You know you are from a past age when

[rcrawford34]

you enter a elevator and you are given instructions how to use the Emergency Telephone 

I live in a large Apartment/Office complex  that used to be a Clock Manufacturing Plant.  The Building is close to 100 years old A beautiful complex  the majority of the buildings have been restored to it's former glory with a few newer extensions added

Used a Elevator today in the Office complex  I have never used. A small one I looked at the emergency telephone compartment and there were instructions on the wall on  how to use it.  I did not read the instructions first just looked at the title and opened the compartment

I expected it to be a newer model with advanced features

Opened the compartment and  found a Rotary Telephone handset in it. Then read the  instructions and it describes how to use it.  The instructions actually describe how one has to lift the receiver place your finger in the hole below the numbers and rotate the dial til it stops. Then let it rotate back  then repeat the process for each number until the phone # is completed. Then wait for the phone to be picked up at the other end and speak into it 

I feel so Ancient *sigh  but I guess there are those amongst us now that have never seen or used one and this would be completely foreign to them

weavers

[brettjet38]

[kawartha-ephemera]

I for one miss the reliability of the old rotary phones, if you picked up the handset and got a dial tone you were good to go, no dying or dead battery and no dropped calls, even worked with the power out. No robo-calls or off shore scammers calling during that era either, life was good ... 

[marnotom!]

Maybe phone scams were kept to a minimum because making call after call on a rotary telephone would be an exhausting, finger-numbing, blister-inducing process.

[reallynicestamps]

I think the greatest drawback of cellphones, besides never actually knowing your own phone number but that may just be me, is that you can't put three people on a call.
I suppose you can put the phone on speaker and have everyone gather round, but clarity drops off rapidly.

Actually the worst thing about cellphones is that every one is expected to have one.

BCTransit recently took the bus schedules off the shelters and give a text number instead.

I'm taking the bus! What makes you think I can afford a phone? (Well, I can, but I'm paying $60 a month for it, and mostly use it to read books while travelling.)

[rcrawford34]

We have a cheap cell phone we pay $30.00  month for.  Has 90 minutes of use before being charged extra charges  No Bells or Whistles with it.  Use it when I'm travelling and not with my other half.  Just a way to stay in touch with each other or for use in an emergency.  So far no emergencies.   Only a few  folk who know  us know the number. Got it when my Mother was alive and living in a Long Term Facility so they could contact us if needed

Used to carry it with me when teaching.    The kids who saw it in my shirt pocket were  amazed at how old it was and felt I was a Dinosaur using it

I have no intention of getting a more advanced one. Absolutely no interest.  

Have a Landline that has Call Display  and a answering machine.  Have not had a Rotary Phone in years but have owned a number of turn of the 20th Century Wooden Wall Phones that we sell.  At one point had about 35 of them

In the 70's lived in a area that had only Party Lines. What a joy nothing was private when using them. Everyone knew a number of things about each other that were not their business and one had to be careful discussing things over them

The one other thing that is completely foreign to many were early Televisions.   In the 50's large B&W box like contraptions that one actually had to get up to turn on and switch Channels by hand . If one was lucky they lived in a area that had reception for more than 3 or 4 channels and usually had Rabbit Ears attached to it to try and get a clear picture

A Friend of mine who is older than me that remembers their TV.   Had a Coin Box attached to it and had to pay a nickle or dime to use it for a hour. Their place was the hit of the neighborhood.  Had TV parties a few times a week so the neighbors could watch it with them

Technology at the Best at that time

In the 50's lived in Toronto.  Had CBC and it came from Sudbury Ontario. As a young Kid I thought Sudbury was the Hub of Canada entertainment wise.  Used to watch the Soupy Sales Show and was amazed at how many famous TV stars and entertainers lived there. No clue these were taped in other places and sent to the various stations. Always wanted to go there and meet them

weavers

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@reallynicestamps 

@rcrawford34 

I have no use for a cell either. It did become a bit of a hindrance when Covid reared its ugly head. Now booking appointments.......For EVERYTHING!!! Everyone wanted you message in advance for fast food. And this no entering a drive thru by walking for some reason is not permitted. Like, go figure. Even going to a restaurant in person, and the spiel that they don't have a physical plastic lined copy of the menu. What's up with that. Calling....Anywhere (from a landline) and that constant reminder, "You know you can find the same information by using the APP." Grrrrrr, under my breath!!!! Even going to the airport may/will become a real pain going forward.  I think the technical term for all of this is "Progress." More of, 1 step forward, 3 steps back.

And when someone does ask for an email address, giving one out that ends with aol or yahoo and the looks you get. Priceless!! I've had the aol one since the early 90ies. For me, it's like a good old friend. It rolls off the tongue. Similar to Cheers, where everyone knew your name.  Now, the new normal, everyone is just a twit away...Oops tweet!!! 

How long before eBay is App only? Hmmm?

Signed,

Missing the olden days!!!

[kawartha-ephemera]

We also had a party line up until 1980 as that was the only type of service available. In our case we shared a line with a neighbour across the road, every so often the neigbour would pick up and yell obscenities to whomever happened to be calling. At times we didn't hear alot from family and friends, thankfully the tiny local provider sold to Bell and we were upgraded soon after.

[rcrawford34]

When I lived in Haliburton I worked for a organization that cared for High Needs Children.   We had very sensitive and private calls come in from various sources a lot.  No way were others supposed  to hear these.   The staff understood that in no way was this info discussed outside the home and one had to be associated with the place.  Legal Action could take place if one did so

Very hard to have happen with Party Lines

Petitioned Bell Canada to provide us a Private line. Not easy to get but the Ministry of Social Services got involved and we were able to get one but took time

My home line had about 5 households on it Took a lot of time to get a clear line 

weavers