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What's a technology that was cooler in its older iterations? (pawb.social)

submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by VinesNFluff@pawb.social to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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I don't mean BETTER. That's a different conversation. I mean cooler.

An old CRT display was literally a small scale particle accelerator, firing angry electron beams at light speed towards the viewers, bent by an electromagnet that alternates at an ultra high frequency, stopped by a rounded rectangle of glowing phosphors.

If a CRT goes bad it can actually make people sick.

That's just. Conceptually a lot COOLER than a modern LED panel, which really is just a bajillion very tiny lightbulbs.

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[-] superkret@feddit.org 49 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Bicycle shifters.

The first iteration that could be operated without stopping was the Campagnolo Cambio Corsa.
To shift, you had to reach behind you, where there were 2 levers.

The first one loosened the rear axle so it could move freely back and forth in the dropouts.
The second one had an eyelet you could use to move the chain sideways.
You put the chain on a different cog, and the rear wheel jumped forward or back due to the changed chain length.
Then you tightened the rear axle again.

It's terrifyingly beautiful:

[-] dharmacurious@slrpnk.net 35 points 1 month ago

To make sure I understand, you reached back and grabbed those levers while pedaling and riding the bike?

How many people lost fingers by sticking them into the spokes, I wonder?

[-] superkret@feddit.org 21 points 1 month ago

Yes.

[-] VinesNFluff@pawb.social 24 points 1 month ago

This sounds like a gadget specifically designed to make people fall off their bikes and break their bones.

......... Cool.

[-] Berttheduck@lemmy.ml 18 points 1 month ago

Honestly those are terrifying. I can't imagine doing any of that whilst on the move.

[-] ace_garp@lemmy.world 10 points 1 month ago

Hi there

[-] Valmond@lemmy.world 9 points 1 month ago

The fuck!

this post was submitted on 23 Oct 2024

451 points (98.5% liked)

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