If you find yourself saying, “They don’t make them like they used to” more often than you’d care to admit, you’ll love this Reddit post. It asks, “What is a piece of old technology that actually worked better than its modern replacement?” People have a lot of strong feelings about this one, as 17-hundred responses have come in and these will have you nodding your head along in agreement.
- "Google Search 10 years ago. It gave you actual results instead of three pages of sponsored ads and AI fluff."
- "Physical buttons, knobs, and dials are superior to touch screen versions."
- "The BlackBerry was so much more efficient for communication than any of today's touchscreen phones. Ultimately, it wasn't the best fit for doomscrolling and TikTok, so we traded in productivity."
- "Recipe books over recipe websites. I don't care why the author likes this loaf of bread, what it reminds them of, and I definitely don't want my screen reduced to 2x2 pixels by advert popups."
- "Oh, you mean back when you could call a business and a human answered and you could actually tell them what you called for, and they helped you? Yeah, that was great."
- "The Internet pre-megacorp destruction. Humans built loads of cool little communities everywhere. People shared hobbies or silly videos. Friends chatted over chat apps that only had people you added, and it was free. Then the dystopia set in. Ads everywhere. Everything monetized. The old Internet was ace, pre-social media Internet specifically."
- "So-called 'dumb' TVs."
- "One-time purchase software. The subscription model is a parasite that makes us rent things we used to own."
- "My dad's old LaserJet from 2005 still prints instantly every time. My new 'smart' printer requires a firmware update, a Wi-Fi connection, and a subscription to HP Ink just to print a single black-and-white page. It’s infuriating."
- "Fridges from the '90s. Those things will outlive the sun. My 'smart' fridge needs a software update just to make ice. It's exhausting!"
- "Razors. I get a smoother shave and less razor burn with my 1963 Gillette safety razor than their new 15-blade battery-operated monstrosities."
- "Manual windshield wipers. The ones that sense how much rain there is on the windshield are useless."
- "Physical media (e.g., CDs, Blu-rays). Much higher quality, actual ownership, and easy backups."
- "Ordering at a fast food restaurant."