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GM7HUD > CARS 17.06.08 16:41l 38 Lines 2325 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 13968_GB7ESX
Read: GUEST
Subj: re: Were we talking about cars?
Path: DB0FHN<DB0FOR<DB0MRW<DK0WUE<I0TVL<ED1ZAC<GB7CIP<GB7ESX
Sent: 080617/1304z 13968@GB7ESX.#31.GBR.EU $:13968_GB7ESX [Witham, Esx]NNA V3.1
Interesting stuff Bob. Despite a fascination with "classic" cars I've never
seen a Model T up close enough to touch. They've always been roped off from
the viewers.
Anyway, you're the same age (+/- a bit) as my mother and so you'll have
witnessed a huge change in technology. From the introduction of broadcast
radio, then TV, to the advances in cars, manufacturing technology, household
gismos etc. What you tend to take for granted is not the advances in technology,
but the improvement in reliabilty. My XYL's car is in for its annual road
safety tests (MOT) and a service. She does about 7500miles a year around
town with few long journeys. What is impressive about her car is that I have
complete confidence that I can have it serviced and have no need to open
the bonnet for a year. Of course I do check it has oil and water etc on a
regular basis but unlike cars of not too far back, modern cars just keep
going. It's only just under 30 years since I was a student at University
and used to dread the arrival of Winter. I'd do no maintenance of my car
during the Summer when it was warm and always wait till a cold and damp
November morning to find that it was time to adjust and clean the points.
And I'd only do that because the damn thing wouldn't start!
Now you get in and turn the key and they start 1st time every time. And they
do that whether you've maintained them or not, and whether it's hot or cold.
Then there's tellys. We had a colour TV in 1969 for the start of regular colur
broadcasting in the UK. It lasted a year. Upto the early 80s tellys laster a
few years at best. Then all of a sudden they started lasting 10+ years. Part
of that was me no longer buying UK tellys but stuff from Sony and Panasonic.
But in general goods starting lasting a long time.
Then we started outsourcing production to China and in many cases we're back
to stuff lasting 10 minutes. My DTV set-top box lasted 13 months before a
chip in the SMPS blew up leaving 8 pins in the PCB and no chip. An identical
set-top box for the TV in the bedroom lasted 16 months before it did the
same last night at 3am! When they worked they were excellent. But what's the
point complaining they only last just past the warranty period when they
only cost 16ukp each. A pound a month isnt worth my time moaning!
73 de Andy GM7HUD
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