Obsolescence Project

Day 34 – Floppy Discs

Flopped

FUJIFILM MF2HD Formatted 1.44MB c. 2001

These 3 floppies hold documentation of an old art project and a backup of an old art website. There is this guy in Saskatchewan, PhotoJim, who wrote a post “Our friend the floppy disk” in April 2010. He still uses them – at work no less! – but I wonder if the passage of two years has meant that even he must retreat from the position of valuing them.

I keep these for the kind of backwards coolness they have. I copied (I hope) the work that was on them a long time ago – possibly to a hard drive that failed – and archive.org probably has the site backed up. So they’re not needed as a last resort backup. But there’s something about their solidity, despite the floppy name, and that they are compact, which entitles them to some shelf space.

Status: Keep for the time machine.

Update May 15th, 2012: The floppy icon is under siege. Check out another obsolescence blog on the future of the floppy disc icon.

Posted on by Deanne in Objects

Day 33 – Kodak Disc 8000

Kodak 8000

Kodak Disc 8000 – Original Price ~$150. Purchased for ~$4 at the Sally Ann.

I thought I had a few cameras in my collection. This chap James, has me beat. He also has the 8000 and from him I learned the original street price was $150 in the 80s. There are 5 for sale on ebay for an average of $11 each. So my 4 bucks was an investment.

What attracted my attention was the gold. Apparently this was a deluxe model of this series. And then this “disc” thing. The film type was an HR disc. It looks a bit like a cross between a rotary phone an a view master.

Wiki Disc 4000

Wikipedia image of the 4000 Disc film

“Disc film did not prove hugely successful” [Wikipedia] . There are still labs that can process this film, but no manufacturers of it. So this camera is truly obsolete.

Status: Revere for its folly.

Posted on by Deanne in Photography

Day 32 – Realisitic Minisette-9

Minisette-9

REALISITIC Minisette-9 Tape Recorder

There is an identical one of these for sale right now on Craigslist in Austin for $40. It takes double A batteries and also has an adapter. One of those universal 9V ones, that used to power multiple devices, unlike the things Apple makes.

I tagged this as a gift, because I remember a friend giving it to me, but it’s also possible I paid $10. I went on an interviewing kick with relatives, and then an art project where I asked people to tell me things.  Then it sat abandoned for several years. Then, I took singing lessons and the instructor gave me tapes of her playing the piano so I could practice at home.

This is why I’ve been keeping this – for those tapes, which I’ve kept. Thinking I’ll get back into singing. And it turns out there is a woman who offers lessons in our studio. She teaches professional singers, so pretty intimidating, and perhaps she doesn’t even deal with amateurs. It’s nice to know she is there though, so that the possibility lingers.

Posted on by Deanne in Objects

Day 31 – T-Square

T-Bar

Staedtler T-Square 24″/60cm

I was a tiny bit surprised to find, upon googling, that they still sell these. For the very modest price of $13.99 at Staples even. Nonethless, it’s been a while since I’ve actually used this. It hangs in the studio, but not elegantly on nail, just jammed up on a pad of paper (otherwise I would have photographed it there).

Status: Still actually useful, and while only on very occasionally used, is easy to store, so keep.

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So it’s Day 31! I’ve wrestled [ 😉 ] with whether or not to be obsessive and continue on – to do it daily for a year for example, or once a week, or whatnot.

I’ve decided to continue on until I run out of objects. This could be Day 68 or Day 366. I have a wee regret now photographing the shutter release cable together with the close up lens, otherwise that would have squeezed out one more day.

Posted on by Deanne in Objects

Day 30 – Blank CD-Rs

Cds

Basket of CDs. c. 2010 . Lovely translucent plastic cover not shown.

Each year the amount of cds I use has been decreasing exponentially. I also have two small stacks of DVD-Rs (with different write speeds). Flash drives, which have been decreasing exponentially in price, have replaced these for most of my small scale storage needs. I like to think I will create special editions on these and make nice cd cover art.

Status: Use

Continuation of Project Obso:

Now that my 30 days is up (!) and the synchronicity of the days is off (I started Feb 1 – so Day 1 was Feb 1 etc),  I face the decision of whether to continue on. Post to follow.

Posted on by Deanne in Objects