How work has changed in 50 years
Dec. 17th, 2021 10:38 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
This was sent round by someone at work, and they gave me permission to share the non-identifying bits:
I started on 20th December 1970. My 51 years is up on the 19th December, the day I retire.It really is amazing how much things can change in a lifetime. From sharpening quills to everything being on the web!
When I first started there were no computers, one telephone between 8 people and only mechanical calculators (such as Brunsviga), or slide rules, or abaci. I had a mechanical device called the Goblin. No idea why.
One of my first jobs was to empty the grate and light the coal fire in the morning. Empty the ashtrays (smoking was compulsory), refill the inkwells and replenish the blotting paper. Although quill pens were virtually gone by then (the new-fangled fountain pen was the writing implement of choice) one old buffer insisted that I sharpen his quill every morning (not an innuendo) and thus I acquired the department penknife. Gradually the biro pen was introduced much to the chagrin of all.
My first major project was decimalisation in February 1971. It went exceptionally well. There was no IT involvement. Things have been getting more complex and difficult to do ever since.
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Date: 2021-12-17 11:30 am (UTC)(I'm 51 years old, turning 52 in February. Clearly I'm even more Gen X, the bridge generation, than I'd thought previously!)
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Date: 2021-12-17 11:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-12-17 12:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-12-17 12:48 pm (UTC)Boomer!
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Date: 2021-12-17 06:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-12-17 07:26 pm (UTC)You know me, right? I was born about 10 weeks before 1965 started. Do I look like a boomer?
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Date: 2021-12-17 08:29 pm (UTC)More seriously, I don't think the idea of generations is actually that useful, except for broad statements that you wouldn't some apply to individuals.
Less seriously, you're clearly a hippy ;-)
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Date: 2021-12-20 01:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-12-17 12:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-12-17 01:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-12-18 05:11 am (UTC)When I started working with computers (professionally) we were using punch cards.
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Date: 2021-12-17 01:59 pm (UTC)Still remember things like Gestetner and Roneo machines for printed reproductions.
OHPs were the next big thing!
I could have used a cane on the kids I taught, not that I ever dreamed of doing it.
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Date: 2021-12-17 03:02 pm (UTC)Corporal punishment was about until 86, but I am not aware of it happening in any of the schools I was in.
And OHPs were awesome!
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Date: 2021-12-17 10:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-12-19 08:17 am (UTC)Sets of accounts were typed up by the secretaries and then each was read over by a pair of juniors, one reading every word and number aloud to the other. They were then re-checked using a calculator.
Nobody does any of this nowadays! I believe juniors are more usefully employed, but accounts do tend to have more typos in them.
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Date: 2021-12-19 08:24 am (UTC)