What things are better now than 30, 40, 50 years ago?

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

I’ll start…

The NBA - offenses are so much better these days

Saturday Night Live - there were some good actors back then but the humor is more balanced now.

Music - lots of variety, not the same boring classic rock over and over.

What do you all think?

 

[goldmom]

😂😂😂😂😂

 

[Timfsu]

Me.

 

[goldmom]

Advances in health. Although in the early 70’s people knew they shouldn’t smoke and the decrease in the number of smokers had begun.

Music? Seriously? 😂😂😂

NBA Defenses? Who cares?

SNL? Original cast was fantastic.

 

[BrianNole777]

Welcome @Formerly Rockymtnole !

Please stay.

Computers

Phones

Cars

All better today.

 

[billanole]

Vehicle safety is light years improved, although costs are crazy. Modern appliances are dramatically more efficient.
Although we still use our old school cast iron routinely, I got a new set of All Clad Graphite Core cookware and it is such an improvement over the old set. It is relatively lightweight and super easy to clean up.
Flea and tick deterrent for pets is much more effective and simpler to utilize.

 

[DFSNOLE]

Transportation in general but cars specifically. I was cruising on I10 at 80mph a few weeks ago I was a little over 2k rpm. The cars I was driving 40-50 years ago would be at 5k rpm+. There was no way they would hold up for multiple 8 hour trips at that speed.

 

[billanole]

Transportation in general but cars specifically. I was cruising on I10 at 80mph a few weeks ago I was a little over 2k rpm. The cars I was driving 40-50 years ago would be at 5k rpm+. There was no way they would hold up for multiple 8 hour trips at that speed.

Agree about cars/trucks, but rail and air are lagging.
Upgrades to the air traffic control system are desperately needed and the latest from Boeing is basically unacceptable.
Rail, well, no need to comment there.

 

[F4Gary]

Air is not lagging. Airliners are way more efficient than before. Now 2 high bypass engines instead of 4 straight turbojet engines.

 

[GeddyLee09]

Agree about cars/trucks, but rail and air are lagging.
Upgrades to the air traffic control system are desperately needed and the latest from Boeing is basically unacceptable.
Rail, well, no need to comment there.

Rail and bus transport is lagging in the US but not everywhere. Europe and Asia are light years ahead of the US in the public transport sector. Air travel while much less glamorous than 50 years ago is much more efficient and faster. Even with the added security the process is usually painless. If you could remove people from the equation things would be great.

 

[GeddyLee09]

In general technology has made most things better, everything from cars, phones and light bulbs are better. TV is light years better due to streaming. Cars are also safer even with idiots driving them. Products are available at the push of a button or even if you want to go to the store the process is easy, and you can get anything. Logistics are light years ahead of what they were years ago.

Tech has had a negative effect though. People don't and can't communicate anymore, kids will be worse than we are when they grow up and the me mentality will get worse. Commercials are worse. I can't watch live TV anymore and have to pay to not see ads everywhere. Sports are worse than they were. NBA, NFL, MLB have long been unwatchable and sadly college football is becoming the same way.

I think we live in a safer society than we did but due to the media and technology we hear all the negative thing out there so people are more divided than before or so it seems.

 

[GeddyLee09]

Vehicle safety is light years improved, although costs are crazy. Modern appliances are dramatically more efficient.
Although we still use our old school cast iron routinely, I got a new set of All Clad Graphite Core cookware and it is such an improvement over the old set. It is relatively lightweight and super easy to clean up.
Flea and tick deterrent for pets is much more effective and simpler to utilize.

I have a full set of JA Henckel nonstick and stainless cookware and still mainly use the cast iron stuff. Although you can't beat nonstick for stuff like eggs and grilled cheese.

 

[F4Gary]

In general technology has made most things better, everything from cars, phones and light bulbs are better. TV is light years better due to streaming. Cars are also safer even with idiots driving them. Products are available at the push of a button or even if you want to go to the store the process is easy, and you can get anything. Logistics are light years ahead of what they were years ago.

Tech has had a negative effect though. People don't and can't communicate anymore, kids will be worse than we are when they grow up and the me mentality will get worse. Commercials are worse. I can't watch live TV anymore and have to pay to not see ads everywhere. Sports are worse than they were. NBA, NFL, MLB have long been unwatchable and sadly college football is becoming the same way.

I think we live in a safer society than we did but due to the media and technology we hear all the negative thing out there so people are more divided than before or so it seems.

Agree except for your last paragraph. We are much safer in our cars, but I don't think we live in a safer society than we did 20,3,40 years ago.

 

[GeddyLee09]

Agree except for your last paragraph. We are much safer in our cars, but I don't think we live in a safer society than we did 20,3,40 years ago.

I mean overall but maybe it just seems that way to me. However, if we keep down this path of open borders, lax justice system and law enforcement it wont stay that way for long.

 

[BrianNole777]

Agree except for your last paragraph. We are much safer in our cars, but I don't think we live in a safer society than we did 20,3,40 years ago.

America is much safer now compared to 20, 30 and 40 years ago.

Violent crime is way down compared to the 1990's.


"The FBI data also shows a 59% reduction in the U.S. property crime rate between 1993 and 2022, with big declines in the rates of burglary (-75%), larceny/theft (-54%) and motor vehicle theft (-53%).

Using the BJS statistics, the declines in the violent and property crime rates are even steeper than those captured in the FBI data. Per BJS, the U.S. violent and property crime rates each fell 71% between 1993 and 2022."

What the data says about crime in the U.S.

Federal statistics show dramatic declines in U.S. violent and property crime rates since the early 1990s.

www.pewresearch.org

 

[QuaZ2002]

I think most things are better due to options and convenience. You can’t tell me the music experience isn’t better now because you have almost endless options at your finger tips at all times. I don’t think “pop” music is any better than it was but there are so many artists who exist now because they’re able to build followings on YouTube and streaming services.

Two things kind of jump out.
Car safety and comfort is so much better it’s not even close. Even low end cars have tons of features and are mostly reliable. 40 years ago that absolutely wasn’t the case.

TV Shows. I’d say HBO kind of started it with shows like the Sopranos but the amount of really good TV shows available now is incredible. No one talks about movies (which have absolutely suffered) they talk about what TV show they’re watching.

 

[aawash]

Safety (equipment, rules and medical care) for football players at the youth, high school, collegiate and pro levels is much better----I was knocked out (undersized DB who liked to hit) three times in high school (1965-67)---I doubt I would have passed the mandatory concussion protocols in place now!

 

[rtpnole]

Oh I don’t know…TV was pretty good back then.

 

[goldmom]

Choices in TV are much greater then they used to be but as to quality it’s a matter of taste.
I was not all that crazy about the Sopranos but the “inspiration” for the series was obviously (IMO) the Godfather movies.
As to a Miniseries format, Roots was groundbreaking (1978).

 

[Banditking]

Though speaker technology for floorstanders isn’t dramatically different, accessibility to good audio is great. I still use bowers and Wilkins speakers I bought 20 years ago as the core to my atmos theater. But, in my bedroom I’ve got a Sonos arc, subwoofer and surrounds. The dsp/engineering on those is impressive. Car audio is a huge improvement, with the availability of much better engineered systems even in low tier vehicles.

The accessibility of Apple Music library anywhere is a major luxury. The diversity of music now is amazing.

Electronic drums today are fantastic compared to what they were. I had one of the original Roland E-kits in the 90s, which I used in my dorm room at mccollum hall. Those were cool, but nothing compared to what is available now. The dynamic range improvements are incredible, especially the new hi hat, ride and snare developments. Also, the integration with computing is impressive. To practice, I've got an ipad bluetooth connected to my kit. I can mix myself into music. There are programs available, e.g., Musora, which allow simultaneous view of sheet music and performance and drumless tracks. I can slow down performance to work out tricky parts. There's an integrated metronome. Also, there are now remote performer DAW integrations. I can collaborate with people who live far away to write music. Love my Edrums

I have something going on at work. And, I was just sitting in my office waiting. And I’ve got a quest 3. Put a huge Netflix screen on one wall and browsing the Internet 🛜 on another tethered to my phone for Internet. Flawless.

The ability to make phone calls cheaply from anywhere. Smart phones are an obvious one.

Lighting. Love my hue lights. So convenient. And very cool to be able set lighting scenes easily.

Audibook access. Ebooks.

Flying with noise cancellation.

CarPlay.

Banking. Mobile deposits. Phone based trades. Zelle. Venmo. All make life much easier.

People were nicer before though.

 

[Banditking]

In general technology has made most things better, everything from cars, phones and light bulbs are better. TV is light years better due to streaming. Cars are also safer even with idiots driving them. Products are available at the push of a button or even if you want to go to the store the process is easy, and you can get anything. Logistics are light years ahead of what they were years ago.

Tech has had a negative effect though. People don't and can't communicate anymore, kids will be worse than we are when they grow up and the me mentality will get worse. Commercials are worse. I can't watch live TV anymore and have to pay to not see ads everywhere. Sports are worse than they were. NBA, NFL, MLB have long been unwatchable and sadly college football is becoming the same way.

I think we live in a safer society than we did but due to the media and technology we hear all the negative thing out there so people are more divided than before or so it seems.

TV/monitor size, resolution and dynamic range are dramatically improved. I'm typing this displayed on a 4K HDR projector 106 inch screen. The communication integration is also fantastic. I play video games weekly with my brother, his former college roommate, and a rotation of a few guys who all live far apart. The communication is instantaneous. We play across formats, computer, consoles, VR. Everything works with minimal troubleshooting.

This is true on the go as well. My son has a Switch. He wanted to play fortnite with me at a hotel we were staying at. I took out my iPad pro and an xbox controller, connected to the microsoft xbox cloud service, loaded up fortnite, joined a group with him, and we played a game. That's really quite incredible compared to where things were 30 years ago. That's cross platform, streamed, nearly instantaneous integrated gaming. If only my old eyes were as good

 

[seminoleed]

Though speaker technology for floorstanders isn’t dramatically different, accessibility to good audio is great. I still use bowers and Wilkins speakers I bought 20 years ago as the core to my atmos theater. But, in my bedroom I’ve got a Sonos arc, subwoofer and surrounds. The dsp/engineering on those is impressive. Car audio is a huge improvement, with the availability of much better engineered systems even in low tier vehicles.

The accessibility of Apple Music library anywhere is a major luxury. The diversity of music now is amazing.

Electronic drums today are fantastic compared to what they were. I had one of the original Roland E-kits in the 90s, which I used in my dorm room at mccollum hall. Those were cool, but nothing compared to what is available now. The dynamic range improvements are incredible, especially the new hi hat, ride and snare developments. Also, the integration with computing is impressive. To practice, I've got an ipad bluetooth connected to my kit. I can mix myself into music. There are programs available, e.g., Musora, which allow simultaneous view of sheet music and performance and drumless tracks. I can slow down performance to work out tricky parts. There's an integrated metronome. Also, there are now remote performer DAW integrations. I can collaborate with people who live far away to write music. Love my Edrums

I have something going on at work. And, I was just sitting in my office waiting. And I’ve got a quest 3. Put a huge Netflix screen on one wall and browsing the Internet 🛜 on another tethered to my phone for Internet. Flawless.

The ability to make phone calls cheaply from anywhere. Smart phones are an obvious one.

Lighting. Love my hue lights. So convenient. And very cool to be able set lighting scenes easily.

Audibook access. Ebooks.

Flying with noise cancellation.

CarPlay.

Banking. Mobile deposits. Phone based trades. Zelle. Venmo. All make life much easier.

People were nicer before though.

I still use a pair of Klipsch speakers I bought 30 some odd years ago, and those damn things still crank it out like nobody's business. One nice thing about the heat in SW Florida is that I have to keep all the windows closed, thus preventing irate old fart neighbors.

 

[GeddyLee09]

Though speaker technology for floorstanders isn’t dramatically different, accessibility to good audio is great. I still use bowers and Wilkins speakers I bought 20 years ago as the core to my atmos theater. But, in my bedroom I’ve got a Sonos arc, subwoofer and surrounds. The dsp/engineering on those is impressive. Car audio is a huge improvement, with the availability of much better engineered systems even in low tier vehicles.

The accessibility of Apple Music library anywhere is a major luxury. The diversity of music now is amazing.

Electronic drums today are fantastic compared to what they were. I had one of the original Roland E-kits in the 90s, which I used in my dorm room at mccollum hall. Those were cool, but nothing compared to what is available now. The dynamic range improvements are incredible, especially the new hi hat, ride and snare developments. Also, the integration with computing is impressive. To practice, I've got an ipad bluetooth connected to my kit. I can mix myself into music. There are programs available, e.g., Musora, which allow simultaneous view of sheet music and performance and drumless tracks. I can slow down performance to work out tricky parts. There's an integrated metronome. Also, there are now remote performer DAW integrations. I can collaborate with people who live far away to write music. Love my Edrums

I have something going on at work. And, I was just sitting in my office waiting. And I’ve got a quest 3. Put a huge Netflix screen on one wall and browsing the Internet 🛜 on another tethered to my phone for Internet. Flawless.

The ability to make phone calls cheaply from anywhere. Smart phones are an obvious one.

Lighting. Love my hue lights. So convenient. And very cool to be able set lighting scenes easily.

Audibook access. Ebooks.

Flying with noise cancellation.

CarPlay.

Banking. Mobile deposits. Phone based trades. Zelle. Venmo. All make life much easier.

People were nicer before though.

The only thing with the banking conveniences is that it also improves access for scammers. Venmo and Zelle both seem to have issues and I would be leery of connecting them to main accounts or sending money to people I don't know. I only use Zelle, and I limit it to family members. It's sad but you have to protect yourself these days.

 

[F4Gary]

The only thing with the banking conveniences is that it also improves access for scammers. Venmo and Zelle both seem to have issues and I would be leery of connecting them to main accounts or sending money to people I don't know. I only use Zelle, and I limit it to family members. It's sad but you have to protect yourself these days.

I don't use either, in fact, I don't do any banking on my phone.

 

[GeddyLee09]

I don't use either, in fact, I don't do any banking on my phone.

The cyber types I work with say it's safer on the phone vs a home computer. Something about computer code.

 

[Banditking]

I still use a pair of Klipsch speakers I bought 30 some odd years ago, and those damn things still crank it out like nobody's business. One nice thing about the heat in SW Florida is that I have to keep all the windows closed, thus preventing irate old fart neighbors.

Yes. Much of the innovation in home audio is in formats. Atmos being a big one.

In my theater I have a 5.4.1 system. For movies, that’s great, of course. But, somewhat surprisingly, many of the Apple Music Atmos mixes sound really quite good. There’s variability in the quality of the atmos mixes, but, when done well, it’s a joy to listen to. A good example to me are Art Blakey’s recoded atmos mixes. Jazz is a good genre for Spatial Audio because there’s a good bit of instrument separation to it. An example of a more modern mix that I think sounds good is Portugal the man’s “feel it still.”

Of course, Spatial Audio isn’t a new concept. SACD lived and died. Quadraphonic mixes existed in the 70s. But, the accessibility and quality with Apple entering the game makes it viable. Also, modern recording tools make this much easier to execute.

I went to a high home audio store in Austin recently. Well, two of them. 1 was inaccessible level high end (eg 200k for floor standers). But the 2nd was for mere mortals. In that one, they had several 70s style speaker cabs from jvc and klipsch, eg cornwall ivs. They sound great.

 

[goldmom]

The cyber types I work with say it's safer on the phone vs a home computer. Something about computer code.

I won’t do any online banking, period. I don’t even let my bank have my email address.
About seven years ago I got a letter of apology from my bank saying they were sorry I had trouble accessing my account online on two occasions. I hadn’t even signed up for it and I won’t.
I’m no millionaire but I want to keep what I have.
I don’t keep much in the way of assets in the bank anyway. 💰

 

[goldmom]

Oh and as far as stereo stuff I still regret donating the fantastic Marantz equipment to Goodwill.
But who keeps that stuff?

 

[Banditking]

Oh and as far as stereo stuff I still regret donating the fantastic Marantz equipment to Goodwill.
But who keeps that stuff?

That’s classic.

I wouldn’t mind some McIntosh amps. They don’t work any better. But they look pretty.