How many people here who are into high tech also appreciate low tech??

[bozack]

Just wondering how many, or how common it is for people in here who are into high tech items to also be interested in low tech or "classic" items....

We all post on Anandtech because we are interested in technology first and formost, some of us work in IT/high tech where things progress at a staggering rate..others are avid hobbiests in high tech areas such as Home theatre, Car Audio, Computer and gaming systems....etc etc etc

But sometimes I think it is my interest in high tech/fast paced/changing technology that also draws me to certain low tech items and respect them for their lasting appeal and timeless nature even though by technology standards they are vastly obsolete....

For example I love

Mechanical Watches, especially Rolex, Breilting, Panerai and many other great brands however the timelessness of Rolex is really appealing to me, one of the few products that never changes, increases in value and always is in style

Fender Stratocaster, Gibson Les Paul and flying V and other vintage guitars....their classic looks and their great sounds really have a draw to me even though from a technical standpoint they are dated.

Mechanical Fountain pens...in this era of Palm Pilots, Tablet PCs and other means of digital communication I am still drawn to nice fountain pens by companies like Cross, Pelikan, Montblanc, Waterman...I use a fountain pen daily and it is one of the best writing pens I have yet to use even though it is much more of a hassle than a bic.

Harley Davidson motorcycles, even though I will never own one as I do not ride I just love their classic appeal, they are another item that can appreciate with time, are always in style, and have a classic look to them that no matter what company offers a product that looks close it just isn't the same as a Harley.

Vintage Sports cars, and modern sports cars that are not heavy on the features....you can take your GPS, your Heads up displays, tiptronic shifting and you can keep them, I would much rather have a very basic car that you get in and drive, a manual transmission with limited features and prefer something that is lower tech...less stuff going on the less there is to break.

Those are just a few of the "classic" things that I find interesting, however I have found others in the high tech industry who share the same feelings or have some similar interests and wondered if there were others here who also felt the same way....I guess I feel that with regards to my own personal feelings since I deal with changing technology on a daily basis it is nice to know that there are some things that are not subject to change, unlike most computer hardware and other tech items these are things that while expensive are "lifetime" purchases that will never go out of style and will serve you for the rest of your time on this great planet..just something that interests me and didn't know if there were others out there.

Thanks

 

[ScoobMaster]

<----- raises hand "I do Ido"

If you are like me - and are also interested in the history behind technology - you will probably like this magazine:

Invention & Technology

I love reading these cover to cover the minute I receive them. The only bummer is that they are published quarterly

4 issues a year = too long to wait for the next one.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

What I love seeing:
Antique engines running.

A neighboring county fair always has a large group of exhibitors displaying engines from 1880-1930. Nothing like seeing a 10HP engine that has flywheels that are 6' in diameter and engines with different piston cycles (other than otto).

 

[radioouman]

Yep, I too like the old stuff. I've always been an electrical/computer guy at heart, but I have a bachelors in mechanical engineering. I've had two old cars, I love old houses, and I have a fantastic Realistic stereo as the center of my home theatre from the late 1970s.

 

[OS]

I have a BSEE, new technology is always interesting, but I've come to realize that for all the technology humanity has access to, the quality of life around the world isn't really any better.

What seems to matter more are the social organizations that each society builds. There were societies thousands of years ago where people lived in peace and health with almost no technology.

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

I appreciate low tech... 286's, 486's, Pentium Pro's ...

 

[Armitage]

Antique tools ... sure a jointer is faster, and probably does a better job. But there is something about a good sharp hand plane peeling off long shavings thin enough to see through.

And real airplanes have propellors and drag their tails

 

[vi edit]

I'm lowtech by heart. Technology will never replace paper and pencils. In fact, I'm going to order a big ass markerboard to keep track of projects because I can manage tasks twice as fast with a marker board than I can with a clunky program on a the computer.

Also, those plastic tipped dart boards that score your points will never replace the "feel" of using a good old cork based dart board.

 

[Armitage]

I should really say hand-tool instead of antique tools because there are alot of good hand tools still made. But I've started picking up antique tools where I find ee.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

I play sports & martial arts. Can't get much more low-tech than that.

At the same time, I <3 the new P4-C core. Mmmm ... 1GHz+ FSB ....

- M4H

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Also, those plastic tipped dart boards that score your points will never replace the "feel" of using a good old cork based dart board.

Yeah, and that plastic dartboard will never replace the "feel" of getting a metal dart stuck between your shoulder blades.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Those plastic darts suck. I've used one and perfer the feel of a nicely weighted "real" dart.