Our generation is known for growing up with technology coming up alongside us. What technology is the first that seems you didn't feel the need to understand.

[-]

ArchSchnitz@reddit

I don't have the fucks to give about TikTok. I've preferred to curate my own media all my life, why would I want the algo to tell me what I want now?

During radio days, I preferred tapes and CDs. I wanted VHS over broadcast. I buy books rather than the library. I want to control my media.

The algorithm can fuck off.

Unfortunately Instagram got enough data points to catch me. It's all comic strips and fit women who can barely dress themselves, and like twelve actual friends peppered in.

[-]

ArchSchnitz@reddit

I can pick the subreddits I subscribe to. Relevant interests and all that.
Porn.

[-]

Badesign@reddit

I'm surprised you keep your account history public..

[-]

hallowdmachine@reddit

TikTok is too stressful. There's no homepage. Open app - BAM - video is playing. Give me a second to breathe, damn.

[-]

ladyzowy@reddit

I thought that was it's whole point; attack the senses, capture attention and hold it.

[-]

oflimiteduse@reddit

I hated TikTok for awhile. Once I found the shit that makes me laugh and the algorithm adjusted to my tastes it can be pretty fun to scroll for a few minutes.

[-]

novisimo@reddit

A few minutes? Leads to a few hours.....

The algo has me by the balls. I'm hooked.

[-]

Eclectic_Paradox@reddit

Yep. Most people who don't like it didn't stick around long enough to create their algorithm. It honestly doesn't take much. I enjoy tiktok.

[-]

Prestigious_Tiger_26@reddit

I hate algorithms. I watched one thing and that's the one thing that always pops up. I know there's probably ways to change the algorithm, but I'm too old for all that.

[-]

oflimiteduse@reddit

I get goofy animals and food and occasional goth girls. Perfect content for a few minutes on the toilet

[-]

iphoenixrising@reddit

You can set TikTok to mute on opening. You have to unmute the first post. It’s somewhat less jarring.

[-]

luxtabula@reddit

every major social app has copied TikTok so much that you're essentially on it even if you don't use TikTok. the reels are everywhere.

[-]

Miz_momo82@reddit

I have Instagram but will not watch anything posted from TikTok to IG🤣

[-]

luxtabula@reddit

trust me, if you're on Instagram you already are consuming TikTok content. it might be a few days old but it's all there. no one exclusively posts on just one platform anymore.

[-]

carlitospig@reddit

I’m adhd so didn’t even bother. Reddit is bad enough.

[-]

VisiblePlatform6704@reddit

Did you guys got into MySpace?

I'm 1981 kid and for some reason I never had a MySpace page. I have Facebook and had a Geocities page (with spinning email gif, under construction image and all)l, but MySpace just didn't pull me.

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Miz_momo82@reddit

I had Friendster and then MySpace until they both went to shit and died

[-]

ZealousidealSea2034@reddit

Oh, MySpace is still kick'n it alongside Napster 😂

[-]

temporary_bob@reddit

I held out until I had to use it for marketing. Then I got into it for the stupid soccer memes. I'm still dying on the hill of not using TikTok

[-]

socialmediaignorant@reddit

It’s all lies. I met a few local influencers and they do not wear the stuff they peddle online. It’s a grift.

[-]

invuvn@reddit

Instagram was fine back in 2010…nowadays it’s pretty much like Snap/TikTok/any other social media app

[-]

ReferToMeAsDonald@reddit

Absolutely came here to say TikTok… Like I’m pretty good at social media and I hate to toot my own horn, but I was pretty myspace famous… Lol but TikTok is just – too much

[-]

I love hearing “MySpace famous”. Me too. I’d go out with friends to a club and get recognized and it was so weird. Social media these days is so passive vs active. We had to sit at a computer, turn it on, engage and type or change our music and now it’s just watch and scroll. I hate it.

[-]

olduvai_man@reddit

Reddit is as far down the social media rabbit-hole that I feel comfortable going.

Here's to hoping it lasts another 40 years or I'll be chuckling to myself permanently.

[-]

Vash_85@reddit

Hate to break it to you but reddit is the deep end of social media rabbit-hole. There are little to no rules, no bottom, it's the equivalent of the grandpa tossing their grand kid in a lake to learn to swim lol

[-]

temporary_bob@reddit

But it's text based which makes sense. We don't all have to be fucking professional videographers to use this. And it's got discussion, not just memes.

[-]

Vash_85@reddit

Depends on what subs you're in

[-]

funatical@reddit

Reddit 20 years ago was the deep end. I can still curse and tell mother fuckers off but most of the really dark shit got shut down.

[-]

Vash_85@reddit

True and even then it still wasn't as bad as what eBaums World was in the early 2000's. But by today's standards Reddit still makes every other social media outlet look like a kindergarten class in comparison.

[-]

HipHopGrandpa@reddit

Oh how I wish it was still that way. 2015 Reddit was streets ahead of where we are now. Heavily modded, lots of subs shut down, tons of advertising…

[-]

enters_and_leaves@reddit

Stop trying to make “streets ahead” happen.

[-]

KudosOfTheFroond@reddit

Still light years better than the hellhole of Xitter, Crapchat, and BrickTok

[-]

olduvai_man@reddit

That's why I like it. I came up with BBS and TOTSE to bring me degeneracy so not surprising that I've gravitated here.

[-]

OtherlandGirl@reddit

Which is why we gravitate to it!

[-]

Vorpal_Bunny19@reddit

Reddit feels like the message board era of the internet.

[-]

UnfortunateSnort12@reddit

OMG yes. I was like, and then what? After it was demoed to me. Same with what’s app as an American. “You can chat with other people on here.” But I can with text messages too!

[-]

jgv1545@reddit

I think Americans don't get WhatsApp.

I'm an American and use it with my friends and family here and in Europe and other parts of the world.

The issues with texting between iMessage on iPhone vs whatever standard texting app Android has don't really come into play with Whatsapp. Sending media is better vs sending it through text.

I thought the hesitancy to use WhatsApp was a Boomer thing, but it's definitely an American phenomenon.

To each their own I guess.

[-]

RandomRageNet@reddit

I get WhatsApp. It just has an ass UI. Telegram and Messenger are better UX and Signal is better at Privacy. And now that RCS has been adopted by Apple I have even less reason to use it.

[-]

Indubitalist@reddit

This is why: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WhatsApp_snooping_scandal

[-]

ObscuraRegina@reddit

As a USian, I use WhatsApp all the time to talk overseas. I hate being an outlier :(

[-]

jgv1545@reddit

USian? I like it

[-]

arcxjo@reddit

Anytime someone calls me usian, I call them Latinx. Shuts 'em up real fast.

[-]

jgv1545@reddit

As a Hispanic person, I've never liked the term Latinx. Never liked Latino either because we are mostly Hispanic, but that's an entirely different conversation

[-]

arcxjo@reddit

Yeah, that's the point. You make up bullshit that doesn't fit our language, and your quo gets quidded.

[-]

JudgeJuryEx78@reddit

I use it for group chats, especially for work, because it works the same across a variety of phones, and because text message group chats just suck.

[-]

RogerClyneIsAGod2@reddit

We use Whatsapp for friends overseas in France & Kuwait. No weird cell charges just an app to DL.

[-]

arcxjo@reddit

I had an issue with a Michael's gift card the other day I tried to contact them about and they made me get a wtfsapp to talk c/ customer service.

Suffice it to say, I never heard back from them, but the moral of the story is despite the card asking you to add it to your app wallet, don't do that because you can't actually spend it from there and they won't tell you until you're holding up the checkout line trying to find the fucking barcode that doesn't exist.

[-]

mesosuchus@reddit

That's not tech it's just an app

[-]

TalFidelis@reddit

Snapchat was the one for me too. I mean - I “know how” to use it - but never saw the point of taking a wry selfie with some text.

[-]

Electronic_Turn3025@reddit

Snapchat for sure. I enjoy TikTok, but I refuse to learn Snapchat.

[-]

Brilliant-Basil-884@reddit

Came here to say this, and tiktok.

[-]

RogerClyneIsAGod2@reddit

Any social media that isn't Reddit.

When everyone jumped on the FB bandwagon I just said nope. I don't want your Aunt Muriel's opinion on what I've posted or asked you, I just want to talk to you & not every relative, co-worker & old high school friend you have.

[-]

tim8104@reddit

Same for me. Reddit is the closest to the old message boards. I gave up trying to learn all the other social media.

[-]

Ocron145@reddit

I miss the old Gamefaqs message boards. :) good times

[-]

protossaccount@reddit

I had just stopped caring by that point. I downloaded it because my wife is younger than me and it seems like a worse version of what we already had. Tik Tok was the same but apparently now everything is kinda similar to TikTok.

[-]

madsci@reddit

I grew up in an era when a photo cost you a buck or so in film and developing. Photos are things you keep!

[-]

ArchSchnitz@reddit

I just reactivated mine because a woman at an event recognized me from last year and wanted on all my social media and I'm just dumb enough to fall for it. (I lie a lot on social media.)

I can't figure out the appeal of the platform, though. It's mostly people I don't know doing incomprehensible shit in small doses. It's not that I can't understand, I merely have no drive to.

[-]

Andi081887@reddit

This one. Was the first time I felt very connected to this Simpsons scene lol

gif

[-]

_TheWolfOfWalmart_@reddit

That's just an app though, not really new tech lol

I think OP was more talking about distinct technology, such as the 3D printer example.

[-]

pilates_mama@reddit

Fair enough, I guess I thought of it because at the time it was the “new tech” of quick videos and the whole way it works which I don’t really understand lol. Like if someone was to say “ChatGPT” vs AI kinda thing (obvs I am not a tech-ish person lol)

[-]

blue_trauma@reddit

Is that tech though? Thats just an app, and there are plenty of apps I've ignored over the years.

[-]

pilates_mama@reddit

gif

[-]

Stompedyourhousewith@reddit

Tweeting

[-]

MathematicianTop8868@reddit

Tweets used to be an art form.

[-]

Polybrene@reddit

There's so much visual clutter.

[-]

rinky79@reddit

Same

[-]

onemorefirst@reddit

CDs

[-]

mousicle@reddit

AI

[-]

redditydothis@reddit

AI is dope when you learn how to use it. I even have taught some people who didn’t know what to do with it and now they love it.

[-]

DrewBaron80@reddit

I'm working on my 2nd master's degree and AI has been an amazing tool this time around. I use it to check my papers for spelling and punctuation, write bibliographies, and and organize my data.

It probably saves me an hour a week. I can only imagine how much time it would have saved me during my 6+ other years of college.

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redditydothis@reddit

Hey I’m in college too and AI has totally saved my writing. I also just mainly used it for spelling and punctuation and brainstorming. Maybe that’s why I love it so much. It’s also dumb af and confidently incorrect all the time. Its writing is transparent to me and I can tell when people use ai to write their stuff. It’s embarrassing.

[-]

DrewBaron80@reddit

I experimented a bit with having it make my writing flow better and sound more academic, but it did odd things like using too many hyphens, and it usually sounded too robotic.

I get why people don't like AI in general, but it's great for certain things.

[-]

AgarFifthRim@reddit

In its current incarnation AI is the ultimate heist job and tragedy of the commons. We collectively fed and grew the internet just for some lovecraftian AI beast to swoop in to devour, digest and shit it out back to us in slop form

[-]

Spartan04@reddit

Which is why whenever I search Google it's become automatic for me to add "-ai" to the end of every search. I don't need their stupid AI overview, I'd rather go to the sources myself.

[-]

spuldup@reddit

Wow thanks that's a great tip!

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Rod_McBan@reddit

Out here doing the Lord's work

[-]

randomjeepguy157@reddit

I’m 44 and a teacher. I use AI (ChatGPT) to write test and quiz questions. I put in what students need to know (the AP curriculum) and have it create questions. I usually have to modify them some but it’s been super useful to save time. That and making completed reviews for kids with accommodations. Saves a ton of time. I of course check it all before I print it out to make sure it’s accurate.

[-]

Spartan04@reddit

Same. I just don't feel like it adds anything to my life. Plus I have concerns about things like how resource intensive it is (power, water, carbon emissions, etc), privacy issues, and how it's being shoehorned into everything (my home appliances do not need AI).

[-]

Sutcliffe@reddit

Born in 80, in the burbs. So when I was little I didn't know anyone with a PC, chargeable phone, electric car, toaster oven, crypto, laptop, MP3 player, gaming system, WiFi, GPS, DVD player, tablet, etc. The use of electric has been growing by leaps and bounds for decades.

While I share your concern of the growing use of power, pointing the finger at short sighted.

[-]

Spartan04@reddit

Except AI data centers use a ridiculous amount of power compared to an average household, even with increased usage. Given that, and that power generation frequently results in carbon emissions, I think it is worth questioning whether AI is worth the environmental costs for what we get from it.

[-]

Sutcliffe@reddit

I've heard the same "disproportional" argument about PCs, electric cars, crypto, etc. Regardless how you or I personally feel about those technologies, they persisted.

We can all advocate for low/neutral carbon emission energy like hydro, nuclear, solar, and wind, but focusing on reducing the use of the electric tech you don't use is unrealistic in my opinion. Maybe I'm wrong but hey, that's just my 2¢.

[-]

Sutcliffe@reddit

My company mandated the use of AI this year. Honestly now that I I've forced myself to use it, it is a powerful tool. I remember the translation from Yahoo to Google: search for the name of the website to actually searching for content. This, IMHO, is the next interaction. Not only can I search for content, I can interact with the search: more or this, eliminate that, add a criteria, etc.

I feel like our generation is going to miss out because we all rolled our eyes at early AI's inability to count fingers in terrible art. Having been forced into it, it is incredibly useful if you learn to use it right.

[-]

Jets237@reddit

That’s like saying the internet. AI is so much bigger than LLMs/chat bots

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Johnfohf@reddit

sure it is... any day they're gonna make back that 2 trillion dollar investment.

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Jets237@reddit

Oh... dont get me wrong... the future short term of AI is either a bubble bursts or accelerating job displacement... it's not good. But "AI" is a very general term, "AI" isn't the problem - the way it's being used, creating concentrated power and wealth, is the problem.

My point was, saying "AI" is like saying you think the internet is a bad idea because social media is too toxic.

[-]

Johnfohf@reddit

" the internet is a bad idea because social media is too toxic."

You make a good point there as well. What's interesting is that a study reported over 50 percent of gen z wishes the internet didn't exist.

[-]

Jets237@reddit

Easy to say you wish something didn’t exist if you’ve never lived without it

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Johnfohf@reddit

Everyone in this subreddit lived without it, I'd wager a lot of us wish it didn't exist

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Jets237@reddit

Disagree - the amount of economic growth and advancement the internet brought was crazy. Once again - the issue isn’t the tech, it’s the system built around it along with those ensuring the wealth stays concentrated while we all fight over scraps…

Thank you VP Al Gore for inventing the internet. Sorry we screwed it up so badly

[-]

ocvagabond@reddit

Yet the average user uses it for drivel. Just like the internet, but with substantially more energy usage and harm to society at large. For those that use it effectively, it’s an amazing multiplier.

[-]

Johnfohf@reddit

So sick of AI. Started using it 2 years ago and it somehow has gotten worse in every aspect except misinformation.

I don't give a shit, I'll become a luddite.

[-]

CheckTheBlotter@reddit

Those shared electric scooters. I took one look at a cool young person on one of those and thought “that’s not for me.”

[-]

ASCENDKIDS@reddit

I bought one, printed the preloaded prints, and now has sat there for 2 years.

[-]

misskellycupcake@reddit

I don't understand the obsession over Snapchat 10 years ago and I never got tiktok. The only thing I ever used chat got to do was to turn a picture of me into a Muppet because I'm a huge Jim Henson fan. I don't even use it for updating my resume, I just do it myself. I didn't understand 3D printers at first because everything looked like cheap plastic junk. Abd I never learned to code past customizing my myspace page or geocities putting music and falling snowflakes on the front page

[-]

aenflex@reddit

Social Media in general has never done much for me.

[-]

Blando-Cartesian@reddit

AI. A computation being untestable and probably producing correct answers, but maybe bullshitting is just fundamentally wrong and dangerous. Really grinds my gears to hear how clueless people use it.

[-]

NonCorporealEntity@reddit

There's no new modern tech that I feel is really so new that we can't understand it. Our newest widespread tech are smartphones and we're pretty good with them. We're also better at troubleshooting modern tech than the newer gens are. We learned to use tech before intuitive UI design was a consideration. We started our computers from a command prompt. We grew up navigating the biggest technological leap in human history. We're fortified for the techno future.

[-]

meralakrits@reddit

We bought a Bambulab 3D printer a few months ago. It's on par with an ordinary painter when it comes to setup and use. If any I'd say it's a bit easier.

[-]

Musubi0420@reddit

I had friends who had an electric typewriter… made no sense to me

[-]

knotalady@reddit

Smart glasses.

[-]

DivineMs-Anthropist@reddit

AI. It just scares the hell out of me.

[-]

Selmarris@reddit

I’m old enough that I can’t kick Facebook and Instagram is a mystery. I have it. I have no idea what I’m supposed to do with it.

Then there’s Discord which I understand (it’s mIRC with gifs) but it overstimulates me in about two seconds.

[-]

jackfaire@reddit

Same 3D printing. There's a broken thing I want to look into having 3D printed at a place in the mall but it will never be something I do personally.

[-]

owlmissyou@reddit

Twitter & Instagram

[-]

1pt20oneggigawatts@reddit

Apple Pay

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GladosPrime@reddit

Wireless earbuds. I just don't need them.

[-]

UnslakableTemperance@reddit

Used to be me before Bluetooth standards finally got better. I think it was around 4.0 or 5.0 when I made the full switch. I still have some studio wired ones for my Recievers at home though. Super long coiled cord of course!

[-]

hypnofedX@reddit

I think it tracks to how much of a pain you found wires previously. I always felt like my earbud wires were super annoying.

Regardless of that, it's just extremely difficult to find high-quality earbuds that are wired. No one makes them.

[-]

Stang1776@reddit

I liked wired ones. I just put the under my shirt. Problem solved.

[-]

hypnofedX@reddit

I've yet to find a pair that the wire doesn't stick to my skin and yank out.

[-]

Stang1776@reddit

Im also weird in that i always wear an undershirt. Double problem solved!

[-]

RockShowSparky@reddit

Could spring for custom in-ear monitors. Can’t beat that quality or comfort with any consumer-grade product.

[-]

arcxjo@reddit

For me it's more a PITE to jam rubber plungers in my head than to put a couple pads against my auricles.

[-]

lakofideas86@reddit

I didn’t until I was up at night with my son when he was infant. I would listen to podcasts or watch you tube while I tried to get him to sleep, apparently the most interesting g thing on the planet was the cord to my headphones. Got a pair of AirPods and that was one less distraction that he could play with to keep himself awake.

[-]

pogulup@reddit

In general, I don't feel the need to tune out the world everywhere I go. I think that's why I never got earbuds. Besides then just being uncomfortable it is just generally unsafe when you are out in public.

[-]

tuberlord@reddit

Running got me into wireless earbuds. Every few months I'd get the cord wrapped around my arm and rip them out of my ears. It didn't usually hurt, but sometimes it did.

[-]

gingersnap0309@reddit

Ouu which ones do you like? I am always afraid mine will fall out when running/working out. Are yours specific for working out and have that ear hook thing?

[-]

tuberlord@reddit

I just get the cheapest ones I can find, because I sweat a lot and they're just going to get ruined. Using the largest size of the rubber tips that they come with seems to keep them from falling out.

[-]

Cisru711@reddit

Have you looked at shokz? Or other bone conduction headphones. Because they don't go in your ear, you can stay more aware of your surroundings, and you can hear the audio quite well unless you are in a loud environment.

[-]

stopatthecatch@reddit

Shokz are wonderful for running.

[-]

dzuunmod@reddit

Household chores, too. I'd be washing dishes or folding laundry and yank the wired ones out of my ears. Now, on the rare occasions that I'm using wired ones, it happens even more often because I'm so not used to the cord anymore.

[-]

zeller99@reddit

Same. But I just don't like any earbuds whatsoever. They never feel comfortable or secure in my ears and when I've tried to wear them repeatedly, I ended up with ear issues.

The only exception to this is my IEMs (In-Ear-Monitors). These feel secure, because they are custom molded specifically for MY ears, have replaceable foam ear inserts and a wire that goes up over my ears and then can be secured by a fitting that allows them to be tightened behind my head. Also, because they have the replaceable foam, when they get dirty, I just throw those bits away and put new ones on.

I use wireless over-the-ear headphones for most tasks. They're great for watching TV in bed at night, so as not to disturb my wife. That being said, anything wireless will have latency (audio delay), so sometimes that bothers me if the lip sync is off.

For anything that I'm doing in front of my PC or in the studio, fully wired headphones are an absolutely non-negotiable requirement.

[-]

HipHopGrandpa@reddit

There is no greater indignation than when my headphones are suddenly ripped from my head because the wire got caught on a door knob.

I promised myself for years that as soon as I could afford wireless I’d get them. I’ve never looked back.

[-]

nanneryeeter@reddit

I like the style that almost seem like they could be wireless but have the band on the back of the neck.

[-]

username__0000@reddit

Mine have a top part that sits over my ears to keep them in place.

For some reason when it’s cold my ear buds fall out a lot. I avoided wireless for a while because I knew I’d lose them. I suspect it’s the cold making my ear hair stand on end and push them out. But I checked and I don’t have much ear hair so who knows. lol

[-]

nanneryeeter@reddit

Those are probably nice. I'm too much of a wack job to leave buds in my ear. It works better for me to be able to take them in and out, but not lose them.

[-]

random9212@reddit

Have you tried the bone conductivity headphones? They are really good and allow you to hear what's going on around you. However in a noisy environment they can be hard to hear unless you have earplugs in.

[-]

nanneryeeter@reddit

I've used them with earplugs. That was my go to when I was out in Midland/Odessa.

[-]

_TheWolfOfWalmart_@reddit

The only reason I won't get wireless ones is because they use Bluetooth, right? Bluetooth audio sucks.

[-]

random9212@reddit

I love my wireless earbuds. I don't care that new phones don't have a 3.5mm plug because I never had a pair of wired earbuds last more than a month or two. Even with me buying $5 earbuds (the more expensive ones didn't last any longer) my wireless ones are far cheaper overall and more convenient to use.

[-]

username__0000@reddit

Naw they are awesome if you walk a dog and have to deal with layers of clothes and a bag and dog leash. The cord is a pain in the ass when you have all that stuff to deal with while in motion.

Also for long phone calls, too many times I’ve been waking around with my phone in my pocket and the cord catch’s on a doorknob or something.

[-]

MotherofaPickle@reddit

I run my cord under my sweatshirt/hoodie/jacket and I still manage to catch it and rip them out of my ears.

I’m going to try out wireless as soon as I have enough poo ya saved up for a free pair (so then I won’t feel bad if I hate them).

[-]

mayonnaisejane@reddit

I do. Cable noise has been a constant sensory nightmare for me for my whole life. Now it is GONE.

[-]

crazycatlady331@reddit

The gym got me into them. Even when I had a phone with a headphone jack.

Granted mine were $5 at Target. Not spending $200+ on headphones. (Since replaced with $20 ones)

[-]

DrMcJedi@reddit

They’re great for mowing the lawn, vacuuming, and ignoring people.

[-]

blue_trauma@reddit

I felt the same then got some wireless headphones (not earbuds), and got used to them.

Used some wired ones the other day and man I forgot how annoying a cable was.

[-]

AotKT@reddit

I've been a web developer since the late 90s. At some point in the early 00's I stopped trying to learn every new code framework or language and just waited till the dust settled to see what stood the test of time and what was just some trendy new thing written for the sake of being written.

[-]

cbih@reddit

How much did you hate GoLive? Remember QuickTime and Shockwave?!

[-]

AotKT@reddit

Ughhhhhh so bad.

OTOH, I really loved VRML. One of the iterations of my personal website in ye olden days was a house you could walk through and each room had different content. Like the kitchen had recipes I liked, the office had my resume, living room had my book list and a streaming mp3 server I hosted from a server under my desk, and so on.

[-]

One_Introduction_217@reddit

Like a virtual memory palace.

[-]

VR_HAL@reddit

Sounds like it was fun. VRML changed name to X3D and is even better. And now you don't need a plugin. I revived my VRML website a couple of years ago.

[-]

HipHopGrandpa@reddit

That sounds cool as hell.

[-]

arcxjo@reddit

I miss shockwave, because I can't watch Homestar Runner any more (yeah, there's YouTube, but you can't get the easter eggs there).

[-]

cbih@reddit

It was a small sacrifice to purge the internet of the Flash. You could do some terrifying things with Lingo.

[-]

SignoreBanana@reddit

Same. I love how we're talking about SSR like it's a new thing.

[-]

Sdog1981@reddit

And COBOL is still here.

[-]

Genghis_John@reddit

This was how I approached app adoption as well. There were too many, too fast so I started waiting until they filtered themselves out.

[-]

Checktheusernombre@reddit

I still maintain that as long as you aren't working on very large corporate sites that need redundancy, all you need is basic knowledge of Apache, PHP, JS, HTML, SQL and CSS.

Yes I'm old.

[-]

AotKT@reddit

I forced myself to switch to VSCode from emacs about a year ago more to keep my resume fresh if someone asked what editor I use than for any workflow improvements, so I'm there with you.

[-]

JennXL@reddit

I don’t think anyone of any age understands SharePoint.

[-]

ATheeStallion@reddit

Y’all making our gen sound old. Shhh. If you reject the tech it’s because we are so wise we just know better.

[-]

imadork1970@reddit

Tiktok, Spotify, Insta, Facebook,

[-]

Witty-Stock-4913@reddit

The stupid, stupid heads up display glasses.

[-]

nopester24@reddit

Augmented Reality

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rotorocker@reddit

Text messaging, it was 98 or 99 and I had a coworker with a fancy Motorola startac and my Erickson didnt even display the time, let alone ascii stuff coming from this space device. I was like why wouldn't I call them? That is my most embarrassing thing as a teenager, before becoming a devops engineer at bleeding edge tech just decades later. and now i'm out of work...so i guess shit comes full circle.

[-]

AngstySamsquatch@reddit

Anything after Windows 98

[-]

comb0bulator@reddit

This answer is hilarious! I feel it deep down, I really do. But I also can't agree. I did enjoy some new things after that. SOME. Anything after Facebook though I don't think I cared about after the boomers started joining. I can't honestly recall what trendy thing was after that and I'm too tired to be bothered researching it. Maybe Google came after? It's popularity at least. Or pinterest/ etsy? Not much that stayed worthwhile. But I didn't even want a smart phone and I certainly didn't want a fucking touchscreen. I still hate it.

[-]

slademccoy47@reddit

but XP and 7 were legit good though.

[-]

AngstySamsquatch@reddit

You kids and your fancy fandangled technology!

[-]

AshDogBucket@reddit

Photo shop. No thanks, I've been using Paint and Publisher for decades and they work just fine for everything i need (and yes I know publisher is going away).

[-]

supergooduser@reddit

AI assistants like Alexa etc. I don't like them, but they are clearly the future. It feels a bit like my "grandparents programming a vcr" moment.

[-]

labchick6991@reddit

I have an alexa and it’s real nice to turn off lights in the house at bedtime, especially since my bedside lamps are chain pulls that are really stiff and obnoxious. I did make my husband set it all up though 🤣

[-]

holistivist@reddit

”Sorry. I don’t know that.”

[-]

VisiblePlatform6704@reddit

Lol. I one got an Alexa as a job Christmas gift. I connected it and did some wifi setup... didn't know what to do with it except for asking me to tell a joke...

I tossed it into some drawer and used the cable for some DIY project.

[-]

hamburgler26@reddit

Until the work as well as the computer on the Enterprise D, no thank you.

And really even then, I can turn off my lights and turn on some music on my own just fine without having to fight some voice activated assistant.

[-]

Cake_Donuts@reddit

It’s been years and never once have I thought “damn. I wish a machine was listening to me so I could just yell my commands into the air” I don’t even use talk to text.

[-]

CrouchingDomo@reddit

Oh 100%. I don’t AI.

I use Siri sometimes but I get mad when she fucks up simple shit or tells me “Here’s what I found on the web” BITCH I KNOW HOW TO GOOGLE. But I always apologise in case she turns out to be Skynet, because I was brought up right (to fear the machines and respect their ability to annihilate us with our own weapons).

I fully expect to be an old lady in a nursing home screaming about how the fire alarm was talking to me, because I refuse to get into the AI now in my mid-40s.

I’m hopping off the Tech Train and I know it’ll run me over one day. I just hope it’s funny, and that someone gets to see it 😂

[-]

Elenakalis@reddit

I work in memory care, and we have alexas throughout the unit as part of our music program. Part of the intake paperwork I collect is about music tastes, favorite artists, and songs. Each of my residents has at least one personalized playlist. It's pretty nice for that. We also have a few that float to different rooms when a resident becomes bedbound and doesn't have a TV in their room.

One of my former residents was a bit of a music snob. She didn't believe anyone named Alexa would know anything about jazz. We were able to teach her how to request songs, and she spent 45 minutes trying to stump Alexa.

My residents often enjoy newer technology. Google Earth/street view is great for looking at former homes/neighborhoods. Sometimes Zillow has a virtual tour of their former homes. We also do a lot of virtual travel.

My residents will almost never use new technology independently, but they do enjoy it when someone else is driving.

[-]

redditydothis@reddit

I like mine. I keep it in the kitchen cabinet so it can’t hear me. We use it mostly to add things to our shopping list.

[-]

xrelaht@reddit

Are they "clearly the future"? I've known people who've had them for about 15 years, but I have yet to find anything they're necessary for.

[-]

Not_a_werecat@reddit

We're already being spied on by our phones. I'm NOT paying Amazon to spy on me more. -_-

[-]

Perfect_Argument8553@reddit

Agreed. But also, do I really need a disembodied voice to turn off my house lights for me? I’m sure people find them very useful and maybe there are use cases that I would find helpful but don’t know about, but on the whole it seems like a waste of time.

[-]

PoppaTitty@reddit

Cars with too many bells and whistles. I dont like smart screens and beeping and flashing whatevers. Just gimme buttons

[-]

Do_it_My_Way-79@reddit

Tried Snapchat. Nope. Tried TikTok. Nope. Tried Twitter. Nope.I really only use social media for my business (FB & IG) or here for fun.

[-]

CaptainXakari@reddit

Crypto. Every bit of it screams “scam” to me just like NFTs and I feel like the guy being carted away yelling ,”Soylent green is PEOPLE!” whenever I hear people discussing it.

[-]

Sidetrackbob@reddit

Tik Tok, I concur. Fuck that shit.

[-]

1radgirl@reddit

Discord. I think I get what it is, but I can't see myself having any use for it. So whatever.

[-]

Ocron145@reddit

Seriously! I’ve been able to adapt to a lot of the newer things. 3D printing, I’ve used AI enough to have a litttle understanding… but Discord I just can’t seem to get. I felt really old having to ask a younger co-worker how its works, and I’m still lost. Lol

[-]

SignoreBanana@reddit

3d printers are fucking rad if you like to make stuff.

I never felt the need to watch YouTubers.

[-]

tylenol3@reddit

I love my 3D printer, but it has been a hobby that has taken a lot of time and patience. (That said, they have gotten exponentially better in the last few years— many new models just print out of the box.) I’ve seen a number of people mention Snapchat and AI chatbots— all of this tech is just as “learnable” as the old stuff you used in the 90s/2000s, it just probably doesn’t appeal to you as much. I personally find Snapchat inscrutable and I don’t have many contacts that use it so I don’t bother.

I guess I’m just trying to encourage anyone that’s curious not to feel like they are “too old” for a particular technology. It’s just a matter of determination.

[-]

screamingcatfish@reddit

Smartwatch

[-]

OmegaRainicorn@reddit

How will you assemble with your teammates when it’s time to transform and form the giant robot?

[-]

screamingcatfish@reddit

It’s morphin’ time!!!

[-]

Physical-Name4836@reddit

It tells me how far I am from the basket, that’s it. That’s all it does for me. 🥏

[-]

Realistic-Major4888@reddit

I finally did get one recently, wanted to keep track of my heart rate and have an ECG available on my wrist - for the pains of getting older.

It's a marvel of technology. I could do so many things on that thing. Use it for navigation when hiking. Use it for voice-to-text replies on Whatsapp. Make payments.

I do none of the above. I use it as a watch with a dimmable display. I like to see the heart rate is ok. Every now and then I do an ECG. It's best use is to look up-to-date in an office environment nowadays.

[-]

pregnantandsober@reddit

Besides the clock, I use the sleep tracker and the "ring phone" for when I forgot where I put it.

[-]

iwantmy-2dollars@reddit

I mostly use mine as a timer. Is it any better than the one I bought from the kitchen store that sticks to the fridge? Probably not.

Tbf I’ve maintained its phone line since we had kids in case I’m alone with them (most of the time) and get injured/need to call for help (hasn’t happened in the 5yrs we’ve had kids lol).

[-]

Realistic-Major4888@reddit

True, I used the timer on mine as well. And then I stopped wearing it around the house and only put it on when leaving the house. Damn, getting old...

[-]

Rebel9788@reddit

Anything AI. I can think for myself.

[-]

2h2thecore@reddit

Discord - near as I can figure it's a... party line?

[-]

mtron32@reddit

Tik tok, I’m a late adopter to all social media, I could never get on board tik tok, I like longer videos.

MMORPGs These games always felt like a job where you don’t get paid. There’s so much else I could be playing or doing.

Selfies, I’m good

Food selfies, the food is half gone by the time you get the camera focused

Back up cameras, I still use the rear window and feel for all parking

[-]

No-Calligrapher3043@reddit

Internally I am fighting learning ChatGPT and all AI because I just don’t want to…but I will age myself out of my job very quickly if I don’t embrace it so I’m constantly fighting that internal battle. Doesn’t help that we watched Terminator 2 the other night lol

[-]

carlitospig@reddit

Snapchat. Went ‘i’m good’. Same with WhatsApp.

[-]

walter_grimsley@reddit

I dont do Spotify, TikTok, Snap, I have Instagram but I don't think I am using it correctly. I still listen to vinyl records, have VHS tapes and CDs, and paper maps in the car. I'm an engineer who hates the direction modern technology has taken.

[-]

clobbersaurus@reddit

Tap to pay cards. I swear my credit card was last to get that feature. I would insert the chip and people would tell me tap. And even grab the card. Now that I’ve got a tap to pay, I feel like I always miss the spot, tap too quickly or some other boomer nonsense.

[-]

BrilliantFarm8643@reddit

Any kind of coding, even basic HTML. This far along, I now feel like I’m illiterate, but also not interested in learning.

[-]

manofredearth@reddit

Instagram

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WasteOfBerries@reddit

Smart appliances.
I need to my fridge to chill stuff, freeze stuff, and maintain humidity. Why tf does it need to have a CPU, a screen, cameras, web access..? Just gimme a fridge that does its job well and lasts a long time.

[-]

dumpstersquirrel19@reddit

Anton died so we could live!

[-]

MonkeyChoker80@reddit

A lot of things in the ‘smart appliance’ space will make claims about how easy and wonderful and amazing they can make your life…

Just remember that it’s all bull crap, and really the biggest thing that it does is generate information about your uses that can be sent back to the manufacturers and give them data on how their products are being used.

The ‘smart fridge’ that touts a camera inside so you can check on whether you need butter while across town at the grocery store? The real purpose is seeing that (as a made up example) “67% of people that buy sweet pickles also buy mango salsa”. Which is data that they can then sell to other companies, who’ll generate coupons and ‘purchasing strategies’ to get you to buy their brand of sweet pickles and mango salsa.

The ‘smart dishwasher’ will (if it hasn’t already) begin to request “only certified soap pods”…and maybe even refuse to run if it’s not “certified”. You know, similar to how the latest printers will refuse to print off you don’t use the “right” ink cartridges.

The ‘smart microwaves’ will calculate exactly how much it’s used, so the next generation will be carefully engineered to last exactly the amount it shows being used, so the thing will break the day after the warranty runs out.

[-]

RogerClyneIsAGod2@reddit

I can get on board with a Nest, especially if you have a vacation home somewhere, you can get it cold or hot before you get there but I don't need my dishwasher, microwave or fridge to be "smart."

[-]

creamywhitemayo@reddit

This. I just do not understand the need or the "convenience" aspects of them.

[-]

double_chili_cheese@reddit

You could totally just use a 3d printer fyi, it's super simple now days. Look up the bambu lab p1s

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HermioneMarch@reddit

I am old man shaking my fist at the sky with AI. While I see logically there are good uses for it, I just really hate the whole idea of making it part of my life. I may go Luddite on this.

[-]

dumpstersquirrel19@reddit

Tik Tok

[-]

SnooStrawberries2955@reddit

Coding/Programming

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HDDreamer@reddit

I agree with the wireless earbuds guy, don't need them. Honestly, I've stayed away from as much wireless stuff as possible. No wireless keyboard or mouse, prefer to keep my controller plugged in. I hate dealing with batteries and charging.

Also kind of surprised at how many people were claiming to have trouble with a simple headphone wire...

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buttery_nurple@reddit

Not really a "didn't pick up", more like a "regressed".

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thesupineporcupine@reddit

I'm an IT guy, and generally have adopted a lot of tech. I would love to get into 3d printing, but it's a bit of a money rabbit-hole, and I don't want to dive into it right now. I also don't think I'd have a frequent need to 3d print stuff. Espresso is an expensive enough hobby ;-) Otherwise there are few consumer/user-end tech things I don't really understand, and it's not about understanding or not, it's about justification and interest. I mean you could really go niche and say how many understand how CRISPR works, or how many are really familiar with a automobile's internal network/ECU OS, etc. Your question is very broad imo :-)

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buttery_nurple@reddit

3d printing is still a bit of a novelty act. Not to say there aren't some legitimate uses for it, but it is not yet at the point where you can easily print something that is actually useful to repair a mechanical part on your car, for example.

If you're into trinkets and toys and shit that will entertain a kid for a week or whatever, you're good. Otherwise it's just not there yet without highly specialized equipment and exotic print materials and techniques.

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FradinRyth@reddit

VR/AR. I remember as a kid trying a demo of VR at the Science and Industry museum in Chicago. It was neat but I didn't think much else of it. Earlier this year I took my daughter a VR experience where we got to see the ISS and the immersion was next level.

I want to figure out a way for me to be able to present my products (custom woodworker) to clients for them to be able to see my pieces in their homes/offices before I start making them. To feel scale and fitment etc.

[-]

_TheWolfOfWalmart_@reddit

I did the VR thing for a while. It's cool, but it's too much of a pain in the ass to get in and out of. There's also still a serious lack of good software. I pretty much gave up but check in on the whole VR scene from time to time to see if things are improving.

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FradinRyth@reddit

I will say playing Star Wars: Squadrons on my Quest 3s scratched an itch I've had since being a little kid, but I agree it's disappointing how little high quality software has leveraged VR.

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LostLetter9425@reddit

Entirely doable, the hard part is getting a client to agree to put on a headset.

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FradinRyth@reddit

Yeah, sadly I don't think we're quite there yet for what I want, from a consumer acceptance point of view.

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questions6486@reddit

3d printing is great, but I do a lot of costume stuff. It is mostly a hobby-thing.

Honestly, I haven't come across one. I work with the teens, so they tell me all the stuff they do, and I do a lot of podcasting/live stream stuff in my free time, so I do keep up with things.

Everything has it's uses, whether or not I personally "need" them.

[-]

heidivodka@reddit

Chat GPT, never used it and I’ve never been bothered to learn about it.

[-]

Scissorsguadalupe@reddit

Modeling guitar/bass amplifiers. I just can't get into them even though I know they serve a purpose

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WhydIJoinRedditAgain@reddit

The Blockchain. Oh, it’s basically a very large .csv but it is shared across many different computers and takes loads of computation power to verify entries, all to produce a product that has no use besides creating a value bubble and facilitating crime? Yeah, I don’t need to understand any more.

[-]

16Shells@reddit

crypto. and now AI. i just can’t see any real-world use case that benefits society, either it’s a ponzi scheme or something controlled by the 1% that makes life worse for everyone else.

[-]

After_Preference_885@reddit

Everyone was going nuts for NFTs and I know they'd be a stupid passing fad

[-]

nartimus@reddit

NFTs was basically the digital version of “art for money laundering.”

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CariniFluff@reddit

I could've been a Bitcoin millionaire, if only I had realized how many idiots would end up using it. I was using BOINC to help analyze satellite radio signals for SETI and folding proteins for new drugs. I mined a couple Bitcoin when it first came out and my brother even "bought" a couple physical Bitcoins each with their own wallet printed on a sticker at Defcon.

But yeah.. It just seemed pointless. I definitely remember when there was some hubub because someone actually found a pizza place that accepted them and spent 7 BC for a pizza and everyone was saying how the pizza place was dumb and basically giving away free pizzas. Ugh... Had I set my computers to only mine BC back then I would've had a couple hundred easily. But then I also would've likely spent them on pizza lol.

[-]

zeller99@reddit

I'm reminded of the Starcraft gaming tournament from about 20 years ago where first place was $500 and last place was 25 bitcoins.

Oh, how times have changed lol

[-]

_TheWolfOfWalmart_@reddit

Crypto actually does have real world use cases. The crypto market is mostly a scam, but the technology has reason to exist. Stablecoins are an incredible tool. You can own the keys to your own money. As much as you want, and you can transfer it to whoever, wherever, without needing anyone's permission or anyone taking a cut to facilitate the transaction.

[-]

OpeningPublic@reddit

So I don't have a Roomba and I threw away the electric corkscrew someone gifted me.

I miss the actual turning of a key in a car to start it and the biggest tech situation I hate is how the shifter has turned into a dial in many cars. What in the actual F? And don't get me started on whether I can buy a manual trans in America.... Good luck. 😂

[-]

spderweb@reddit

Most of the social media stuff, I avoid.

Ai feels like it's unnecessary and is going to do much more harm than good.

E-readers. I much prefer to hold a book in my hands. Feel the pages, smell the paper.

[-]

Frankfusion@reddit

Smart cars and anything having to do with having a smart home just because I am priced out of that. That is a luxury not a way of life for me. To be honest I prefer it that way.

[-]

Realistic-Major4888@reddit

There are a lot of technologies I would like to understand - like 3D printers - but simply don't have the time anymore to dive into the topic. And sometimes also not the patience.

Considering that I spent my youth building PCs from scratch, fixing problems like for example conflicting drivers, I really don't want to know anymore how Windows 11 works. I used to know everything that made Windows 95 and Windows 98 tick. I have no idea what is going on in my PC nowadays. Even with the best tools to tweak hidden settings, I often don't get what's going on. And to be honest - I don't want to understand it anymore.

[-]

RogerClyneIsAGod2@reddit

I feel like I could get into 3D printing too but as you said, I don't know if I have the time or patience.

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WalmartGreder@reddit

Get a bambu lab. They have an app that is incredibly easy to use. My 8 yr old can pick a design she likes, choose the color she wants, and boom, 2 hours later, she has a toy she wants.super fast and easy.

[-]

Backbreathboy@reddit (OP)

O man I didn't realise that's what it is... I don't know whats going on with my pc/Windows these days. It feels disconnected.

[-]

Realistic-Major4888@reddit

In earlier versions you changed a setting and had a direct effect. You as the user were in control of the system.

Nowadays the system itself is in control, as the user I'm mostly powerless, not allowed to use the software how I want. Not just Windows though.

[-]

TeutonJon78@reddit

At least for Windows they also keep moving settings around, or hide it some deep place or with no UI exposure. Linux can be the same way with some option buried in each competent different layout structure.

I mean, back in the 80s we had luke 15 IRQs when you needed to sort out things and you could do it manually. I recently has to deep dive my tablet to move it to Win 11 and it had like 150+ IRQs assigned? Yeah, I have no clue what that is doing , or the 70 system devices with obscure names with no options or info to understand how they word or what they are even actually tied too.

I'm still a rather high end computer user and it is too complex to understand all the parts anymore without it being a full time job (likely more) to understand those things alone. Much less the fact you need the same level of things to really understand your phone, entertainment system, house products, etc.

[-]

stykface@reddit

I am 100% at this point in my life. I turned 40 three years ago and my gift to myself was to build a PC, even tho I didn't need it (after 10 years not having a custom built rig). I had some hiccups along the way but did it, and once I got Windows installed I just use it, I do not tinker anymore at all.

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Moneda-de-tres-pesos@reddit

Windows NT and its derivatives are just a different kind of beast.

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prosequare@reddit

Win 98se. That was the last time I fully understood windows front to back. Regedit and other tools allowed me total control over every aspect of the os. Since then, when I have to use windows, I just search bar for what I need and forget it. OS X and xnu/bsd continue to be useful and it’s nice that stuff I learned to do in Linux 25 years ago still works.

[-]

d_the_m_80@reddit

I was king of DOS back in the day. I knew it so well. I agree, for me it is that I don't have the time, or the curiosity to figure things out like I used to. My brain is way too full of other more important things.

[-]

all_die_laughing@reddit

Wirkess phone charging. I can imagine it's useful if your charging port is busted but I don't see how it's any more convenient than just plugging a cable into your phone. Plus you can't actually use thd phone while it's charging, so it actually seems like a net negative.

[-]

FreemanAMG@reddit

3D printer used to be niche, complex and for enthusiasts. But lately modern 3D printers have lowered the barrier quite a lot. It's fascinating to not have something, make a couple of clicks, wait a little and the have that something

[-]

TheFoxandTheSandor@reddit

I quit TV in 2010 so remotes are the bane to my existence

[-]

Absofrickinlutely@reddit

Fax machine. Useless except in Die Hard when he goes "just the fax ma'am" otherwise pointless

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TurtleSandwich0@reddit

3D television. If looked just like a fad to me.

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LapisObsidianus@reddit

Any gaming system released after original Nintendo.

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MaruSoto@reddit

Anything where the feed isn't chronological and persistent.

[-]

jelloslug@reddit

Those wearable AI things. I just don’t see the point.

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dankdadest@reddit

Social media...why the f*ck do I need to share my life with the world?!?

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VRfi@reddit

NFT’s

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CaptZombieHero@reddit

Social media apps. Reddit I can do. The others, no thanks

[-]

symonym7@reddit

It still blows my mind when I switch over to 'Popular' here and like 1/4 of the posts are related to some Twitch streamer drama.

[-]

dcgrey@reddit

The few times I swiped over and didn't realize I did...thought I'd lost my mind. It's a completely different universe on Popular and, well, awful.

[-]

redditydothis@reddit

It was facebook for me. No I don’t want people to know what I’m doing. I don’t care about what you’re doing.

[-]

Miami_Mice2087@reddit

networking. i could connect things to the wifi but when it came to router settings, or getting the most out of your router speed, i lost track of all that technology and i let the ISP techs handle it. I worked in an office and I was never able to grasp the in-depth networking stuff like how to get around your company's VPN for fun and profit. And then smart phones came out so if i wanted to check my email at work, i had my little computer in my pocket, and the privacy of the rest room stalls the hang out in.

[-]

arcxjo@reddit

This one's going to date me, but the old Sprint phones that had the walkie-talkie feature. Text messaging was bad enough (here's a phone, but you don't talk on it!) but "here's a phone but it only works half the time!" was a bridge too far.

[-]

rguzman2003@reddit

My daughter recently got into 3D printing. It’s surprisingly fly less complicated than you think. I was the same way. I did t care to get into it, but it’s pretty addicting!

[-]

IIlIIll@reddit

The check-in kiosks at airports. They just never work for me, and I'm usually in a hurry anyway.

I tried one again the last time I flew, and it could not read the QR code for my ticket on my phone or ID me by scanning my passport. I will happily tip a sky-cap a few bucks for assistance, or wait in line to talk to someone at the counter.

[-]

maen_baenne@reddit

AOL/Instant Messenger

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solemn_penguin@reddit

I'd go with most social media. I can Facebook just as well as any boomer and shitpost on reddit with the best of them, but TikTok is one thing I'll never need.

Now AI on the other hand, I feel is something we'll need to learn whether we want to or not. I dont want to be that old man who needs his grandkids to show him how to use it like how our parents needed us to program the VCR

[-]

arcxjo@reddit

3d printers are great if you're into TTRPGs.

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gwmccull@reddit

VR. I tried a headset maybe 10 years ago and after a minute I was just bored of it. And now I don’t really get why I’d want to put one on for entertainment. I don’t think I’d even want to be that disconnected from my environment or family

[-]

luxtabula@reddit

fax machine. I never used one, still don't know how they work, and skipped over them entirely.

I'm on almost every app (snapchat made no sense to me) and I do light software development, but fax machines always are the one thing that elude me.

[-]

GMHGeorge@reddit

Segway. But it is how I learned about marketing hype

[-]

Potatoe_Potahto@reddit

I used my smartphone today for exactly the same things I used my first smartphone for 15 years ago. There's been about a million new features added since then but none of them are any use to me at all.

[-]

Kinetic_Silverwolf@reddit

I've been getting paid to build, repair, configure, manage, and decommission computers and related tech since 1997, and the two big bits of tech I refuse to use so far -- not fault to understand, but refuse to use because I understand them -- are biometric locks for entry into the house, and folding mobile phones.

[-]

zeller99@reddit

biometric locks for entry into the house

If it's a smart lock that requires connection to an app or whatever, I'm in agreement with you. However, if it's fully local only biometrics, there's not TOO much risk there.

Several of my employer's offices use biometric locks on the high security doors, but that data is stored internally on our servers exclusively, so I'm not too concerned about it getting out.

folding mobile phones

Yeah, we're just not there yet. Foldable OLED is neat and all, but when the device's standout feature is one that is guaranteed to eventually cause it to fail, I'll wait for a better iteration.

[-]

snot3353@reddit

Tik tok

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Thamnophis660@reddit

Most of social Media. I use Reddit and BlueSky right now, but these are relatively recent things I got into. Don't have Facebook, SnapChat, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, etc. I'm good without all that.

[-]

Turd_fergu50n@reddit

AI; I have no plans on learning how to use it in my professional life.

[-]

Significant-Rush-129@reddit

I have a friend in her 40’s who doesn’t stream any TV by choice.

Let me repeat that: I HAVE A FRIEND IN HER 40s WHO DOESN'T STREAM ANY TV BY CHOICE. No Netflix, no Peacock, no Prime streaming, no HBO Max, etc… 🤯

I can’t figure out why she prefers cable and DVR to the open freedom of pulling up what you want when you want.

[-]

_TheWolfOfWalmart_@reddit

I don't like streaming either. I have Sling which is technically "streaming" but it's more of a direct cable TV replacement.

For "on-demand" stuff, I just collect Blu-Ray and 4K discs. I like my physical media. Nobody can take away my movies if a licensing deal falls through. I just rip them to my NAS with MakeMKV and stream them locally with Kodi. It's the convenience of streaming combined with actually owning stuff. And the quality is better.

I have Prime Video because now and then there might be something I'm curious to see but don't care enough to own it, but I use it maybe... 3 times a year?

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Dry_Inspection_4583@reddit

The only issues I've faced are when I get into lora/meshtastic, mind you I'm of the ITs so I play and am interested in these things.

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FinishingMyCoffee1@reddit

Bluetooth anything

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Rojo37x@reddit

Does crypto count and block chain count? I'm aka aka you on 3D printing but that just of feels like an expensive toy/hobby to me. Though I know there are practical applications.

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DHammer79@reddit

Most social media. The only social media I use is Reddit and YouTube. I have an FB account but never go on it.

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Express-Cow190@reddit

Crypto. Not even once.

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Moony2433@reddit

My ears are too malformed for earbuds and I NEVER remember to charge wireless headphones. Wired headphones are actually hard to come by nowadays. I hope my current pair lasts a while

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khanempire@reddit

For me it was VR. I just never felt the need to get into it.

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ColbyAndrew@reddit

Crypto

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Noisechild@reddit

Anything Adobe when they moved to subscription models. Every time I’d open it it had an update and when I would actually update it, not only was the menu different, my presets and custom fonts would go missing. It’s full of bugs and crashes and it’s only gotten worse.

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RedneckThinker@reddit

AI

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xb10h4z4rd@reddit

Snapchat. Don’t care to bother learning any thing about it.additive manufacturing however tickles my brand of autism perfectly.

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CaptPotter47@reddit

I could never use Snapchat, I associated with underage girls getting scammed into illegal pictures and such.

Granted, I felt that way about Reddit originally too. So who knows.

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Backbreathboy@reddit (OP)

Used it, meh. Feels like one big platform for scammers. Not for me

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DBE113301@reddit

I have Snapchat because one of my millennial friends insists on using it, but I'd prefer not to. Not sure why he likes messaging on Snapchat, but whatever. Frankly, I hate the algorithm (or whatever is used to bring up videos on Snapchat). It's nothing but gym videos and 20-somethings showing off their breasts/asses/bodies/all of the above. I work out at home, and I'm married--been with the same woman for 22 years. I'd rather not see that shit, and I'm doing my best to change the video algorithm by clicking the three dots and choosing the "not interested"/"I don't want to see this" option, but I still get the same types of videos popping up.

How about some videos about New Wave 80's bands, recipes and tutorials for great meal ideas, or tricks/cocktails for sleeping through the night. THAT I want to see. I don't care about what some douchebag is doing in the gym, nor do I have any interest in some 20-something pop tart influencer.

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MagickMarkie@reddit

PDAs.

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HopeThisIsUnique@reddit

At OP I held off on a 3D printer forever, but the recent Bambu printers are dead simple and a lot of fun with kids.

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Any-Tour4589@reddit

As far as I’m concerned progress peaked with frozen pizza.

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therealpopkiller@reddit

Using ChatGPT to google things for me. It’s incredible how fast people gave up simple tasks to a robot

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Eric848448@reddit

Instagram. I have it but don’t really use it.

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the-cookie-momster@reddit

Haven't encountered one yet. OK, maybe Snapchat. But it's mostly because I think it sucks and I have no use for it. I like tiktok and 3d printing and VR just fine though, but I work in tech and so that's my jam already.

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AytumnRain@reddit

Social media. Not really tech but tech adjacent. I am fine with all hardware. Never have much trouble figuring it out. Most software as well. I did go to school for computer programming so tech I am fine with. Going back to school, this time though I actually want to learn how to build the hardware. I build computers and freelance fix them (and phones) for people near me and friends/family.

I reluctantly got a MySpace in 2004 and dropped it about 6 months later in 2005. Then in 2014 I got FB after a friend told me that is how everyone was staying in touch. Used it a bit. Then stoped using it and deleted around a year ago.

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Prestigious-Row-3244@reddit

I’m both happy about and irritated by the cloud. I love that my phone and computer are backed up but at the same time…like I cant seem to fully comprehend/trust it. And I don’t love that somehow something out there does have access to all my stuff even though that means that when my computer fried, I didn’t loose everything. I’m torn.

(Yes, I’m aware that I could still have an external hard drive…we all know the issue with them. Then you’ve got a ton of those, too that you’ve gotta keep track of and you forget what is on each one. Then you get a new computer and they don’t make it easy when they remove almost all of the plugs from our laptops. They really push into using that cloud. And paying the subscription fee… 😂)

Oh yes. And Snapchat. Never could quite get there with that.

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_TheWolfOfWalmart_@reddit

I'm sure I could use a 3D printer, but I just never cared to get one and try it. I don't feel like I need one for anything. Maybe it'd be useful now and then but not enough to spend the money and time on it.

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unbalancedcentrifuge@reddit

I have played with 3d printing...it is a fun and frustrating play thing. However, I do think if you have kids, you should encourage it as a hobby since it teaches coding, design, materials, troubleshooting, etc.

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gosuark@reddit

Both Twitter and Instagram when they first came out. My reaction: Facebook already does both, and better.

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_Internet_Hugs_@reddit

Anything that needs it's own app gets the side-eye from me. I don't do store apps. If I can't order it online or pick it up in the store then I don't really need it.

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pinchenombre@reddit

DOS

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lexluthor_i_am@reddit

Honestly the internet. I was about 14 or so when we first got internet, first with AOL then NetZero. And i immediately understood that my computer was talking to other computers. It made sense to me, but to my surprise, lots of other people didn't get it. I had people who went to a website asking me to remove that website from their computer, thinking that the entire website was moved to their computer and now exist on their machine.

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esocharis@reddit

Every bit of social media after Facebook, not counting Reddit. Have been Facebook free for more than a year now.

Never been on TikTok, had Snapchat only to take funny pics wth my kids and haven't used it in literally years, with no friends on it other than my wife. IG account that I also haven't used in years and never had anything different on it than my Facebook pics anyway. Never used Twitter, Bluesky, or anything else you care to name.

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caffeinatedangel@reddit

TikTok, and Kik for me.

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Vash_85@reddit

Ai, I have no interest in it

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Impossible_Turn_7627@reddit

The ins and outs of social media for my business. I do not have the time nor will I hire someone to chase the moving goal posts for engagement. I have a great website and provide a good service.

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bfume@reddit

Have not found one yet.

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Just_a_guy81@reddit

BitCoin

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Peanut083@reddit

Tik Tok was the first social media platform where I was like ‘I don’t understand this and have no interest in figuring it out’ in a way that is not particularly impactful.

AI is the first tech that’s made me feel old, though. I also have no interest in engaging with it or trying to figure it out, but I know it’s already impacting my life and is going to even more.

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athenasdogmom@reddit

Crypto and Bitcoin. I don’t understand how it works and honestly don’t care to.

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bearsdiscoverfire@reddit

Tiktok and NFTs

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harbinger06@reddit

PowerPoint lol I don’t work in a field where I have to make presentations. Some college classmates were using this for class presentations. I never felt the need to learn it.

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Careless-Ad-6328@reddit

This is funny as I just got a 3D Printer last week and have been having a blast learning how it works.

The tech that I mostly let pass is all social media past like 2007. I understood Facebook and Twitter. Even Instagram to some extent. Everything since that's all video all the time? Do. Not. Care. Please get off my lawn.

I'm also at the point where I just want my computer to work. I spent decades troubleshooting PC problems for myself and others and now I'm just tired. I don't want to keep learning all the ways to fix Latest_OS whatever it is.

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spazzie416@reddit

Snapchat and Instagram for you but I love my Facebook and Tik Tok 🤷🏼‍♀️

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Gonzostewie@reddit

3d printing is cool as hell. Between Thingverse and the different modeling software out there, the sky is the limit. I get to design and print gauges and fixtures for work. It's certainly handy to have access to.

It's not "my printer" at work so I gotta give my ideas to the printer guy and wait on him to get to it.

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RylosAU@reddit

Tablets. Nothing against the tech, but I've just never had any interest in them. I was gifted one and the only thing that I use it for is to read comic books.

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crazycatlady331@reddit

I have one. I pretty much exclusively use it for streaming video (it's replaced a tv for me). It sits on my bedstand.

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SlimPickens77Box@reddit

For some reason I made fun of podcast and people that told me to listen to them.

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ZeroKuhl@reddit

I just said fuck social media from myspace on, but am having a blast with AI. I think it comes from Arthur C. Clarke setting my expectations of what a pocketable smart device should be.

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ChogbortsTopStudent@reddit

HTML. I know a little bit from Myspace, Live journal, website customization, and an old job a few years ago, but I never got super deep into it.

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Basic-Pair8908@reddit

Mine was the pager and mini disc format

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Epicardiectomist@reddit

Smart anything. I don't give a fuck about any of it.

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Unpainted-Fruit-Log@reddit

Literally the internet. In high school I thought my career would be gatekeeping good taste in a record store.

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nonexistentnight@reddit

What do you mean by "need to understand"? I've avoided using social media sites from pretty much day one, but that wasn't because of understanding or not understanding their "technology". I also don't personally use a 3D printer, but I also don't own any way to print photos anymore. Easier to have someone else do it for me. But I feel like I "understand the technology" in that I get the jist of how it works, who uses it, what it's good for, etc. But whether and how much I personally use it is a different question.

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BringBackHUAC@reddit

VR.

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LostLetter9425@reddit

You could try https://printathing.com/order/ and just upload the stl you want printed without needing to own a 3d printer. I've used it in the past and got decent results. There's several similar services but that's one I've used before.

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Jets237@reddit

Idk man, imagine all of the cool action figures you could print

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Character_Bend_5824@reddit

Tik Tok. I'm old and wise enough to recognize addictive tendencies. Tik Tok gives you one free taste and then requires an account. That's a heroin dealer tactic. No thank you. And for the few days I was on there without an account prior to the ban period, I was absolutely inundated with repetitious, highly targeted brain rot. No thank you.

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civilSurvivorMum@reddit

internet (& now AI) connected eyewear. I suppose that’s less “I don’t understand how to use it and don’t care to learn” and more “I cannot see how this is useful and don’t want or need my glasses listening to me like every other device and appliance”

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CaptServo@reddit

video editing

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elphaba00@reddit

TikTok. I was in a room full of people this morning shooting the breeze, and the oldest among us (a Boomer) started talking about TikToks that she watches. And half of us (both Millennials and Gen X) said, "Nope. Don't have it. Don't want it."

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LastCallKillIt@reddit

Cell Phones in the early 00's. Hated them.

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Lost_Trucker_1979@reddit

AI for everything. I have Google already why do I need chat gpt or Gemini for simple things I can type in? Google assistant is about as far as I go and that's really just for hands free driving or the like.

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sal101010@reddit

I've played with a 3D printer once and would love to do some intricate prints. We have a local Hackspace (community DIY workshop) so I can both learn and make there.

However, Tik Tok is an absolute nope for me!

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lorazepamproblems@reddit

All the social media that came after Twitter/Facebook (which I'm no longer on), like Snapchat, TikTok, etc.

I also don't really get wireless headphones. You can pay less for headphones you never have to charge and are less likely to lose. I could see it if you're one of those people out and about busily walking on some street in NYC and your latest phone doesn't have a headphone jack, but I'm not one of those people.

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Literographer@reddit

Twitter

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d_the_m_80@reddit

We got my kids a decent 3D printer for Christmas last year. I was excited to try it out and learn, but just never got around to it. My oldest uses it fairly regularly, and I've helped with some trouble-shooting here and there, but never tried to print anything of my own. While it is pretty simple, there is a lot of trial and error in getting all the settings just right. I just don't have the time to mess around with it, but wish I could.

I have still never even tried using ChatGPT. I feel like an old geezer when everyone talks about it. Is that like a website or something?

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Boring_Energy_4817@reddit

My daughter's STEM class in middle school learned 3D printing, so I know it can't be that hard, but it does feel over my head.

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Ineedavodka2019@reddit

3d printers aren’t that hard. You usually use computer software to send the CAD drawing to the printer. My 14 year old designs and prints stuff all of the time. It’s just a matter of using the software. The printer itself is still a printer.

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DamarsLastKanar@reddit

The iPod with the swirl wheel.

I like buttons.

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