The abacus and other old technologies

[count_zero]

Below is a link to an article on why China still uses "outdated" technology such as fax machines and Internet Explorer 6.

http://motherboard.v...t-explorer-6--2

This reminded me of visiting the post office in China and the cashier using an abacus to calculate change. I also remember seeing Chinese kids in school learning abacus techniques. Surely this is the most extreme example of using old technology when there are other options available!

Here in Beijing I've not seen the old Chinese abacus for a few years however, so perhaps they've finally gone the way of the VCD.

On Twitter today someone posted a link to an old photo of a traditional wandering knife sharpeners. You still see these guys today though I daresay their days are numbered.

http://www.wdl.org/en/item/2045/zoom/#group=1&page=1&zoom=0.33638218753213855&centerX=0.23330676789928384&centerY=0.8006242513943491

And below is a pictorial round-up of some disappearing Chinese trades. You'll probably recognise a few and the equipment they use.

Anyone still see abacuses being used? Or other old-timey paraphernalia?

[Meng Lelan]

Anyone still see abacuses being used?

Yes, here in the US for math instruction for those who are blind, especially the deaf-blind as they can't hear talking calculators.

[abcdefg]

I see the abacus in use a couple times a week in small shops here in Kunming.

Places that deal with foreigners are more likely to use a small calculator so they can show the amount of the purchase to someone who doesn't speak Chinese.

[Guest realmayo]

Interesting article. I've been reading a book called The Shock of the Old: Technology in Global History Since 1900 which sets out to show that our idea of where we are technologically is often unrealistic: basically, we over-focus on those technologies which are new and exciting but don't really play a big role in our lives, while we forget that much older technologies are often the most important in reality.

So: despite supersonic flight, the old-fashioned ship is the most important form of transport for trade.

Or: despite Panzers etc, the Germans took over half a million horses to fight the Russians. More horses were used in warfare in WW2 than in any previous wars (if I remember right).

[Lugubert]

Places that deal with foreigners are more likely to use a small calculator so they can show the amount of the purchase to someone who doesn't speak Chinese.

Small calculators, but often rather large displays, for which old fogies like myself are grateful.

I find it even more interesting that people so often illustrate numbers using finger language, even to fellow Chinese speakers. Perhaps I've noticed this when there are dialectal differences that I can't identify.

[count_zero]

Seems like yet another China contradiction. They don't like second-hand cars or mobile phones that are more than six months old but are happy to use an abacus!

[drencrom]

Yeah, I think the people buying new phones (rich) are different from those using abacuses (poor). Not much of a contradiction there.

[count_zero]

You think the reason some Chinese still use abacuses is because they can't afford a calculator?

[li3wei1]

They may be using an abacus, but it's the latest model abacus .

[count_zero]

There is, almost certainly, an app for that!

[WestTexas]

The whole IE thing annoys the hell out of me. I hate having to use IE to do anything. Then of course when I do it asks me to update because I never use it.

After reading the article:

What a waste of time. I only read the article to get some insight on why Chinese so persistently use IE 6 and all it said was that they still do.