Re: Things you really miss?
Fastfinge, I agree with you. It is not so much the old technology itself I miss but the functionality I had with it. The way things are changing in the technology industry there are very useful things I could do back in the day I can't do now or its not the same as it was. I have used almost everything from an Apple II-E right up to the newest Windows 8.1 machines, and there are things I do miss about older operating systems that I could easily do then but not as easily now.
For instance, back in the Dos days if I wanted to copy a bunch of text files from one directory to another it was usually as simple as doing something like
copy *.txt c:\notes
and all of my notes in text format would be copied into the notes directory. Now days if I wanted to do the same thing on Windows I'd have to go to the Start Menu, click on Documents, select all the files I wanted to copy with shift+down arrow, do
control+c, alt+left arrow back up to the top level director
y, find the directory I want, and paste them in with control+v. That's a lot more complicated and requires more steps to accomplish the same thing I could do with a single command.
Word processing has had similar changes over the years. Back in the early to mid 90's I use to do all of my homework on a computer running Jaws for Dos and WordPerfect 5.1. The thing I miss about WordPerfect 5.1 is the way in which I could select text to copy, move, delete, etc. Unlike modern word processors where you use the shift arrow keys to select text in WordPerfect I could go to the beginning of the text I wanted to delete, set a start marker, and then go to the end of the text I wanted to delete and drop an end marker. When I hit delete that entire region of text was gone. It didn't matter if it was one line or one hundred lines.
It seems in modern word processors like Microsoft Word 2010 if I want to remove two or three paragraphs from a document I am working on I have to shift+down arrow, shift+down arrow, shift+down arrow, etc until the entire region is selected and then hit delete. It isn't as efficient in my opinion as the old Dos word processors were.
However, the thing I miss most about older operating systems like Dos is developing programs. When I was learning to program they started me out on simple Dos or command line apps that just output text directly to the screen using functions like printf(). That was extremely easy to do, and wasn't complicated at all. However, if someone wants to really develop apps for Windows they have to have a firm understanding of the Windows API which is like a 1,200 page manual, and can't do a blessed thing until they create all the dialog boxes, buttons, check boxes, etc that goes along with a Windows GUI. While I like programming I'm not excited to spend the first day or two of programming just creating the user interface before I can get on with the business of writing tha t program I want to write. In my opinion a lot of time is wasted spent on creating a point and click interface I myself just don't want or need.
Raygrote, don't let other adults put you down for having a youthful childhood spirit. Even though I am an adult, 36 to be exact, there are some aspects of my own childhood I am not willing to give up, and I don't see any rational reason I should. Sometimes that does cause other adults to look at me funny or make comments to the effect "I should grow up and act my age" but I think they are just being stuck up and have lost the ability to enjoy the simple things in life.
To give you an example I have always had an interested in animated cartoons. Transformers, Masters of the Universe, Ninja Turtles, Thunder Cats, etc. You name it I probably have several of them on DVD, and I enjoy spending time with my son, who is 9, watching them and discussing those cartoons both new and old.
However, my former wif e and her family constantly use to make comments to the effect I should grow up, stop watching kids stuff, I should act my age, etc. I don't really know what their problem is, but I never let it bother me. It is something I personally enjoy, something I have in common with my son, and I'd much rather see a couple of fictional robots shooting it out than see a movie where human beings are killing each other.
Another aspect of my childhood I have not quite given up is I am something of a toy collector. Sometime back in the 80's I began collecting Star Trek and Star wars Action figures. At this point I have a fairly extensive collection of both. However, there are some in my family and others who I know who sort of frown on that hobby of mine and think it is a waste of money, that I am being childish, etc. Again, as with the cartoons I just ignore them.
My advice is just be yourself. If people don't like you for who you are that is there problem. T here is no reason you have to give up your personal interests because others in your immediate circle of friends and family have a problem with your interests.
URL: http://forum.audiogames.net/viewtopic.php?pid=166569#p166569
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