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Original poster

Which things seem so antiquated now that were only a few years ago...

393 replies

Rosewaterblossom · 23/12/2021 21:03

Programming the TV to record on VHS..

Ipods..

Renting a dvd from the shop..

Decorating a room and having one colour at the bottom with a paler version at the top separated with a pretty boarder..

What are yours?

OP posts:
nobodysperfectatall · 23/12/2021 21:06

Buying CDs. DH and I were just saying the other day that apple music for our family of four costs £15 a month. I would spend £15 on one CD in the 90s!

Spudlet · 23/12/2021 21:06

Definitely iPods! I loved my iPod nano but now it seems so adorably clunky to have a separate MP3 player, mobile phone, and laptop when you can do most of things each device did on one phone now.

Writing cheques. I can’t think the last time I did that. Don’t even know if I have a cheque book any more.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 23/12/2021 21:07

Using cash tbh.

Everything now is contactless. I never seem to have change or notes anymore.

JaneJeffer · 23/12/2021 21:08

Being able to buy CDs, DVDs and video games for Christmas presents. Everything is online now.

grafittiartist · 23/12/2021 21:08

Phone calls costing money.

IToldYouIWasFreaky · 23/12/2021 21:11

@JaneJeffer

Being able to buy CDs, DVDs and video games for Christmas presents. Everything is online now.
I was just thinking that. I have a teenage son and niece and a few years ago 80% of their gifts would have been DVDs and CDs. Just pointless now!
IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 23/12/2021 21:12

Christmas cards.

Libertynan · 23/12/2021 21:13

Paying for drinks in pubs with cash

No one ever used bank cards let alone Apple Pay on a night out

Jumpingintochristmas · 23/12/2021 21:15

Calling to order a takeaway.

Snooks1971 · 23/12/2021 21:15

30 years ago at least but….

My Saturday job in WHSmiths, aged 16, oh my days….

When someone produced their Access credit card - Switch wasn’t even invented then - and had to find the clunky card machine from somewhere under my till and fill bits of it out with biro… with the triple sheets??
Swiping it across meant you had to be quite forceful with your forearm.

Now contactless… I’ve adapted too easily!

Thirtytimesround · 23/12/2021 21:17

Men offering their seat to women / the elderly on public transport.

Sony Walkman!

Dial up internet.

The saying “That is so gay.”

Kids cartoons without torture scenes (seriously how is this so common?!)

M&S bras that last for 5 yrs.

Phone with cord.

Getting a huge pile of Christmas cards.

Taping songs from the radio.

Original poster
Rosewaterblossom · 23/12/2021 21:18

I remember being so weary of contactless but now it's mainly all I use!

OP posts:
TragoCardboardCopper · 23/12/2021 21:18

I had a minidisc player!

Spent ages using an optical cable to transfer my cds to minidisc, I was convinced it was the future!

Desktop computers. Don't know the last time I used one! Big old tower units with multiple CD and floppy drives.

KylieKangaroo · 23/12/2021 21:21

I had a mini disc too, it cost me 180 quid from my first paycheck! Saying that it was pretty indestructible to be fairSmile

MotherBuckets · 23/12/2021 21:21

I still buy DVDs! Not CDs as 99% of the stuff I want is on Spotify, but not all films / TV shows are on the streaming services I have.

CathyorClaire · 23/12/2021 21:22

Dial up internet

Scratching your brand new LP accidentally. I really have no idea why vinyl has become a thing again.

TragoCardboardCopper · 23/12/2021 21:22

@Snooks1971 we had one of them in the late 90s / early 00s in the pub I worked in. I was always scared of doing it wrong (I was about 14/15 and waitressing)

Around the same time we joined the EU and it seemed inevitable we would join the single currency too, eventually. All the new tills and calculators had buttons to convert automatically from £ to €.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 23/12/2021 21:22

Having to go and collect a takeaway

Original poster
Rosewaterblossom · 23/12/2021 21:23

I Still buy cds from charity shops because my car doesn't have USB (it's a 2009 model.) I do have Spotify though and Alexa.

Actually, talking of Alexa.. even coming home and turning on the radio or linking to stereo via Bluetooth to play albums seems old hat now. I just say "Alexa play... "

OP posts:
Theimpossiblegirl · 23/12/2021 21:24

Jealous of the take away references.
We're rural so have to ring and collect.
One day...

ginslinger · 23/12/2021 21:25

I can't imagine every become weary of contactless payments - I love it especially now that I have the cards in my phone wallet and just have to use a fingerprint to pay. It's brilliant.

KylieKangaroo · 23/12/2021 21:25

I still buy CDs too, mostly for my husband, wonder if they'll become like vinyl eventually, I can dream!

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 23/12/2021 21:26

Plug in earphones.

Whenever I’m out l just see loads of people with little white blobs in their ears.

elQuintoConyo · 23/12/2021 21:27

Sending texts, actual SMS texts, not WhatsApps, and having to count the characters so you didn't accidentally write two messages and be charged twice.

Pagers - an 18yo student of mine recently asked me what one was, as he'd seen it in an "old" film.

Landline. Haven't had one for around 9 years.

MP3 player - I really miss mine.

Foil Christmas decorations you hung from the ceiling.

One fat BIC biro with four different colours - I haven't seen one in years!

rifling · 23/12/2021 21:28

Renting a dvd from the shop.
We still do this!

Collecting the new train timetable book from the station. It used to be published twice a year and I needed it to work out my commute.