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The first time I ever saw....

(79 Posts)
Daddima Sat 16-Nov-19 15:47:34

On a post on a Glasgow forum I saw a mention of University Cafe on Byres Road. This was where I saw my first microwave oven. On a holiday to Carnoustie ( 1968) for the Open I saw my first colour television ( Gary Player won it )

Where did you see your first ‘ whatever’?

Legs55 Sun 17-Nov-19 13:07:46

1st time I saw a tv(b&w) was at my Grandma's house in the late 1950s, it was always turned off at mealtimes. My parents didn't get one until 1964 & got colour tv after I left home in 1972hmm

My 1st office job in the early 1970s we still used NCR punch tape machines (I can still read binary codegrin) I didn't use a computer until 1986. The office I tempted in still used Telex, I didn't use a Fax machine until many years later, the company was Phillips who produced the 1st CDs although I did see my 1st one whilst working for themgrin

absthame Sun 17-Nov-19 12:50:31

Ps I should have said that the programming was done using a large pegboard rather like an old fashioned telephone switchboard

absthame Sun 17-Nov-19 12:44:49

Around 1960 or 61 as an apprentice I worked on an early computer controlled machine tool called a FlashCap.

A year later I carried out a project to replace an old fashioned Adema envelope addressing machine and came up with a solution that had no European installation and very few in the USA. It was invented by the ex-head of research for IBM. The machine consisted of an IBM golf ball typewriter controlled by a card or tape reader. The inventor was a Professor Wang. Wang computers became the largest producer of wordprocessors in the world and held that position until IBM launched the PC.

Craftycat Sun 17-Nov-19 12:40:41

I saw my first mobile phone at work. I was an Estate Agent & management bought us all one for our safety - it wasn't long after Suzi Lamplugh went missing.
The phone was huge & heavy & I don't think I ever used it. I guess if we were in a nasty situation we could have used it as a formidable weapon.
Nice thought on part of management but totally impractical.

FC61 Sun 17-Nov-19 12:15:23

The first thing I saw on a colour TV was Neil Armstrong Lansing on the moon. My father bought the TV especially for that and Invited everyone who lived in our road came to watch. I remember seeing the US flag colours which was exciting but apart from that being the moon in space it was pretty black and white lol! My friends would visit and we’d watch the girl on the colour test card quite a bit but there weren’t too many programs in colour to start with !

chrissyh Sun 17-Nov-19 12:08:15

On holiday in Florida with our children, we went 10-pin bowling. Not paper and pencil to write down the score but fully automated. We spent the first half an hour working out how to use it. Was quite a few years before scoring became automated over here.

arosebyanyothername Sun 17-Nov-19 12:04:22

1973 I think. Saw my first punk! Very striking?
Don’t think anything would shock me these days though!

MissAdventure Sun 17-Nov-19 11:53:38

I saw a manatee, 'in person' in around 1980. smile

I was visiting a Spanish zoo, and standing on a bridge when it swam up and popped it's top half out of the water as if to say hello.

It was the first, and no doubt last time i'll ever see one in the flesh, and it was absolutely beautiful.

Allie2 Sun 17-Nov-19 11:30:39

I saw my first Polaroid instant camera at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto, Ontario Canada. It was in the early 70’s. we got our picture taken and they gave us the photo to keep for free.

Hattiehelga Sun 17-Nov-19 11:29:12

A solitary banana which my Mum had managed to get after the end of WW2. I will never forget her proudly showing it to me in all its glory in the kitchen dresser. Needless to say, it was for me to eat.

Callistemon Sun 17-Nov-19 11:09:30

The first computer I saw filled a room too, gmarie back in the mid 1960s.

shysal Sun 17-Nov-19 10:58:07

Saw a Trimphone at the Ideal Home Exhibition and had to order one of the first to be released. They are still collectable apparently.

My first up-close view of a mobile phone was when DD gave me a present of a Swatch version, only the size of a small brick! I loved it, wish I had kept it to show the GCs.

Nanny41 Sun 17-Nov-19 10:52:27

I can remember the first tea bag we saw when on Holiday in Norway in 1964, we were not sure what to do with it,it came in a little "envelope"!
First time using a Duvet was on the same holiday, what a laugh that was being introduced to such luxuries.

Graygirl Sun 17-Nov-19 10:44:25

Microwave in Hong Kong 1977/78.

sarahellenwhitney Sun 17-Nov-19 10:36:44

On a self catering holiday in Wales was a fridge-freezer.
First step on arriving home was to visit Comet who delivered our very first Fr/Fr two days later.

Moth62 Sun 17-Nov-19 10:23:00

My dad bought a kit in about 1970 to make his own Sinclair calculator. Cost £30! I first saw a microwave in our local chippy heating up cartons of mushy peas and I thought it was magic! My brother bought us an automatic washer for Christmas in 1985 to replace single tub and mangle (!) and my husband and me sat and watched it go round!

nettyandmasey Sun 17-Nov-19 10:15:34

I remenever seeing my first colour tv, it was a friend of my dads. The Polar Bears were yellow. Also first automatic washing machine, 1979 mum and I stood watching it go round!

sodapop Sun 17-Nov-19 09:44:51

I brought a 'comforter' back from America, much the same thing as a duvet. I remember being quite concerned about microwave ovens when they first came out and if the rays would be harmful.

inishowen Sun 17-Nov-19 09:40:13

I saw my first colour TV in 1976. We had gone to a house to buy a second hand cooker. They had a colour TV and I was mesmerised!

4allweknow Sun 17-Nov-19 09:37:17

First London tube train in 1970. Could not believe they had drivers as to me the speed was so fast it would be impossible for a human to control. Don't know how I did think they were driven!

Paperbackwriter Sun 17-Nov-19 09:36:33

My husband was away in Japan in about 1979 working on a rock music production. He came home with this weird new portable music player for playing tapes on - a Sony Walkman.

Urmstongran Sun 17-Nov-19 09:35:17

I saw a green pepper for the first time in a ‘domestic science’ lesson in 1966.

Riggie Sun 17-Nov-19 09:33:13

First colour tv in a home on 21 july 1969.

The day after the moon landings, I went with a friend to her grandfathers house to see what it looked like on his colour TV.

Flossieturner Sun 17-Nov-19 09:31:05

I saw my first car on June 10th 1952, when it almost knocked me down. It was my brother birthday and we were playing with his new ball. We always played on the pavement and the road and I never seen a car there before.

olliebeak Sun 17-Nov-19 09:27:21

I saw my colour TV as a teenager in 1966. It was in somebody's house as I was passing with a group of my friends. The people had their curtains open and we could all see in very clearly, so the group of us stood outside for about 10 mins just staring at the screen. After that, we always had a quick peep whenever we passed that particular house.