how times change

[pontifex]

i grew up and still live in a small rural town. it took about an hour to get to a big city that had a mall or large stores like wal-mart. my family never really had much money either. i always remember that going to these places or going out to eat at a restaurant, even fast food like McDonald's, was always a treat or special occasion.

Now, i don't even think about it. i eat out somewhere for lunch almost every day. its like a regular plain boring thing now.

same with cable or satellite tv. never had any of that growing up until later on. always had the free channels through an antenna. some friends had cable and going to their house was a special treat too, because i could see stuff i normally couldn't at home.

another thing was the PC. 1st real enjoyment i got out of a pc was at my uncle's. he lived like an hour and a half away and had a tandy 1000. every year for New Year's day we'd go to his place. i would look forward to that all the time because he had such cool games that i loved to play. i spent my whole day on that PC.

my one friend got a PC at one point and again, going to his place was awesome because we'd play pc games. luckily, shortly after that my parents bought a pc for the family.

now using a pc is nothing special.


I just think its funny and a little sad how things like that have changed. something that we deemed so special has been turned into an everyday boring thing.

anyone else have childhood memories like this to share?

 

[maximus maximus]

ditto man.. I feel the same way sometimes..

Even as a kid, getting a toy was aluxury for me.. I used to ask my parents if they could afford a toy, even before I asked for one.. Guess, I was mature at a very young age..

Now, I see every kid going crazy for a XBOX 360 or a PS3. My parents would have disowned me, had I been such a kid.

 

[harobikes333]

Its too true. People take for granted way too many things now days.

 

[jlbenedict]

Originally posted by: pontifex
i grew up and still live in a small rural town. it took about an hour to get to a big city that had a mall or large stores like wal-mart. my family never really had much money either. i always remember that going to these places or going out to eat at a restaurant, even fast food like McDonald's, was always a treat or special occasion.

Now, i don't even think about it. i eat out somewhere for lunch almost every day. its like a regular plain boring thing now.

same with cable or satellite tv. never had any of that growing up until later on. always had the free channels through an antenna. some friends had cable and going to their house was a special treat too, because i could see stuff i normally couldn't at home.

another thing was the PC. 1st real enjoyment i got out of a pc was at my uncle's. he lived like an hour and a half away and had a tandy 1000. every year for New Year's day we'd go to his place. i would look forward to that all the time because he had such cool games that i loved to play. i spent my whole day on that PC.

my one friend got a PC at one point and again, going to his place was awesome because we'd play pc games. luckily, shortly after that my parents bought a pc for the family.

now using a pc is nothing special.


I just think its funny and a little sad how things like that have changed. something that we deemed so special has been turned into an everyday boring thing.

anyone else have childhood memories like this to share?

I can relate to all of this as well.
My family was a little on the poor side when I was a teenager. It was a treat to just have mom give me a $1.00 to walk down to the store so we could have a glass of Pepsi with dinner. A personal computer.. haa.. I didn't own my first one until 1996.

The other day I thought about how much I am actually on a PC and what work I accomplish on the PC. Its crazy , but alot of stuff that I do depends so much on the PC. NOT having a PC would suck.

 

[iwantanewcomputer]

go walk up a hill...both ways

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: jlbenedict

Originally posted by: pontifex
i grew up and still live in a small rural town. it took about an hour to get to a big city that had a mall or large stores like wal-mart. my family never really had much money either. i always remember that going to these places or going out to eat at a restaurant, even fast food like McDonald's, was always a treat or special occasion.

Now, i don't even think about it. i eat out somewhere for lunch almost every day. its like a regular plain boring thing now.

same with cable or satellite tv. never had any of that growing up until later on. always had the free channels through an antenna. some friends had cable and going to their house was a special treat too, because i could see stuff i normally couldn't at home.

another thing was the PC. 1st real enjoyment i got out of a pc was at my uncle's. he lived like an hour and a half away and had a tandy 1000. every year for New Year's day we'd go to his place. i would look forward to that all the time because he had such cool games that i loved to play. i spent my whole day on that PC.

my one friend got a PC at one point and again, going to his place was awesome because we'd play pc games. luckily, shortly after that my parents bought a pc for the family.

now using a pc is nothing special.


I just think its funny and a little sad how things like that have changed. something that we deemed so special has been turned into an everyday boring thing.

anyone else have childhood memories like this to share?

I can relate to all of this as well.
My family was a little on the poor side when I was a teenager. It was a treat to just have mom give me a $1.00 to walk down to the store so we could have a glass of Pepsi with dinner. A personal computer.. haa.. I didn't own my first one until 1996.

The other day I thought about how much I am actually on a PC and what work I accomplish on the PC. Its crazy , but alot of stuff that I do depends so much on the PC. NOT having a PC would suck.

thats probably around when i got mine also, 95 or 96.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: iwantanewcomputer
go walk up a hill...both ways

should i do that barefoot and in 3 feet of snow also?

 

[xSkyDrAx]

Originally posted by: maximus maximus
ditto man.. I feel the same way sometimes..

Even as a kid, getting a toy was aluxury for me.. I used to ask my parents if they could afford a toy, even before I asked for one.. Guess, I was mature at a very young age..

Now, I see every kid going crazy for a XBOX 360 or a PS3. My parents would have disowned me, had I been such a kid.

second

 

[dullard]

It is called growing up. It has nothing to do with times changing (although both do have roughly the same result). Even in the period when times didn't change rapidly, people had this same complaint when they matured.

The towering 6' tall Christmas tree that a young child loves isn't towering anymore when you are 6'1". Did times change? No, you changed.

The piece of candy for which every little kid begged and pleaded is now a normal purchase. Did times change? No, your annual income went from $10 to $50,000. You can now afford those little things that your allowance couldn't afford when you were young.

 

[spacejamz]

i got paddled in elementary school for talking in class...

also, the students actually respected the teachers and raised their hands before they spoke in class...

you either made the team or you didn't...your parents did not threaten to sue the school district because their kid didn't make the football team or cheerleading squad.

when you lost by 50 points, you sucked it up and took it. no whining about how the other team was running up the score or parents trying to get the coach suspended for bad sportsmanship...

yup, times have changed...

 

[EngenZerO]

wow, i guess i was really fourtunate growing up... i got mostly everything i ever wanted when i asked my parents... we got our first computer (apple) back in the early 90s... my first actual pc in 93...

i guess i just lucked out... whenever a new toy, video game/system came out i asked for it and my rents got it for me...

my parents did force me to get a job when i was sixteen to understand the value of a dollar... which payed off... able to purchase my first car and pay for it... i actually picked up a second job in college to pay for school...

hmmm... i think i am gonna call my mom now and say how much i really appreciate all they have ever done...

 

[cKGunslinger]

Originally posted by: dullard
It is called growing up. It has nothing to do with times changing (although both do have roughly the same result). Even in the period when times didn't change rapidly, people had this same complaint when they matured.

The towering 6' tall Christmas tree that a young child loves isn't towering anymore when you are 6'1". Did times change? No, you changed.

The piece of candy for which every little kid begged and pleaded is now a normal purchase. Did times change? No, your annual income went from $10 to $50,000. You can now afford those little things that your allowance couldn't afford when you were young.

Thank you. We all love to reminisce, but the idea of "times changing" ( especailly coming from people in their early and mid-20s :laugh: ) is somewhat of a misnomer.

 

[monk3y]

This next generation is in for a hard reality check once they grow older.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: dullard
It is called growing up. It has nothing to do with times changing (although both do have roughly the same result). Even in the period when times didn't change rapidly, people had this same complaint when they matured.

The towering 6' tall Christmas tree that a young child loves isn't towering anymore when you are 6'1". Did times change? No, you changed.

The piece of candy for which every little kid begged and pleaded is now a normal purchase. Did times change? No, your annual income went from $10 to $50,000. You can now afford those little things that your allowance couldn't afford when you were young.

true, i think its a little bit of both though.

 

[j00fek]

Originally posted by: monk3y
This next generation is in for a hard reality check once they grow older.

amen to that

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: pontifex
true, i think its a little bit of both though.

They are intermingeled. But with your specific examples, I think they tend to do more with your changing than times changing. Even today, little kids are still eager to go to their relatives to play with something. Little kids are still eager to play with the new toy their friends have.

Sure, times have changed, so the name of that toy is different. But times are still similar enough that little kids still have those same feelings that you had.

 

[lokiju]

Originally posted by: spacejamz
i got paddled in elementary school for talking in class...

also, the students actually respected the teachers and raised their hands before they spoke in class...

you either made the team or you didn't...your parents did not threaten to sue the school district because their kid didn't make the football team or cheerleading squad.

when you lost by 50 points, you sucked it up and took it. no whining about how the other team was running up the score or parents trying to get the coach suspended for bad sportsmanship...

yup, times have changed...

Man I got paddled plenty of times in school, now days though? No way that'd fly.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: lokiju

Originally posted by: spacejamz
i got paddled in elementary school for talking in class...

also, the students actually respected the teachers and raised their hands before they spoke in class...

you either made the team or you didn't...your parents did not threaten to sue the school district because their kid didn't make the football team or cheerleading squad.

when you lost by 50 points, you sucked it up and took it. no whining about how the other team was running up the score or parents trying to get the coach suspended for bad sportsmanship...

yup, times have changed...

Man I got paddled plenty of times in school, now days though? No way that'd fly.

i got paddled once in school and i doubt i'll ever forget it, lol.
it was for drawing pictures of naked women. it was me and a friend or 2. probably 2nd or 3rd grade i guess.

 

[shortylickens]

Well, we just had this discussion not too long ago.

I was of the opinion that computers should not be special and shouldnt require tons of personal attention.
They are a tool, like the toaster or hair dryer. They are used for getting certain things done in life and they shouldnt be projects unto themselves.
As much as I hate Macs thay seem to have figured this out a long time ago.

Also, Dullard and spacejamz both made really good points.
I grew up in the 80's and things do seem different. Some of them actually are different and some of them are just my personal changes.

 

[krunchykrome]

Um, how old is everyone in this thread? I'm 23, and although Im not young, you guys sound like a bunch of grandfathers.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: shortylickens
Well, we just had this discussion not too long ago.

I was of the opinion that computers should not be special and shouldnt require tons of personal attention.
They are a tool, like the toaster or hair dryer. They are used for getting certain things done in life and they shouldnt be projects unto themselves.
As much as I hate Macs thay seem to have figured this out a long time ago.

Also, Dullard and spacejamz both made really good points.
I grew up in the 80's and things do seem different. Some of them actually are different and some of them are just my personal changes.

well back then pcs were expensive. i think my parents paid $2500 for that 486 66mhz, 420 mb hard drive, 8mb of ram, sb 16 sound card, 15" crt monitor, no video card.

so unless you had the money, they were pretty damn special.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: krunchykrome
Um, how old is everyone in this thread? I'm 23, and although Im not young, you guys sound like a bunch of grandfathers.

i'm 26. it just seems so long ago though.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: krunchykrome
Um, how old is everyone in this thread? I'm 23, and although Im not young, you guys sound like a bunch of grandfathers.

29.

 

[UDT89]

im 26 and i remember the days when i'd spend hours on my grandpa's PC entering code from some PC magazine for some cool game.

then when i was finished it wouldnt work, and i'd have to recheck a gazillion pages of code to see where i endered a 't' instead of a 'T'.

then when it was done and working, id play for weeks until i got bored and start inputing a new game.

anyone else ever do that?

 

[jlbenedict]

Originally posted by: krunchykrome
Um, how old is everyone in this thread? I'm 23, and although Im not young, you guys sound like a bunch of grandfathers.

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