Things That The Internet Made Obsolete
May 14, 2007 Posted by Jeff in : Opinion , trackback,
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I was sitting down tonight enjoying a cigar, listening to Internet radio, and I started thinking of how the Internet has changed our lives. However, in my usual way, I looked at it from a different angle. I decided to make a short list of things that the Internet has made obsolete.
1. Records and CDs: These are the most obvious thing. From the moment I first used Napster way back when, I realized that this was the end of record companies as we then knew them. I was loosely involved in the record business at the time, when I was doing some remixes. I realized that after I completed a remix, I could just make an MP3 and make it available on Napster. At that point, I made a handful of unauthorized remixes and put them on Napster. They were a hit. Wow! It blew my mind. Now we see major record store chains closing their doors as people prefer to pick the songs they like from any album they like from places like iTunes.
2. Radio: Again, iTunes, Shoutcast and lots of other independent broadcasters now share their programming online via live streams and podcasts. Radio stations are still scrambling to figure out what is going on… and it might be too late for them, especially now that cellular and wireless Internet is so prolific. In a couple of years, it will be common to have an Internet radio in your car. Satellite radio will also be a thing of the past. Currently it’s what I call “interim technology†(something that is short-lived because something else will come along. EGA is a prime example of interim technology).
3. Faxing: The fax used to be the lifeline of business. Now it’s almost a last resort as email has become so easy and so convenient. Combine that with the cheapness of scanners, the fax is like a dinosaur. It seems like people who fax things are almost comical because they are so Neanderthal. I also remember the early ’90s color fax machines came and went almost in the same instant.
4. Personal relationships: These have suffered the most. In the past, people either talked on the phone or met in person. Now, we shoot each other an email. Email is devoid of emotional inflections; it’s not the same as talking. It allows us to say harsh, stupid, and rude things that we wouldn’t dream of saying face-to-face. In other respects, it has helped shy people communicate more effectively, because they don’t have to face the person they are communicating with.
5. Writing and mailing letters: In the past, I used to love sending off a letter to friends across the world. I even had some nice sealing wax and seals. Now, again, we email or instant message.
6. Libraries: Why go to a library when you can just get anything you want online? You can go to Amazon and by using their search utilities, find anything on any subject instantly! Try that with your card files and your Dewey Decimal System!
7. Cookbooks: I tried selling cookbooks online; when I got no bids, I realized how ridiculous they seem now. If I want to know how to make something, I can Google it and find dozens of recipes and pick the one I like best. I wanted a great meatball recipe, and in googling it, I ran across a fantastic recipe from celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito. Beat THAT Family Circle Cookbook!
8. Yard sales: Only analog people have yard sales. People like us put stuff on eBay. A good picture and a well-written description can yield you much more for the item than it would get in a yard sale because you have a wider audience and there is competition between bidders.
9. Encyclopedias: How weird and archaic these things look. I was in a thrift store and saw a set that looked relatively new. With the internet, and how fast the world is moving, an encyclopedia seems obsolete before it leaves the publisher’s warehouse. The other option is an encyclopedia on CD, which is kinda cool because you can rip images and video to use in your PowerPoint presentations.
10. Dictionaries: With spell checking and online resources like dictionary.com, someone who picks up a dictionary tends to look a bit foolish. Plus, if you don’t know how to spell something, how can you look it up quickly? Go to an online dictionary, type in any crazy old spelling and you’ll get several possibilities.
So that’s my short list. Please add your own…
Jeff Gross
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Comments»
I agree, some of these things are definitely obsolete to me now - CDs, writing letters, encyclopedias, and dictionaries (except when playing board games like Scrabble). I just use my iPod, email, and the Internet instead.
I do still use the library though. I don’t use the library for research, I use it for satisfying my love of books. The price of checking a book out can’t be beat.
And sadly, when you rent, you cannot get away from the fax machine. Everything has to be faxed, then confirmed with a phone call. I got chastised for emailing!
Don’t forget text messaging. You don’t even have to talk to people on the phone anymore, you can just send them a message. It’s almost like talking is becoming obsolete too
Maps / Directions (Almanac)
Air travel (you book your own vs. a travel agent)
Buying a home ( lots of internet research with images and locations)
Stocks (used to need a broker, now you can buyandhold.com and others)
Movie rentals (I don’t step in a store)
on line banking (hit the ATM once and a while but..)
I don’t think libraries have gone the way of the dinosaur quite yet. It does kill me seeking the encyclopedias… the ones you used to have a PAYMENT PLAN on to buy.
Funny, but *nothing* on that list is obsolete. Maybe a better title would be things that the internet MAY int he future make obsolete.
I still use libraries and feel naked without a dictionary by my side. The last couple of weekends I watched as much movies and television shows on my computer as I did on my Television set. This may mean televisions connected to cable or even an antenna may be on their way out.