Mark42
Fleet Admiral
Thread starter- Joined
- Oct 8, 2003
- Messages
- 9,334
I was thinking about how I did stuff before the internet was such a source of information. For example, I wanted to add a MP3 input to my 1998 Firebird stock AM/FM CD player stereo (made before MP3/ipods even existed). Thought about it for a while, even had the stereo out of the car, but decided against doing the modification. Today I was thinking about making that mod again, and did a search on "add mp3 input to delco cd player" and got lots of hits. Found a link to a Camaro/Firebird forum where these auto enthusiasts have been making this mod to their cars since MP3/ipod's became popular. There were photos of opened up radios, with arrows to each wire to spice into, and a list of do's and don'ts. Holy Cow! Everything I wanted to know was right there in full color high res photos!
Before the internet, a modification like this to my car would require buying car magazines like Hot Rod and the like, then looking at the advertiser section in the back, and calling or writing for information. There was also the local hot rod club, but most new changes were usually found by writing manufacturers and reading articles in magazines. Slow and time consuming. A very ineffective way of spending my time when compared to a few clicks of the internet browser.
I guess things just took longer, and we waited patiently for mail and returned phone calls. I recall making mods to my cars that were not just the typical 2 to 4 barrel carb upgrade, or cam change, or headers and exhaust that I could read about in Hot Rod magazine. These special mods meant hours of trial and error experimentation. Hours looking for a supplier of a special part, or hours searching salvage yards for piece from another car. I often would go to the library and read about electronics in order to determine how something worked, or how to make something from scratch. Again, lots of time spent going to the source (the library) looking up books in the card file, finding the books in the stacks, and then reading them there because lots of them were "Reference" and could not be checked out.
And it wasn't just pertaining to cars. Any project around the house (especially my first house ) meant buying books about home repairs, appliance repair, etc. Want to buy a new stereo system? Buy a hand full of magazines, and be sure to get a few Consumers Reports year end review copies to see what the ratings were.
I relied a lot more on how Dad or Grandpa did it. I relied more on what the guy behind the counter said when I was shopping for a new set of "humbucking" pickups for my electric guitar. The guy at the plumbing supply would tell me if my change would pass code or not. Same with the electrical supply. Of course, now all those codes or specifications are available on the internet.
Want a recipe to bake something? Had to call your Mom. She always had a box full of recipes that she clipped out of magazines. Now there are thousands of websites devoted to every aspect of food you can imagine.
Everything took more time and effort to do, to get, to make, to research, to order, to ship, etc, etc, etc.
The internet brings everything I want to know right to my lap with just a few key strokes. I don't have to ask anyone anything. Its right there. And if I don't like the info I found, there are many more flavors to choose from just a blink of an eye away.
The internet has changed my life. It lets me get what I need when I need it. No more hunting through the yellow pages for a supplier of some odd ball part. No more mailing checks to get supplies or merchandise mail order, and then waiting 6 to 8 weeks to get it through the Post Office.
Things are fast. Faster and better. I get so much more done in one weekend now than I did 15 years ago because I can find what I need and make sure its here when I need it. If I run into a snag on a project, I can just turn to Google or Yahoo for a solution. Bingo! 5 or more solutions magically appear on the screen.
But I am sure the rapid fire pace of todays life encouraged by the rapid availability of what we want to know or get is also adding stress that is affecting our quality of life.
Its a trade off. I have to take time alone every now and again or I am sure I will explode. Kind of feel like I'm running in overdrive most of the time just to keep up with the pace of life.
Anyway, just some thoughts I had that I thought were worth sharing.
Regards,
Mark
Before the internet, a modification like this to my car would require buying car magazines like Hot Rod and the like, then looking at the advertiser section in the back, and calling or writing for information. There was also the local hot rod club, but most new changes were usually found by writing manufacturers and reading articles in magazines. Slow and time consuming. A very ineffective way of spending my time when compared to a few clicks of the internet browser.
I guess things just took longer, and we waited patiently for mail and returned phone calls. I recall making mods to my cars that were not just the typical 2 to 4 barrel carb upgrade, or cam change, or headers and exhaust that I could read about in Hot Rod magazine. These special mods meant hours of trial and error experimentation. Hours looking for a supplier of a special part, or hours searching salvage yards for piece from another car. I often would go to the library and read about electronics in order to determine how something worked, or how to make something from scratch. Again, lots of time spent going to the source (the library) looking up books in the card file, finding the books in the stacks, and then reading them there because lots of them were "Reference" and could not be checked out.
And it wasn't just pertaining to cars. Any project around the house (especially my first house ) meant buying books about home repairs, appliance repair, etc. Want to buy a new stereo system? Buy a hand full of magazines, and be sure to get a few Consumers Reports year end review copies to see what the ratings were.
I relied a lot more on how Dad or Grandpa did it. I relied more on what the guy behind the counter said when I was shopping for a new set of "humbucking" pickups for my electric guitar. The guy at the plumbing supply would tell me if my change would pass code or not. Same with the electrical supply. Of course, now all those codes or specifications are available on the internet.
Want a recipe to bake something? Had to call your Mom. She always had a box full of recipes that she clipped out of magazines. Now there are thousands of websites devoted to every aspect of food you can imagine.
Everything took more time and effort to do, to get, to make, to research, to order, to ship, etc, etc, etc.
The internet brings everything I want to know right to my lap with just a few key strokes. I don't have to ask anyone anything. Its right there. And if I don't like the info I found, there are many more flavors to choose from just a blink of an eye away.
The internet has changed my life. It lets me get what I need when I need it. No more hunting through the yellow pages for a supplier of some odd ball part. No more mailing checks to get supplies or merchandise mail order, and then waiting 6 to 8 weeks to get it through the Post Office.
Things are fast. Faster and better. I get so much more done in one weekend now than I did 15 years ago because I can find what I need and make sure its here when I need it. If I run into a snag on a project, I can just turn to Google or Yahoo for a solution. Bingo! 5 or more solutions magically appear on the screen.
But I am sure the rapid fire pace of todays life encouraged by the rapid availability of what we want to know or get is also adding stress that is affecting our quality of life.
Its a trade off. I have to take time alone every now and again or I am sure I will explode. Kind of feel like I'm running in overdrive most of the time just to keep up with the pace of life.
Anyway, just some thoughts I had that I thought were worth sharing.
Regards,
Mark
