BS: A victory for the old ways

Subject: BS: A victory for the old ways
From: Cool Beans
Date: 18 Jan 05 - 03:02 PM

So I was at the doctor's and at the customary weigh-in they had me stand on an old-school scale, the kind with the sliding weights along a ruler-like bar, instead of the ususal scale with the digital readout.
"A triumph of the old technology over the new?" I inquired.
Indeed, yes, they said. Seems the digital scales weren't so accurate. Patients discovered they could weigh three pounds less by using the scale on the east side of the building insetad of the one on the west side. Or vice versa.
Anyway, after years of living with digital scales, the clinic found a little money in its budget and bought new old-fashioned scales.
Once again, John Henry beats the steam drill.

Now, if the public library would only junk those computerized catalogues that say your book is in when it's really at the library four towns over, and bring back the card catalogue.

Subject: RE: BS: A victory for the old ways
From: PoppaGator
Date: 18 Jan 05 - 03:11 PM

All the doctor's offices I've been in -- and I've seen a lot of doctors over the past year -- use the "old-fashioned" balance-beam scales. This is in the US, in New Orleans to be specific.

Drug dealers always use them, too, except that they're normally table-top units, not floor-standing medical-type scales including a device for measuring your height.

I always assumed that balance beam scales were unparalleled for accuracy.

Subject: RE: BS: A victory for the old ways
From: Bert
Date: 18 Jan 05 - 03:18 PM

Always ASK for the card file at the library, they often still have them hidden in a corner somewhere.

Subject: RE: BS: A victory for the old ways
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jan 05 - 05:09 PM

The card catalog may exist, but once a digital system goes in, updates are non-existent. It's too much work keeping the digital one up-to-date, let alone fooling with the cards and the typewriter. And even if a book was removed (discarded--ha!), the card won't have been. So if you're looking for something that is a modern classic of a certain age that will always be in print and on the shelf, then the card catalog will work for you!

Don't get me wrong, I adored the old card catalogs. But since no one is maintaining them, there isn't much point in trying to use them. You might as well try to use a 15-year-old phone bood, or order from a 20-year-old Sears catalog. See how far that gets you! Time marches on, and it's time to learn how to search online. They've tried to build in some of that functionality (browsing the cards). And when all else fails, go cruise the shelves and see what's there.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: A victory for the old ways
From: Bert
Date: 18 Jan 05 - 05:17 PM

Yeah, but the computer is so SLOW!

Subject: RE: BS: A victory for the old ways
From: frogprince
Date: 18 Jan 05 - 05:51 PM

The critical glitch in computerized library cataloging, in my experience, is that I've never found any book entered by any subject if the specific word you think of isn't in the title; if you're looking for music theory, and the title is "How to Compose Music", or "Basic Principles of Music",you're out of luck if you don't think of the exact alternate wording.

Subject: RE: BS: A victory for the old ways
From: Bert
Date: 18 Jan 05 - 05:53 PM

That's because programmers (on the whole) are stupid.

Subject: RE: BS: A victory for the old ways
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jan 05 - 06:00 PM

You need to switch to from the brief view to the larger view, if there is one available. Or you need to find the general subject heading for what interests you then simply go to that section of the library and look around. Even card catalogs were no substitute for that.

SRS