I took this picture last year.
But it looked old.
The boiler it was monitoring was definitely old. (Oct 13, 1921, Birchfield)
 
  • Like
Likes NFuller, AlexCaledin and DennisN
  • #17
AlexCaledin said:
an old Steam Engine!
How did a steam engine (locomotive) end up in the "end zone" of a sports stadium? :wideeyed:
 
  • #18
Janus said:
Old photo taking technology.
What make/model? Except for the eyecup, it looks a lot like my old Pentax K1000 that's buried in my closet somewhere, but a lot of those SLRs looked pretty much the same from the rear.
 
  • #19
jtbell said:
How did a steam engine (locomotive) end up in the "end zone" of a sports stadium? :wideeyed:
TD James Watt?
 
  • #20
jtbell said:
What make/model? Except for the eyecup, it looks a lot like my old Pentax K1000 that's buried in my closet somewhere, but a lot of those SLRs looked pretty much the same from the rear.
Canon AE-1
 
  • #21
This was a tough challenge for me- while there's lots of 'old tech' and even 'obsolete tech' around here, it all still works and is regularly maintained- spare parts are still available, for example. I wanted to find something not just old but also 'unusable'.

I'm not sure how it came to be in my possession, but I have a copy of 'Johnson's Fact Book' (unfortunately available online, so it's not completely obsolete), a slim tome packed with 'labor-saving short cuts : practical suggestions for practical people'. It's a window into pre-electrification technology, and page after page is filled with what was then essential information but is now completely irrelevant. It's not organized in any way- items concerning livestock (moving, feeding, castrating...) are mixed in with tips on how to mend clothing. Here are 2 random pages:

DSC_1598_small_zps8zsn5obr.jpg

 
  • Like
Likes OmCheeto, stoomart, NFuller and 1 other person
  • #22
Andy Resnick said:
filled with what was then essential information but is now completely irrelevant
Just wait for the collapse of civilization :wink:
 
  • #23
DrClaude said:
Just wait for the collapse of civilization :wink:

You mean it hasn't happened yet? :)
 
  • #24
Andy Resnick said:
This was a tough challenge for me- while there's lots of 'old tech' and even 'obsolete tech' around here, it all still works and is regularly maintained- spare parts are still available, for example. I wanted to find something not just old but also 'unusable'.

I'm not sure how it came to be in my possession, but I have a copy of 'Johnson's Fact Book' (unfortunately available online, so it's not completely obsolete), a slim tome packed with 'labor-saving short cuts : practical suggestions for practical people'. It's a window into pre-electrification technology, and page after page is filled with what was then essential information but is now completely irrelevant. It's not organized in any way- items concerning livestock (moving, feeding, castrating...) are mixed in with tips on how to mend clothing. Here are 2 random pages:

View attachment 211095

Unfortunately, per the contest rules, a picture of a picture of the subject is not acceptable. The photo must be of the subject itself.

Zz.
 
  • #25
Final day to submit your photo of an old technology for this contest.

Zz.
 
  • #26
ZapperZ said:
Unfortunately, per the contest rules, a picture of a picture of the subject is not acceptable. The photo must be of the subject itself.

Zz.

I guess I don't understand: the specific object in the picture is old and obsolete technology.
 
  • #27
Andy Resnick said:
I guess I don't understand: the specific object in the picture is old and obsolete technology.
Just in case someone has an obsolete Gutenberg bible at home, please sent it to me.##^*)##

##^*)## Well, I had to try. One never knows.
 
  • #28
Andy Resnick said:
I guess I don't understand: the specific object in the picture is old and obsolete technology.

Now it is me who doesn't understand.

Your photo shows a book. This is what I consider to be the subject of the photo. Is a book "old technology" now? I know we are in the electronic age, but I still read from a real book.

The sketches in the book shows old technology, but this then is a "photo of a photo", which was what I thought you were showing.

Did I interpreted this wrong?

Zz.
 
  • #29
2e37l3a.jpg
 
  • Like
Likes DennisN
  • #30
ZapperZ said:
Now it is me who doesn't understand.

Your photo shows a book. This is what I consider to be the subject of the photo. Is a book "old technology" now? I know we are in the electronic age, but I still read from a real book.

The sketches in the book shows old technology, but this then is a "photo of a photo", which was what I thought you were showing.

Did I interpreted this wrong?

Zz.

I guess it doesn't matter- if the image is that confusing, then it's a fail.
 
  • #31
Andy Resnick said:
I guess it doesn't matter- if the image is that confusing, then it's a fail.
In any event, THANK YOU!, for mentioning it was on-line. I just downloaded it. Some of this stuff is hilarious. I like the child proof poison bottle on page 14. I can't stop laughing. I think I'll have to get a hard copy now.

Oh my god. "How to keep your pig from eating her babies". :oldsurprised:

There goes the rest of my night. :oldlaugh:
 
  • Like
Likes Andy Resnick

Similar threads

Replies
19
Views
3K
Replies
17
Views
2K
Replies
21
Views
3K
Replies
14
Views
3K
Replies
14
Views
3K
Replies
12
Views
2K
Replies
31
Views
5K
Replies
10
Views
2K
Replies
13
Views
2K
Back
Top