"Everything New Sucks"

[wgerrard]

Or, so says Ken Rockwell. He seems to have woken up on the wrong side of the bed.

So, what sucks?

Flatcreen TV's. Email. Cars. Digital cameras. TV. Radio. Windows.

And lots more.

He's got his reasons, and they aren't bad.

On sucky cars: I booked a rental for an August trip to Albuquerque and Santa Fe. When I arrived at the rental outfit, they only had an SUV available. I'd booked a non-SUV; driving in the mountains and all that, you know. They said: "Everyone wants an SUV". They stared at me when I said: "Not me."

Anyway, I drove the SUV to Santa Fe, where it was below 50 at dinner time and above 80 after breakfast the next morning. The AC control in the rented SUV was entirely digital. I couldn't figure out how to work it. I spent at least 30 minutes on the phone to the rental company. They didn't have a clue, either. Finally, someone transferred me to someone who did and we bumbled through.

Unsolicited advice to auto companies: if you want to use digital controls on your AC units, how about just putting in a keypad and displaying this: "What temperature do you want it to be?"

 

[Roger Hicks]

Um...

At the risk of appearing vulgar...

New lady friends?

Cheers,

R.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

I have a theory that everything really important had been invented by 1972 and the advance of technology could have stopped then. Our lives would certainly be more relaxed now.

 

[back alley]

i wonder if rff gets as much free publicity on rockwell's site?

 

[Keith]

i wonder if rff gets as much free publicity on rockwell's site?

Seems unlikely based on his one brief visit here. 🙄

We don't need that sort of cheap self promotion Joe ... we have class! (I think)

😀

 

[filmfan]

I have a theory that everything really important had been invented by 1972 and the advance of technology could have stopped then. Our lives would certainly be more relaxed now.

I love this theory.

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

Me too, I was born that year... Although I know I'm not the most important photographer on this thread...

🙂 Sorry, I couldn't resist...

Really, it's forgotten and I appreciate all opinions.

Cheers,

Juan

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

Um...

At the risk of appearing vulgar...

New lady friends?

Cheers,

R.

So true and so funny! 😛

 

[wgerrard]

i wonder if rff gets as much free publicity on rockwell's site?

Phphffftt!:angel:

Rockwell doesn't seem to link to someone else very often, though.

The post does, however, resonate with the "The last good camera was made in 1953" ethos that's occasionally familiar in these parts.

But seriously... many of his complaints are really complaints about bad software user interfaces, which is something all photographers will grapple with going forward. Do the people who design the menus on the back of digital cameras actually use the things?

 

[Keith]

It's just occured to me that the Olympus OM-1 was introduced in 1972 ... dang, you're right! 😱

 

[FrankS]

Close but not quite. My BMW R90/6 was made in 1976.

 

[Roger Hicks]

My Series III Land Rover is a '72. Later innovations such as servo, dual-circuit brakes sound good to me.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Keith]

Phphffftt!:angel:

Rockwell doesn't seem to link to someone else very often, though.

The post does, however, resonate with the "The last good camera was made in 1953" ethos that's occasionally familiar in these parts.

But seriously... many of his complaints are really complaints about bad software user interfaces, which is something all photographers will grapple with going forward. Do the people who design the menus on the back of digital cameras actually use the things?

I'm sure if there was something in it for Ken he'd be happy to have an RFF banner up on his site with a link to here.

But ask yourself ... do we really want someone here who chose to go there first? (that was snobbish I know) 😀

 

[Steve M.]

NOBODY gets as much free advertising as Ken does. Love him or hate him (there's no in between), the man is a genius at writing provocative copy.

I have to agree, I like the old analog way of doing things better, and oddly it seems to be an easier way to go. All of this complicated, computerized stuff just ties you up for longer, and is more expensive and less fun to use. Certainly so w/ cameras.

As for cars, back in the late 70's I was turning wrenches for a Toyota dealer. We used to adjust the carburetors (remember them?) on the cars so they would idle smoothly. Then the Feds came in w/ the emission control laws and the car makers put plastic caps on the mixture screws so you couldn't alter the factory settings. We quickly learned to pop the caps off, adjust the carb, and pop the caps back on. One year I went to do that on a new model and the cap wasn't there! The mixture screw wasn't even there! Just a lead plug where it used to be. I had to tell the customer it was just going to run lean and idle rough because I couldn't do a thing about it. Shortly afterward I decided that I didn't like the direction this was going and quit the mechanic field. None too late either, as now everything is electronic and you can't fix anything, you just replace stuff.

Haven't owned a car for 20 years. Now the wife and I ride a bike, walk, and take the bus. Inconvenient at times, but far better in my book. Simple is good.

 

[wgerrard]

Whenever you were born, it's all downhill after 23. 😉

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

NOBODY gets as much free advertising as Ken does. Love him or hate him (there's no in between), the man is a genius at writing provocative copy.

I have to agree, I like the old analog way of doing things better, and oddly it seems to be an easier way to go. All of this complicated, computerized stuff just ties you up for longer, and is more expensive and less fun to use. Certainly so w/ cameras.

As for cars, back in the late 70's I was turning wrenches for a Toyota dealer. We used to adjust the carburetors (remember them?) on the cars so they would idle smoothly. Then the Feds came in w/ the emission control laws and the car makers put plastic caps on the mixture screws so you couldn't alter the factory settings. We quickly learned to pop the caps off, adjust the carb, and pop the caps back on. One year I went to do that on a new model and the cap wasn't there! The mixture screw wasn't even there! Just a lead plug where it used to be. I had to tell the customer it was just going to run lean and idle rough because I couldn't do a thing about it. Shortly afterward I decided that I didn't like the direction this was going and quit the mechanic field. None too late either, as now everything is electronic and you can't fix anything, you just replace stuff.

Haven't owned a car for 20 years. Now the wife and I ride a bike, walk, and take the bus. Inconvenient at times, but far better in my book. Simple is good.

Great! Cleaner air, cleaner blood... Money alone can't buy a few things these days...

 

[Al Patterson]

Everything New Sucks, including most of the "What's New" section on Rockwell's site?

 

[Solinar]

Thanks for summarizing KR's rant. It saves me from clicking on the link. 😉

 

[kuzano]

Ah yes, but.....

Ah yes, but.....

Close but not quite. My BMW R90/6 was made in 1976.

The R90 was only "hogged out" rendition of the R75 which came out (mine) in 1970, putting the R90 in the "after 1972 march of technology toward descent". 😀

Oh, it was a great motorcycle.... I moved up to the extra cc's as well.

The K bike ("brick" motor) was the turning point of BMW in the wrong direction. Liquid cooled.... Who needs that?

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

One of these days he'll surprise all of us placing at the right of all his articles a column for visitors' opinions and comments on his mistakes and exaggerations... That would be classy... The column would be bigger than his site, though...🙄