atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information What do you miss?

I just went through some old files and I'm getting a little nostalgic. If we compiled a list of things/stuff that were part of the "Good Old Days" what would it include? I will start with something simple.

I miss Telecom Gear. It was such a simple source of pricing for used phone parts that it helped me price many add orders and repairs. It goes without saying that it included Mike Sandman's column. RIP Mike.

I agree with Telcom Gear and the Mart .the internet just doesn't
give the same choices Teleconnect was a great publication too.

how about Computer shopper ?

+1 for Teleconnect magazine.

I miss the work. Not the mindless work - the deep , thoughtful work. Wiring up steppers and crossbar, programming electronic systems in binary and hex, building out huge 1A2 plants with matrix ringing and multiple intercoms and then turning it on and having it all (mostly) work perfectly.

I miss the camaraderie among the guys I worked with.

I miss absent friends.

On a happier note, speaking of Teleconnect, I'm still (lightly) in touch with Harry Newton who was the editor of Teleconnect and all its' ancillary magazines. He sold out to a major conglomerate at the height of the market, made a boatload of money and gave it to a money manager to invest. The manager managed to turn a large fortune into a small one and Harry took it back and has done fairly well. He publishes a blog titled "in search of the perfect investment". It's thoughtful and well written and if you mess with the market it's well worth your while to read.


Sam

I miss the Sandman ads for the shop vac, where a little bubble pointed to the inlet and said "do no insert Penis".

I miss consistently clear-sounding phone calls.

Am I right in remembering some sweet spot in history when LD calls had all moved from analog carrier to fiber, TDMA business phone systems were the thing, and the LEC's still took care of the OSP?

I miss selling to prospective customers and having them say that's what I need. I miss them signing on the dotted line without having to consult with some IT jackass. I miss being able to make money in this business!

-Hal

I miss all of the above but mostly miss the days when a client would call for advice and would take it, whether to do or not to do something. Our word used to be cherished and taken as gospel, but not anymore...

On the flip side, I get a real kick when they come back to bail them out after NOT following my advice...

I knew Harry Newton's name would come up here. I always got a kick out of how his Teleconnect product reviews always gave better reports when manufacturers bought ad space! I also enjoyed how he messed with voice recognition software by having someone who didn't speak English as their first language do the testing!

I miss the pride in craftsmanship that I was taught to have. I try and pass that on but, with few exceptions, it is looked upon as, "no one does that anymore, it takes too long".

Craftsmanship takes a little extra time initially but saves so much labor after the implementation. Whether it is programming, wiring, or design.

Taking the time to do the work as neatly and with a minimum of complication is always good business sense.

While I think VoIP has brought some wonderful changes to the industry, it has also brought the acceptance of less than ideal work standards which, sadly, seems to be the popular culture of the IT industry right now.