I’m sure I’ve posted some of these photographs on Flashbak before; after a while I lose track of what I have and haven’t posted. Regardless, these images are worthy of a second look. These are snapshots of the paleolithic era of the modern office – full of electronic dinosaurs, dwarfing the tiny office workers. I’m sure these massive whirring behemoths could now fit inside your back pocket; but back then, they were state of the art.
It’s interesting to note that the miniaturization of technology was largely unpredicted. Most imagined highly evolved computers such as H.A.L., but no one could have predicted that H.A.L. would one day fit in your purse. Those of you that never got to experience a room full of these electronic leviathans will never, perhaps, comprehend the change. It wasn’t just size, it was noise – these suckers were loud.
Now, I’m nowere near an expert on these old magnetic tape storage systems, and so I’m relying on some of you readers to point out what we’re looking at. I’d be very interested to know what some of this instrumentation was used for, and any other tidbits you could share.
For those of you not so much interested in the vintage tech, I think you’ll still enjoy the decor and overall “vibe” of these office spaces.
I can’t help but wonder at the cost of this equipment. Obviously, it was highly expensive and not common in most offices. I’m guessing my phone has more storage capacity than that big rig.
It’s no wonder the personal computer was so revolutionary. No need for a forklift or full time staff of caretakers; you suddenly had UNIVAC in your living room.
Any of you out there ever work with these big-ass magnetic tapes? It’s amazing to think that all that high tech gadgetry still had to have some chick threading it onto a spool.
A good quality scanner is still sort of big, bulky and expensive. I wonder why this area of the market hasn’t seen the drastic improvement as other areas such as networking, data storage, printing, etc.
Ah, the merging of the unwashed hippies with the starched shirt wearing businessmen. This was a potent combination that was to usher in the digital age.
THE END
Would you like to support Flashbak?
Please consider making a donation to our site. We don't want to rely on ads to bring you the best of visual culture. You can also support us by signing up to our Mailing List. And you can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For great art and culture delivered to your door, visit our shop.
