Weird thing about technology

My lovely wife has been on my case about cleaning out the old electronics. Over the years they've gathered dust in one of the loft rooms. I told her I'd get to it. She doesn't have to remind me every year.

Today was the day. I loaded up the car with obsolete tower computers and their monitors. Down to the transfer station we went. They already had a tractor trailer truck nearly full of electro-junk.

It got me thinking. Of all my tools, electronics have a pretty short life. All that cutting edge stuff becomes useless in ten years or less.

More primitive things last a lot longer. My old 19 inch tube TV is still working. It's an open secret that flat screen TVs last about 2-3 years or so. How is that an improvement?

The more primitive the technology, the longer it's useful. Hammers and hand saws keep going year after year. My axes, splitting mauls, and sledge hammers will be my grandkids. Firearms, with a little care, are still functional 100 years later.

My car is going to be junk in 10-15 years, if I'm lucky. Yet I'm still paddling a canoe that's older than I am.

There's something to be said for simple rugged designs.

-Sixbears