this post was submitted on 23 Oct 2024
443 points (98.7% liked)

Ask Lemmy

26577 readers
1663 users here now

A Fediverse community for open-ended, thought provoking questions


Rules: (interactive)


1) Be nice and; have funDoxxing, trolling, sealioning, racism, and toxicity are not welcomed in AskLemmy. Remember what your mother said: if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. In addition, the site-wide Lemmy.world terms of service also apply here. Please familiarize yourself with them


2) All posts must end with a '?'This is sort of like Jeopardy. Please phrase all post titles in the form of a proper question ending with ?


3) No spamPlease do not flood the community with nonsense. Actual suspected spammers will be banned on site. No astroturfing.


4) NSFW is okay, within reasonJust remember to tag posts with either a content warning or a [NSFW] tag. Overtly sexual posts are not allowed, please direct them to either [email protected] or [email protected]. NSFW comments should be restricted to posts tagged [NSFW].


5) This is not a support community.
It is not a place for 'how do I?', type questions. If you have any questions regarding the site itself or would like to report a community, please direct them to Lemmy.world Support or email [email protected]. For other questions check our partnered communities list, or use the search function.


Reminder: The terms of service apply here too.

Partnered Communities:

Tech Support

No Stupid Questions

You Should Know

Reddit

Jokes

Ask Ouija


Logo design credit goes to: tubbadu


founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

I don't mean BETTER. That's a different conversation. I mean cooler.

An old CRT display was literally a small scale particle accelerator, firing angry electron beams at light speed towards the viewers, bent by an electromagnet that alternates at an ultra high frequency, stopped by a rounded rectangle of glowing phosphors.

If a CRT goes bad it can actually make people sick.

That's just. Conceptually a lot COOLER than a modern LED panel, which really is just a bajillion very tiny lightbulbs.

(page 8) 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 37 points 2 days ago (4 children)

CDs and DVDs, because ownership beats convenience when you can get them second hand for pennies on the pound

load more comments (4 replies)
[–] [email protected] 41 points 2 days ago (5 children)

Clothing and towels made with asbestos fabric. During the middle ages you could clean them by throwing them in the fire and they would come out clean. Eventually your lungs would give up on you but for a while you had a very cool way to impress your guests.

load more comments (5 replies)
[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 days ago (10 children)

Most weapons. Bows and swords are cooler than guns and knives. Trebuchets and catapults are cooler than any form of modern artillery.

Modern warfare, when it becomes necessary, should be fought purely with weapons designed prior to the 16th century. Just replace horses with dirtbikes and ATVs.

load more comments (10 replies)
[–] [email protected] 27 points 2 days ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 19 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Computers making Fennec Fox noises at each other over the telephone line. And that connected you to the world.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Early to mid 90s was peak internet, even go as far as late 90s still being pretty solid!

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 days ago (2 children)
load more comments (2 replies)
[–] [email protected] 16 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I could mention toasters or pinball machines or flickering light bulbs or unusual people movers, but instead I'll save some time and just link the whole obligatory channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TechnologyConnections

[–] [email protected] 18 points 2 days ago

Technology connections is the gent that inspired this thread. Was watching one of his videos about old camera flashes (LITERALLY TINY FLASHBANG GRENADES. WE USED TO USE FUCKING BOMBS TO TAKE PHOTOS IN THE DARK HOW FUCKING COOL IS THAT???) and figured "huh... There are a lot of old inventions that might suck to use but are conceptually really cool, aren't there?"

Fun fact, he's in the fediverse! He's @[email protected] over on mastodon.

load more comments
view more: ‹ prev next ›