| 1 | %%oo |
| 2 | %% Most of these folders have a comment on what they're supposed to contain. Use them to figure out where your entry may fit. |
| 3 | %% |
| 4 | |
| 5 | Back to BoringButPractical. |
| 6 | ---- |
| 7 | [[index]] |
| 8 | * [[BoringButPractical/RealLifeMilitaryAndWarfare Military and Warfare]] |
| 9 | * [[BoringButPractical/RealLifeMiscellaneous Miscellaneous]] |
| 10 | [[/index]] |
| 11 | ---- |
| 12 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 13 | |
| 14 | %% For general technology, not limited to electronics or computers |
| 15 | !!Technology |
| 16 | [[folder:Traditional Data Storage]] |
| 17 | * Pencils and paper. Incredibly simple, lightweight and almost 100% reliable in all conditions as long as it's not wet. A lot cheaper than those i- and e- items, and much more secure; unlike a computer file, someone needs physical access to the document to read it. Even before there were reliable ballpoint pens, you could carry a cheap lead pencil in your pocket, get it wet, dry it out, drop it off a cliff, find it again, leave it in a drawer for ten years, and it would still write as well as the day it was made. |
| 18 | ** An anecdote about the space race says that while the Americans were spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to develop a high-tech pressurized pen that could write in Zero-G, the Russians simply shrugged their shoulders and said, "Meh, we have pencils."[[note]]In reality, the space pen was the private pet project of a pen manufacturer and received no government funding for R&D (he eventually sold the pens to the government, of course). Both sides used pencils at first, but then the Soviets switched to ''grease pencils'' (wax core, wrapped in paper, a bit like a hard crayon) on plastic slates, and the Americans switched to felt-tipped pens (i.e. markers), which do not rely on gravity but rather on pure capillary action (other pens also use capillary action, but also depend on gravity). Also, both sides eventually adopted the "space pen". Pencils were abandoned because loose graphite would float away and cause respiratory problems in the astronauts, not to mention cause problems with the ventilation systems; the graphite dust also presented a risk of interfering with electronics and electrical systems if it got into the wrong places.[[/note]] |
| 19 | * A codex, i.e. leafs of paper bound together. That is, a book. These thoroughly tromped scrolls which damaged the paper with curvature, were hard to navigate since they needed to be rolled, and couldn't have sections replaced or repaired. Although it may or may not be about to be replaced by e-readers, for the last few thousand years there has been no more economical and efficient means of containing information. |
| 20 | ** The comparison to e-readers is particularly appropriate... the book may not be electronic or have an internet connection, but it never runs out of batteries, doesn't have problems with funny formats or DRM, doesn't break when dropped, doesn't cost $200 to replace, and if your friend borrows a book, you can still read your other books. E-readers have a lot of advantages (and, indeed, many e-reader critics seem to gloss over how much space is required for, and how friggin' heavy even a dozen books can be--to say nothing of the fact that with an e-reader, you don't have to deal with the ContemptibleCover), but books definitely fit this trope. As far as space-efficiency is concerned, one way around this for books and articles in the public domain is printing double-sided 4-pages per side, which can be performed easily with home laser printers. If it's difficult to read, then a book magnifier helps here. The boring old binder makes it easy to hold all your articles and things in one volume. |
| 21 | *** E-readers are, in turn, this to electronic tablets. Unlike the latter, their function outside of reading is limited, but they are much less expensive, use less eye-damaging technologies for their screens, and they consume very little power, allowing for their batteries to last much longer. |
| 22 | ** Related: There was a tongue-in-cheek science fiction story (possibly by Isaac Asimov). In a distant future, all books and libraries have long disappeared being replaced by microfilms due to their better storage capacity. One character pointed out the shortcomings of microfilms such as the need for a relatively expensive high-tech equipment to read it, equipment that can broke and must be replace at a certain cost, etc; not to mention that you need a constant source of electrical power. Then someone came up with a brilliant idea: what if we take each frame of a certain microfilm, magnified it and print it on a sheet of white paper, let's call it a page; then we put each page on top of each other and bound them together then put some covers on it for protection... et voila! we (re)invented the book. |
| 23 | ** To quote Creator/CarlSagan: "For the price of a modest meal you can get ''the history of Rome''". |
| 24 | ** Or for the non-historically inclined, an introductory undergraduate book on a subject or field has an incredible amount of knowledge. For the price of a more expensive meal (students will generally be willing to give you some strong opinions on costs here!), you can get hundreds or even thousands of years of knowledge in a single book. |
| 25 | * Map and magnetic compass. Most of all, they do not need electricity nor special gadgets to use. |
| 26 | ** Map, magnetic compass, sextant, slide rule, Nautical Almanac and logarithmic tables will get you ''anywhere'' in the world. Without electricity or availability of satellite connections or telephone field. No bluewater sailor should ever leave the port without those six inexpensive items -- which may decide between death and survival when things [[GoneHorriblyWrong get really pear-shaped]]. |
| 27 | *** Add in a reasonably accurate timepiece so you can determine your longitude. The more accurate the better, but really, anything that's within a few minutes of being right is fine. Measure the angle between Polaris and the horizon in the Northern Hemisphere and by a similar method for the Southern Cross in the Southern Hemisphere and you know your latitude. |
| 28 | * For disaster communications, the humble AM/FM radio receiver. Cellular networks [[CellPhonesAreUseless often go down in an emergency]], whether due to loss of power or overloading. Amateur radio operators love to tout ham radio for disaster preparedness, but it requires a license. Simple AM/FM receivers are ubiquitous and can be bought very cheaply. You likely have one or even several of them around the house. Even though it's one-way, ordinary broadcast radio is a very effective way to disseminate news and information in an emergency. Even if local stations were knocked out, it would still be possible to pick up distant AM signals at night due to the skywave propagation effect. It's even possible to navigate using radio stations if you didn't have a compass. Pilots used to do just that before VOR navigation was introduced. This is why disaster preparedness instructions recommend a battery-powered radio in emergency kits. If you don't have a portable radio, you could use your car radio in a pinch if the power went out. It's also a dirt-cheap form of entertainment in normal circumstances and entertainment programming can keep up morale in a disaster. |
| 29 | ** Similarly, 2-way radios a.k.a. walkie-talkies allow for communication from up to a mile or two away, are very reliable in sending and receiving audio, and don't need a data connection to function thus allowing them to function even in a wide-area power outage, making them useful especially amongst security and emergency-response personnel even as the proliferation of smartphones and digital calling apps make analog radio look less and less cool. |
| 30 | ** In what refers to AM/FM radio, of note is that it's typical in dumbphones to have a FM radio -- simply plug in headphones for it to work. Smartphones and tablets carry the chip that allows them to receive FM transmissions, but it's often DummiedOut. |
| 31 | ** For decades the standard way in Germany to warn people about disasters (natural, industrial or "The Russians are coming") was sirens and advising people to turn on the radio with information on what happened and what to do. Then the Cold War ended and for some reason it was thought the only warning function of sirens was military, so ''a lot'' of them were dismantled. Instead, as "everyone is on the internet now", it was deemed more efficient to inform people via apps and rely on news media to get stuff across via TV and Internet. Then the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_European_floods 2021 floods]] happened and beside ''badly'' unprepared local and state governments a big part of the issue was that when the decision to warn the population ''was'' finally taken, the phone and internet networks in many places were already down and overloaded. People who had installed the correct app (not many did) might have gotten a push notification, but who'll read that at 2AM? A siren at 2AM? Yeah, that'll get you up and turning on whichever available information / asking the neighbors what's going on. Another Boring But Practical technology Germany thought it could do without was so called "Cell Broadcasting" which is a cell phone tower delivering the same message to all phones in range -- regardless of whether they are a roaming phone of a different provider, whether they have credit left and even whether they have a SIM card active. Cell Broadcasting needs a lot less bandwidth than mobile data based apps and it can be targeted pretty precisely to where it is needed (a big problem with apps is [[CryingWolf overwarning]] for events that are a few hundred kilometers over). Of course as this is Germany and Germans like to complain, the media and the populace tore into the governments who had taken those decisions over the last couple of years. |
| 32 | [[/folder]] |
| 33 | |
| 34 | [[folder:Hardware]] |
| 35 | * Good old tactile keyboards over cooler, [[TheAestheticsOfTechnology more "advanced"]] touch screen keyboards. Why? Because you can navigate a tactile keyboard solely by feel while keeping an eye on the display. Touch screens are, well, flat and more time goes into looking at finger placement than would on a tactile keyboard. In fact, some mechanical keyboards built over 20 years ago, particularly the venerable IBM Model M (which is still manufactured to this day by [[https://www.pckeyboard.com/ Unicomp]]), still work with modern equipment, and are favored by modern typists because they provide excellent tactile feedback, are impervious to water, and [[MadeOfIndestructium never break.]] Find one single other 20-year-old peripheral that still works without modification or adapters on your new computer. There have also been cases where people have still typed on tactile computers with damaged monitors. If the monitor of your touch screen is damaged, you're fucked. |
| 36 | * Mechanical keyboard users often swear by "brown" switches[[note]]the color itself has no bearing on the switch's properties, [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience the colors are mostly there for the sake of convention]][[/note]]. They are [[JackOfAllStats suitable for all types of use]], providing tactile feedback to let you know when you've pressed hard enough to trigger the switch, while being relatively quiet compared to their clicky counterparts and having just the right amount of operating force for most users. |
| 37 | * The mouse. Compare the speed and efficiency of the mouse versus trackballs, touchpads, joysticks, [=Wiimotes=], or touchscreens, and the mouse will win 100% of the time outside of specialized video games. The ability to stop on command, move it around freely, and have clear predictability make it the dominant form of pixel selection input for the foreseeable future. |
| 38 | ** Human-machine interaction studies often use a model called [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitts%27s_law Fitts' law]] to calculate how easy it is for a user to accurately move a pointer from one point to another in a straight line. Since the responsiveness varies from device to device, each one is associated with a certain coefficient, and the mouse generally comes surprisingly close to a person's bare hands [[http://www.yorku.ca/mack/hci1992.pdf as reported in this paper]] around page 34. |
| 39 | *** Fitts' Law has two implications for computer UI design. The first is that targets are proportionally easier to acquire as they increase in size. Remember that the mouse moves on a flat surface that's precisely mapped to the screen and unlike with a touchscreen, a mouse cursor cannot move past the screen's edge. {{Platform/MacOS}} was first to take advantage of this with their "mile-high" menu bar i.e. anchored to the top of the screen. If your mouse cursor can't leave the screen, your target's size in the X direction is effectively a mile high, and thus far easier to hit than a menu bar attached to a moveable window. Similarly, ever wondered why it's so easy to, say, close a full-screen application, or open the Start Menu, in Platform/MicrosoftWindows?[[note]]Post-XP, anyway -- as Joel Spolsky notes in his book ''User Interface Design for Programmers'', from [=Win95=] until then, these elements were placed a maddening few pixels from the edge.[[/note]] Four of the five easiest points to target on a screen are the four corners, where the effective target size is infinite in both X and Y dimensions. No accuracy needed, you just slam your mouse in the corner and click. |
| 40 | *** The other relation noted by Fitts is that the ability to acquire a target is inversely related to distance i.e. the closer it is, the easier it is to hit. Therefore, the fifth of the easiest points to acquire is ...the place your cursor is already sitting (distance = 0). This is the basis for context menus, such as those introduced with Windows 95. Even easier than dragging your mouse cursor away to a menu or toolbar. |
| 41 | *** Also worth noting is that most devices tend to be either absolute-positioning with precise coordinates across a limited physical range, like a touchscreen, drawing tablet or the right stick of a ''VideoGame/SteelBattalion'' controller, or relative-positioning with tracking changes from the last known position, like a trackball or flight stick that controls rate of change. The typical computer mouse blends the best of both worlds, with the lack of physical bounds that a relative-positioning device can offer, and the precision of an absolute-positioning device on a mousing surface of fixed size. |
| 42 | *** This is why the mouse is the FirstPersonShooter controller of choice: one never needs to worry about running past the edge on a sufficiently large mousing surface (just lift and recenter when completing your turn), while being able to make a quick snap-shot by flicking the mouse a set distance to bring the crosshairs to a certain point on the screen. (Also, your view in an FPS will spaz out if you try to control it with a true absolute positioning device like a drawing tablet in pen mode, because the game sees constant relative mouse movement away from center.) |
| 43 | ** Design-wise, the standard, "bland" computer mouse vs "gaming mouse", due to the "bland" mouse always being cheaper than a "gaming" mouse. |
| 44 | ** Brand-wise, Logitech and Microsoft. True that their cheaper models usually has a bland design, but they're quite durable for the price vs longevity count compared to other mouses from the budget that is usually a ShoddyKnockoffProduct. |
| 45 | ** A more specific example would be the wired mouse. Yes, wireless mice look a little cooler by default due to being wireless, but wired mice are much less prone to breaking (due to, of course, being wired), and eventually save on AA batteries over time. |
| 46 | *** The wired vs. wireless debate extends to other peripherals, such as headphones and computer networking, with many of the same advantages and disadvantages. |
| 47 | * In relation the above, keyboard shortcuts and mouse button commands. No touchscreen interface has yet come up with anything so quick and convenient for input. Many who mastered keyboard shortcuts can use them so well that they rarely have to use a mouse and type really fast, and right-clicking is just plain practical for many quick command options. Even moreso when it comes to copying/cutting and pasting large chunks of text, where the "hold down and (often fiddly) drag" input of the touchscreen is extremely slow and ponderous in comparison. |
| 48 | * While we're on it, boring old [=PCs=] over flashy tablets in general, for similar reasons. Marketing for certain tablets can go on and on about how it's the "post-PC" era, but their relative cheapness, mass producibility, and tactile input means that they'll likely stick around for a long time. Until the day comes that someone creates something that can replace the tactile input of a [=PC=], we really won't be in the post-PC era for awhile. |
| 49 | ** Don't forget computing power. Even a basic laptop will outperform a tablet, to say nothing of a high-end gaming desktop. |
| 50 | ** Plus, just ''try'' writing a term paper, essay or novel with a tablet sometime.[[note]]Granted, the current Constitution of UsefulNotes/{{Hungary}} was first drafted on an [=iPad=], but that's an exceptional circumstance: it was a lot of legislators passing the thing around during and between legislative sessions, so the tablet was probably the best device.[[/note]] Yes, you can buy a keyboard for your tablet, but at that point you just have a netbook that costs more and does less than a regular one. |
| 51 | *** It's also worth noting that all those "post-PC" devices ''still require [=PCs=] to program and compile the very software that they use.'' Until a typical smartphone or tablet allows its user to develop new applications from scratch and publish to the respective app store once complete, without the aid of any other computing devices, [=PCs=] will still exist, because you can't run [=Xcode=] on [=iOS=] (only [[Platform/AppleMacintosh macOS]]) and you can't run Android Studio on Android. |
| 52 | * Tablets, on the other hand, also can count as this. Sure, they do not have the gaming performance of [=PCs=], but they are much cheaper and still able to perform basic tasks, such as browsing the Internet or playing Youtube videos. Also, nowadays many PC applications, such as the Microsoft Office suite, have tablet-optimized versions that are much cheaper than the PC ones, or even completely free. And of course, they're stupendously portable and can be carried around in a messenger bag all day. Their smartphone cousins are also handy if you got some homework due later but you're on the move, like you're getting ready to work a job. The onscreen keypad can be operated surprisingly quickly and pairs well with the aforementioned Office suite. Likewise, if you plan to use it for very basic usage (Internet browsing, media consumption, etc) a low-end tablet will perform it almost as well as a high-end one, with the plus of being considerably cheaper. |
| 53 | * Any and all utilitarian IT standards. ASCII text, for instance, doesn't come with fonts, or nifty accents, but ''every Goddamn computer '''in the world''' can read it''. Dial-up internet access is slow and inconvenient, but everybody who has a phone can use it for low cost. |
| 54 | * Universal asynchronous receiver/transceivers (UART). Very slow by today's standards, but every freakin' computer system has one and can understand it. Messing with a microcontroller that for some reason doesn't? You can bit bang your own in software easily. And depending on your communication needs, it requires 2-3 wires at the minimum. |
| 55 | ** Serial communication in and of itself. It's boring to send everything one bit at a time. But when you consider that trying to send data in parallel signaling and timing issues that limit how fast you can push data out? Now it becomes practical. |
| 56 | ** For that matter, parallel port communication. Doesn't even need a voltage translator (it uses 5V) or a serial-to-parallel converter. Just connect straight to your microcontroller pins. |
| 57 | * For computer cooling, the heatsink and fan. |
| 58 | ** While liquid cooling looks awesome and phase-change cooling sounds like space-age exoticness that cools your processors to freezing temperatures easily, both are really expensive (relatively) and both have inherent problems with moisture (liquid for obvious reasons, phase-change will create condensation around exposed electronics). Liquid cooling can also potentially become contaminated if not maintained properly [[note]]Though normal air fans can obviously become contaminated with dust as well. If using sealed all-in-one units this should not be an issue for the lifespan of the system, if using custom cooling loops using a coolant from a reputable supplier and flushing the system as per the product's specifications will prevent this, but it's a lot more work to drain a system than blasting dust off with compressed air[[/note]]. And the only thing lowering a part's temperature buys you, if you're not hitting thermal thresholds, is lifespan [[note]]Normally the purpose of liquid cooling is to gain higher performance which usually requires elevated volatages and power levels which will degrade a chip faster, though running the chip at a cooler temperature under normal loads will extend the life. Electromigration is a large source of failure, and every 10C increase roughly doubles the effects.[[/note]] and possibly reduced noise, due to being able to run fans at lower speeds. |
| 59 | ** Most mainstream [=CPUs=] include a basic air cooler in the box. While not designed for performance and are often loud under load, they are more than adequate for keeping the CPU cool at stock speeds and are typically easier to install than most aftermarket coolers. |
| 60 | ** An air cooler, if properly maintained and as long as the heatpipes aren't compromised, can often outlast the entire system. |
| 61 | ** There's always the idea of aligning the fan intakes, and by extension the PC case, to receive cold air from an AC unit. Allows your desktop to receive cold air directly. Same for propping up a laptop using a laptop stand, and placing it in the pathway of cold air from a AC unit, especially if that stand has inbuilt fans to blow air over the laptop's air intake vents, and to blow away hot air from the outlet vents. |
| 62 | ** There's also using a standing fan, or a simple table fan aimed at the desktop or laptop too. And even more so, if the AC is turned on. |
| 63 | * In a lot of PC technology, it's better to go with the more boring midrange parts at best than going all in for high-end. Why? Various reasons: |
| 64 | ** Everyday use programs are already optimized as best they can to run reasonably well on a wide variety of systems. For example, Windows can run on ''tablets'' with almost no tweaking as of 2014, which was something unthinkable without serious sacrifices several years prior. |
| 65 | ** For networking, the fastest speeds are usually not standard equipment for years after its introduction. That means that if you want the fastest network possible, you're going to have to buy peripherals and equipment to take advantage of it. Case in point: Gigabit Ethernet has been a consumer standard since the early [=2000s=] to 2018, even though 10-Gigabit Ethernet and even faster standards like Fibre Channel have existed in the enterprise in that timespan. The main reason the faster standards haven't trickled down isn't just the expense for the [=NICs=], but the cables spanning the entire network. |
| 66 | ** High performance requires ''many'' high performing components, even if you have some slight leeway depending on your use case [[note]]A CPU with a lot of cores is good for processing data, but for games you would usually want a CPU with fewer cores but higher clock speeds on those cores - a top of the line processor can actually be worse for games than products lower in the stack since many games can't make use of that number crunching capacity and only want a few threads running as fast as possible[[/note]]. A powerful graphics card is an expensive paperweight if you have a low power CPU which can't feed it instructions fast enough. A powerful CPU will need fast memory to a point to ensure the CPU can retrieve data fast enough to avoid waiting around doing nothing. You need more powerful cooling and a power supply which can provide the required output. You need more expensive motherboards which can support the higher end components. And so on. Not only do the costs of the individual components go up rapidly [[note]]For reference, the Geforce 40 series had a launch MSRP as follows: 4060 - $299, 4070 - $599, 4080 - $1199, 4090 - $1599[[/note]] but so do the costs of the other components needed. |
| 67 | ** Ultimately, the price-to-performance ratio diminishes rapidly, and various factors beyond your control can kill performance. |
| 68 | ** Even if you are a gamer, most games will run just fine with a moderate-performance PC. You might have to tone back some of the more outstanding visual effects, but they aren't absolutely necessary to enjoy most games, and there is more to a game than just its looks. |
| 69 | ** The APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) or going by the Intel jargon, Intel HD Graphics. Sure it won't really play an AAA game with breathtaking visual effects and top framerate, but playability and performance-wise, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ms-A2dfY-Mg they're starting to]][[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkI_xh8oBWU catch up.]] |
| 70 | *** Alternatively, a console. Possibly (before the UsefulNotes/DigitalDistribution era where lots of physical games require updates to be able to run if any physical release exists at all) the biggest appeal of gaming consoles is the ability to plug one in and immediately start playing games with zero setup beyond that. Your graphics or framerates won't be as good as a high-end or even midrange PC, but evidently consumers are fine with this compromise. |
| 71 | ** A boring, opaque PC case. Most "gamer" PC cases allow you to show off internal parts through tempered glass window panels, but flashy lights and tempered glass panels are not for everyone. The solid side panel in an opaque PC case lacks the transparency of windowed panels like the glass panels, but also negates the risks of having shattered glass pieces, in favor of structural durability. |
| 72 | * Integrated (aka on-board) graphics. While demanding tasks such as playing the latest triple-A games, 3D modeling, and video editing all but require a discrete graphics card, integrated graphics are more than adequate for everyday usage, such as web browsing, streaming videos, and running most productivity programs (e.g., word processing, spreadsheets, accounting, etc). As their name implies, integrated graphics do not have additional power draw or put out excessive heat, which is partcularly helpful for laptops and small form factor desktops. For PC gamers on a budget, integrated graphics, particularly on AMD's [=APUs=], have evolved enough where they can play older or less demanding games at least 30 FPS, although graphical details may have to be turned down in certain games. |
| 73 | ** On this note, current entry-level graphics cards are a nice middle ground. As technology advanced, their capabilities and miniaturization did so as well. Many entry-level graphics cards can be powered from the [=PCIe=] slot itself. Low-profile models are common too, so small office computers can also be retrofitted. Bear in mind that an entry-level graphics card should be using high-speed ''graphics'' memory chips (ex., [=GDDR5=]) and not slower ''system'' memory chips (ex., [=DDR4=]) in order to get the best performance, as Gamers Nexus [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CazEXejPCU demonstrates for the Nvidia GT 1030]]. |
| 74 | * As with midrange computing hardware, midrange A/V equipment is a better bet than the latest high-end equipment, simply because there's a lot more content for hardware that's been around for a while. There are still ''way'' more movies on UsefulNotes/{{DVD}} than there are on UsefulNotes/BluRay and even on Creator/{{Netflix}}[[note]]Some of this is due to some movies being out of print, and many TV shows made in SD are still DVD only. [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SD_Blu-ray While some SD shows are on Blu-Ray]] (with superior quality to DVD), DVD drives are still more common in computers than Blu-Ray drives.[[/note]]. DVD may not boast HD video and better audio but you can find an abundance of movies at thrift stores and big box retailers making it easy to build a collection. Unlike streaming, DVD works even in the event that internet is spotty or nonexistent.\ |
| 75 | \ |
| 76 | There's also more HD content designed for 1080p and 720p than for 4K. Indeed, most HD broadcasts are still only 720p due to limited bandwidth and [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATSC_standards ATSC 1.0]] standards (first written ''in 1996'') not supporting 1080p[[note]]While ATSC 1.0 supports 1080i and even 1080p (limited to 30fps with 24fps available), these 1080 line standards are rarely used. Only recently in 2020 did [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATSC_3.0 ATSC 3.0]] standards start broadcasting in the United States, with a decentralized transition effort and broadcasters required to keep the 1.0 signals alongside the new 3.0 ones for the time being[[/note]]. For the longest time, there were still more standard definition than HD sets out there as well. The advantage of buying mid-range equipment is that the early-adopter bugs have been ironed out and format wars resolved. |
| 77 | * A simple can of compressed air can work wonders for a slow PC. Computers will throttle the processor if they get too hot. Laptops, with their cramped spaces, are especially susceptible. Blowing the dust bunnies out of the fan intake and heatsink will have the CPU running at full speed again. |
| 78 | ** Alternatively, you can use a handheld vacuum cleaner to suck up those dust bunnies. |
| 79 | * Playing games on lower settings such as lower resolution, lower refresh rates, and adjusting the game's graphics settings to be lower may not make the game look amazing, but most games today still look good even on the lower to mid-range of visual fidelity, and is beneficial in several ways: |
| 80 | ** Getting your game to look great and running it at high frame rates will have your energy bill increase due to the computer needing more power to process the advanced graphics and higher frame rates. Playing games on a lower setting will use less power, thus saving you money on the electric bill. |
| 81 | ** The cost of having a more powerful PC comes in the form of more heat being produced. Unless you use water cooling to keep your component's temperatures low (which itself is an expensive start-up cost and has its own risks), the heat has to go ''somewhere'' and that somewhere is in the room the PC sits in. In the winter, this is a non-issue since you want the room to be warm when it's cold outside, but on a hot summer day, the last thing you want to do is making the room even hotter and run the risk of your components overheating and throttling back to prevent damage. By lowering your settings on the PC and/or the game you're playing, your PC will produce less heat and thus make your room not as warm. |
| 82 | * Dumb phones, in particular, the flip phone: |
| 83 | ** They may not look as flashy and high-tech as the last-generation smartphone and their best feature may be a crappy VGA camera, but dumb phones are often very inexpensive and don't require a costly data plan. With fewer features, a dumb phone is much more simple to operate, a big consideration for less technologically-minded people like senior citizens. Even some tech-savvy people ''deliberately'' choose to use a dumb phone instead of a smartphone to be free from distractions (e.g., Website/{{Facebook}}, Website/{{Twitter}}, e-mail, etc); many parenting experts also cite the same reason, as well as cost, [[https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Family/kid-flip-phone-smartphone-2018/story?id=58997293 for giving children a dumb phone as their first phone rather than a smartphone]]. |
| 84 | ** For flip phones specifically, the folding design makes them much more compact and easier to carry in your pocket than many smartphones. The folding design also prevents accidental "pocket dialing". The only real AchillesHeel of a flip phone is the hinge. |
| 85 | ** And, of course, there's the issue of battery life. If you don't use it that much (and there's not much to do on a dumb phone), you can keep a dumb phone charged for days (and up to two weeks for some of them) plus the bonus if they use a standard micro USB for charge of being able to be charged wherever there's a USB port as long as you've the cable. Most smartphones won't make it through a day of normal use. |
| 86 | ** Dumb phones are often [[MadeOfIndestructium more robust]] than a smartphone. If the main screen gets damaged on a dumb phone, it can still be used to a limited extent with a tactile keypad; if the screen breaks on a smartphone, it becomes unusable since the screen is its main interface. |
| 87 | ** Speaking of smartphones, mid-ranged smartphones are this to high-end, as most can do the job you need for a smartphone just fine, with good enough camera quality, enough RAM and storage and most people, outside tech-savy ones, wouldn't see much difference in screen quality. |
| 88 | * The vibrate option on cellphones. Sure, it doesn't let you show off your personalized ringtone [[SarcasmMode that everyone is dying to hear]], but it's very useful in noisy environments and, in places that demand reduced noise levels such as libraries and inside smaller stores, it'll notify you of a call or new message without pissing off everybody around you. Not only that, but if you put the cellphone on the right surface, it can be suitably loud enough to get your attention. And you can stage cell phone races with your friends! |
| 89 | * Plastic construction for portable devices seems like this compared to the metal-and-glass builds on high-end devices, particularly smartphones. This goes double for the digitizer surface on a touchscreen, since plastic scratches more easily than glass. However, plastic has the perk of being ''shatter-proof'' when dropped, whereas your typical glass-sandwich smartphone is likely to be spiderwebbed on both sides and in need of expensive repairs. Also, with the advent of tempered glass screen protectors, scratch protection need not be sacrificed, offering the best of both worlds. |
| 90 | * The humble [=3.5mm TRS/TRRS=] headphone jack, used for decades until the [=iPhone 7=] suddenly made it trendy to abandon it. Wired headphones do not require charging, have better audio quality where even the best Bluetooth audio codecs are lossy by nature, and because it's a separate jack, one can still use the main USB port for charging and/or data transfers. It's also a far more durable port than USB-C and Lightning, while not requiring a specific rotation. Best of all, it's such an established standard that finding replacement headphones is trivial, and said headphones will work on nearly every device you can think of, with adapters if necessary. Try that with USB-C headphones, where even the adapter dongles don't consistently work between smartphone models! |
| 91 | * Wired Internet connections, at least for devices with Ethernet ports. They may not have the convenience of being usable anywhere within proximity of the router, but they are far more secure without needing passwords at all, and are far more stable, making them much better suited for streaming and online gaming[[note]]A lot of FightingGame players in particular ''loathe'' those who play on wifi connections rather than a wired connection[[/note]]. Also, since Ethernet is decades old, you can often network much older computers with newer ones for file transfer purposes through Ethernet, as it's often the only interface they have in common with modern systems. |
| 92 | * External storage devices (USB sticks, SD cards, and hard drives (or an SSD) in general). Cloud storage is handy, but they hardly give enough storage space unless you're willing to pay for more storage and the servers hosting the cloud could fail or be hacked. Cloud storage also requires an internet connection, which can be extremely troublesome if your connection is bad or suddenly goes down when you need to download something important. External storage can be stored anywhere you want and storage devices rarely fail. Naturally, external storage devices do take up space in your home/office and you have to plug them in or power them on every time you want to access their data, but you'll have immediate access to them without needing anything additional. |
| 93 | * Sneakernet. Sure, an internet connection of a few GB per second sounds nice, but when large anounts of data are involved, nothing beats a plain old courier with a data drive. [[https://aws.amazon.com/snowball/ Or a truck]]. |
| 94 | * Resistive stylus-based touchscreens. While they can't support multiple touches at once[[note]]although, some Platform/NintendoDS and Platform/Nintendo3DS games can "detect" multiple touches, like ''VisualNovel/LastWindow'', but they rely on predicted hardware responses to 2 touches in specific spots[[/note]] and you can't use fingers effectively on them, they allow for a degree of precision that capacitive touchscreens don't have (useful for browsing mobile websites and certain video games like ''VideoGame/EtrianOdyssey'' and ''VideoGame/TraumaCenter''; try playing those on a capacitive finger-based screen), and don't require special styluses to operate; anything that's pointy but relatively blunt (so as not to scratch the screen) can be used to manipulate them. Sadly, these are going out of style, with the Platform/WiiU and the Platform/Nintendo3DS effectively serving as the last bastions of traditional stylus-based touchscreens.\ |
| 95 | \ |
| 96 | While some smart-devices do allow for stylus input without clunky rubber-tip styluses, they do require a very specific kind of proprietary smart stylus, such as the Apple Pencil for iPads and the Samsung Note's dedicated stylus. If you lose either of them, have fun shelling out cash for a new stylus! |
| 97 | [[/folder]] |
| 98 | |
| 99 | [[folder:Software]] |
| 100 | * Command line interfaces. Beloved by programmers and techie types, they can be a lifesaver when trying to do things designers of [=GUIs=] never intended. They also allow servers to run "headless," without a keyboard and monitor and accessed remotely. |
| 101 | * Microsoft [=PowerPoint=] and its clones allow for fancy presentations involving colorful backgrounds and exciting text effects and slide transitions. However, the best way to get your point across tends to be a simple, plain background with few (if any) text and transitional effects and tasteful use of images and clipart, rather than something out of a typical Website/MySpace page. Unfortunately, many students up to high school (and in many cases, even in university or even after schooling) don't get the hint... |
| 102 | * Application programming in general uses this trope. While you can make all sorts of obfuscated C or use fancy loops, recursion and stacked subs, the vast majority of work will be simple mathematical and string operations, basic SQL calls (>95% of which are simple select, update, insert, and delete statements), and for or while loops. In fact, going exotic or esoteric makes your code harder to read, harder to maintain, more prone to bugs, typically much slower, and more likely to fail in the next operating system upgrade. See [[http://thedailywtf.com/Articles/Programming-Sucks!-Or-At-Least,-It-Ought-To-.aspx this article]] on Website/TheDailyWTF. Attempting to pull those kinds of tricks is often a fireable offense in many software development shops. |
| 103 | * Utilitarian fonts like [[UsefulNotes/{{Fonts}} The Times typeface]]. |
| 104 | ** Courier and Courier New as well. They're clean, monospace (fixed-width) fonts used by many programmers and those who work with documents where positions of characters matter greatly. |
| 105 | ** Likewise, Helvetica, Arial, and Comic Sans. Stylish and easy to read. |
| 106 | ** A note about Comic Sans: it's popular with those starting out on comics and computers because it's interesting (Thanks Franchise/{{Batman}}!). [[ItsPopularNowItSucks It's hated because it's popular and seemingly obnoxious.]] But research suggests, and said research has been made more widely known by popular media, that Comic Sans is good for those with dyslexia. |
| 107 | ** Verdana is also a common and effective typeface for Net text. |
| 108 | ** This site uses Trebuchet (though newer devices are more likely to display Arial). |
| 109 | * [[Series/TheITCrowd "Have you tried turning it off and on again?"]] Sure, this might sound lazy, but [[HaveYouTriedRebooting rebooting]] fixes so many software issues. |
| 110 | * This was one of the original goals behind the design of Platform/{{UNIX}}. The use of data stored in flat ASCII files, simple algorithms and programs built from small components was a breath of fresh air for computer scientists and programmers in the '70s. VMS users laughed at [[ObviousBeta the incomplete features]] but Unix's simplicity made it very easy to port to new machines. In legacy environments, most programmers still prefer Unix-like systems because the development environment in Platform/MicrosoftWindows was comically baroque and while around the 7 era was getting better, still require numerous redistributables to be installed. |
| 111 | ** UNIX's security model is very simple, yet could protect against a wide range of vulnerabilities. Since everything about the computer is treated as a file in UNIX, you have three types of permissions: read, write, and execute (or search in directories). You also had three groups: the owner, the group the owner is in, and everyone else. All of this data can fit into 9-bits and can be represented by three numbers. The concept of the superuser or root user is also very robust. In Unix, users run as normal users and only certain users are allowed to escalate privilege by "going root", typically with the sudo command. Contrast this with Windows XP encouraging users to run as administrator all the time and no "sudo" for administrative tasks. This made XP about as secure as Swiss cheese. Windows effectively emulated sudo with UAC in Vista. |
| 112 | * Open-source software often isn't as pretty or as feature-filled as proprietary equivalents, but it generally does at least 90% of what you'd need to out of that sort of software, is at least reasonably lightweight, and is, of course, completely free. Oh, and there's pretty much always going to be at least one open-source program that runs on Windows, Mac, ''and'' Linux, for cross-platform productivity. And last but not least, the source code being available to the public means that [[DifficultButAwesome the more code-savvy]] can pinpoint exactly what's wrong with their software and either point the precise issue to the developer or even fix it themselves. |
| 113 | * While HollywoodHacking might make breaking computer security look incredibly complicated, one of the most reliable methods is the simple [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dictionary_attack dictionary attack]]. A dictionary attack simply means trying a list of words as a password. This works surprisingly well because a lot of people use weak passwords and [[ThePasswordIsAlwaysSwordfish use the same passwords everywhere]]. |
| 114 | ** An even more useful way to get someone's password is to ask them for it. Most hackers agree that social engineering attacks (where you [[BavarianFireDrill act like someone in authority]] and demand information or access) is one of the simplest and most reliable hacking techniques out there. |
| 115 | * Fortunately, computer security is also quite simple. The most important step many security experts recommend is keeping your software updated to close security holes. Yeah, your computer bugging you to update your apps and OS may be an [[CriticalAnnoyance annoyance]], but get around to it or you'll wish you had done it sooner. The other big thing they recommend is using good passwords and unique passwords to thwart dictionary attacks mentioned above. |
| 116 | * Do you really, ''really'' want to keep something on a computer safe? You could spend lots of time keeping everything up-to-date, run all sorts of firewalls and security software ... or you could simply unplug it from any networks. Even if someone could do near-magical, HollywoodHacking-level stuff, there's simply no way to hack an unconnected computer, short of physically going to it. In the IT world, this is known as "air-gapping", and is a lot more common than you might think. While there are attempts to "hack" an "air-gapped" system, this inevitably requires physical access to the system. |
| 117 | * A spreadsheet program, such as Microsoft Excel, Apple Numbers, or [=LibreOffice=] Calc. Wanna run a business? Manage a budget? Keep track of inventory? Payroll? Sales Leads? Expense Reports? Track trends over time? Math in general? Better get familiar with a spreadsheet. It is monotonous and damn near insanity inducing, but man, is it practical. It's still way better than trying to do all these calculations by hand. There's a reason that early {{Killer App}}s for computers were spreadsheets. There is even an entire career field dedicated to it (data entry specialists). |
| 118 | * [=LibreOffice=][[note]]and also Apache [=OpenOffice=], but that's been outdated since 2011[[/note]] in general is this. It lacks many of the bells and whistles of Microsoft Office, and you can run into issues using it in an environment where [=MS Office=] is used predominantly with scaling templates and getting another computer to use it, but it does everything that a normal user would need (especially a college student), has extensive support from a vibrant community of enthusiasts who do things like make their own templates and instructional videos, can save work into a format such as PDF easily, and, most importantly, has an auto-save feature that will save your work every few minutes, so if your computer crashes or updates before you have a chance to save your work, you don't have to start from scratch. And best of all, it's entirely free. |
| 119 | * Microsoft Paint. Sure, it's not as flashy or filled with useful tools like Photoshop and [=IrfanView=], but if you just need to save a picture you found online or want to do a simple drawing, nothing beats MS Paint. MS Paint has been on every iteration of the Windows OS since 1.0; just hit Windows+R, type in "mspaint", and go. |
| 120 | * [=Paint.NET=] is a good middleground for those who need more features than what MS Paint offers (e.g., layers, transparency, etc.) but don't want or need the complexity of Photoshop or GIMP. |
| 121 | * Plain text editors may not give you any options to really format text, but they are handy for simply taking notes, documenting something, or writing code. Microsoft Notepad is one of the most, ahem, ''[[{{Pun}} notable]]'' examples (similar to ''mspaint'', just hit Win+R and type in "notepad"), although other text editors exist to give you some extra tools to work with (syntax highlighting, customizable indents, changing letter case in bulk, etc.). In fact, there are a fair number of programmers who prefer to do their work from enhanced text editors rather than full-on integrated development environments, citing their greater flexibility and lower memory usage. |
| 122 | * While email has largely fallen by the wayside as a means to have long-distance textual conversations, mostly being relegated to workplace communication today while chat apps like Discord and text messaging are the preferred means of friendly chat today, email is still useful for casual conversation today since there are dozens of free email account providers out there (Google's Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, Microsoft's Hotmail, and so on), you don't need a dedicated device to use your email (You can use your own computer or phone, or go to the local library and use one of their computers if you don't have your own devices), and because email isn't centralized, if one email provider goes down the entire email platform doesn't grind to a halt. It's also perhaps one of the oldest forms of "cloud storage"; if you need to transfer files from one computer to another that you use, you can just email it to yourself. |
| 123 | * The humble .csv (comma separated value) file. It is a plain text file, with rows of data, and each [[ExactlyWhatItSaysontheTin value separated by a comma]]. Doesn't have fancy formatting, tabs, or other genuinely useful tools that an Excel file can have, but is loved by IT Admins and programmers everywhere for how easy it is to have a script read. In addition, there are a variety of programs specifically designed for editing .csv's, for those who don't like working with plaintext, and spreadsheet applications like Excel and [=OpenOffice=] Calc have .csv support. |
| 124 | ** On that note, using spreadsheets as a rudamentory database for storing information that an application will use later. An example is with games, where said spreadsheets may contain information about items, enemies, etc. A developer can tweak things by opening up a spreadsheet app, finding the value, updating it, and having the application reload it (which it may do every time it goes into a relevant zone). This contrasts with having to use some database tool and learning its nuances. |
| 125 | * The Linux kernel is generally this. It's not a flashy microkernel that has loads of super-cool features (unlike GNU Hurd, [=L4=], NT kernel and XNU), being a crufty good ol' monolithic kernel, nor the most secure kernel (unlike BSD). What makes up for that though is the ''sheer'' modularity Linux has, enabling it to be ported to countless architectures and configurations and it is still very secure. |
| 126 | * Similar to email, while SMS messaging is being challenged by apps like [=WhatsApp=], SMS will likely stick around for text messaging simply because everyone with a mobile phone has it, from basic flip phones to the latest smartphones. That said, this only applies if you're texting those within the same country, as international SMS can cost a considerable amount. |
| 127 | [[/folder]] |
| 128 | |
| 129 | [[folder:Miscellaneous -- Technology]] |
| 130 | * The Zippo cigarette lighter. An exceedingly simple design that succeeds largely because its simplicity means that it will rarely ever fail. As long as you have a handful of flints and maybe a replacement wick, it'll serve you for years. You can feed the Zippo its specially formulated fluid, camp stove fuel, gasoline, moonshine, practically anything, and it'll still burn. A Ronson might become unusable due to the head or threading of the fuel compartment stripping out; on a Zippo, you just pull out the inner body from the main case. There's a reason the brand has been sold, largely unchanged, since 1933. The company turned 90 years old in 2022 and has manufactured over 500 MILLION lighters, and every single one of them is guaranteed. [[BadassBoast "It works or we fix it for free"]] is a trademark of the company. |
| 131 | ** Zippo's creator was inspired by an exchange with an Australian soldier, who he noticed was using an IMCO (a very plain-looking lighter with a stamped metal casing) as opposed to a fancier Ronson. The soldier's response when asked why sums up the trope perfectly: "Because it works, mate." |
| 132 | * The BIC cristal is a very minimalistic, yet functional ballpoint pen. It is about as un-flashy at school as it gets, and yet because it is so simple and reliable, it is nothing short of the most sold pen ever, with over ''one hundred billion'' units produced. Its design barely changed at all since its inception in 1950, with the only differences being the ball's original steel being replaced by tungsten carbide and the addition of a hole in the cap to prevent choking. |
| 133 | * Laboratories might not be the most exciting places on the planet, no matter what WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory may tell you, but the [[TheLabRat people who work in them]] take care of the [[CopAndScientist scientific details that crack the case for those on the front lines]]. |
| 134 | * Speaking of laboratories, the invention of glass. It may be fragile and prone to shattering if heated or cooled too quickly (or dropped on the floor) but it conducts heat fairly well, refracts light, is easily cleaned, and cheap to replace. Oh, and it's transparent. A lot of work in science couldn't be done without it. On a more day-to-day level, it's nice being able to look out of windows and let sunlight in without causing a draft. |
| 135 | * Duct Tape. [[DuctTapeForEverything While what you can do with it is amazing]], in and of itself? Not that exciting, but cheap and widely available. Ironically, it's terrible on ducts, since it's not good at handling the rapid and repeated temperature changes. |
| 136 | * Masking tape isn't as [[MemeticBadass memetically badass]] as duct tape, but it has myriad applications, from holding smaller things together to mounting posters to labeling. It's easy to tear off pieces with just your hands too; you don't need scissors. |
| 137 | * Electric fans. Though not as powerful as air conditioners, they generally provide sufficient cooling, and keep air circulating, all at a lower operating cost and without the need for tedious construction; you can even get a small battery-operated or USB-powered fan for your desk or to wear around your neck. You also don't need all doors and windows closed for them to function properly. Fans can be supplemented with a misting device (usually a bottle of water with a mist sprayhead) if you need further cooling that doesn't involve an AC unit. |
| 138 | * Electric engines are so simple that they were invented before the light bulb. Their efficiency is well above 99% and many of them can run for ''decades'' without any needs for shutdown or repairs. The fact that nobody thinks much about them, yet everybody uses them just serves as further proof that they are this trope. |
| 139 | ** What's more, electric engines are versatile. Put a propeller on the shaft, you got a fan. Put a drill bit on the shaft, you have a drill. Put a grind wheel on the shaft, you get a grinder...etc |
| 140 | ** Electric engines can also have their shafts spun fast enough, to become generators. |
| 141 | * The greenhouse or in an even more reduced form just clear plastic spanned over the fields. It is nothing fancy, but it allows growing fruits and vegetables that would not grow as fast or at all in that climate without it. The Netherlands have managed to feed half of Europe based on plastic sheets and greenhouses, even though their tomatoes and cucumbers have the reputation [[MadeInCountryX of being nothing but water]] and tasting of precisely nothing. |
| 142 | * Drip irrigation is a system so simple yet genius, it's amazing it took so long to be invented. Unlike older types of irrigation, water is not sprayed on the plants from above but released close to the roots from beneath. This can reduce water consumption by up to 90% and greatly reduces problems such as soil salinity which is often a result of doing irrigation wrong. |
| 143 | * Chain Lifts on roller coasters. They are not as exciting as launches, however, they are much more reliable than launches. |
| 144 | ** In terms of launches, LSM launches are not as forceful or energy efficient as hydraulic or pneumatic launches, but they are also much more reliable and safe (hydraulic launch roller coasters tend to break down a lot, and pneumatic launch coaster Do’Dodonpa has caused spinal cord injuries). |
| 145 | * The Haber-Bosch process is a fairly basic chemical conversion that turns nitrogen from the atmosphere into a more reactive form. If that sounds boring, consider that it meant that chemical fertilizers could now be produced out of thin air, in unlimited quantities, from anywhere on earth, vastly improving crop yields and the life cycle of fields. Without this breakthrough, it would be literally impossible to feed the current population of earth. It's become so ubiquitous that half the nitrogen that composes your body right now probably came from a chemical plant running this process. |
| 146 | * Quartz watches. For a few dollars, you can get a watch that's water resistant, shock resistant, and is accurate to within 30 seconds per month. Mechanical watches, though considered more interesting by collectors, tend to gain or lose several seconds per ''day'' and are much more sensitive to shocks and temperature changes than quartz while being more expensive. To put it another way, a $10 Casio is probably more accurate than a several-thousand-dollar Rolex. |
| 147 | ** Digital LCD watches may sacrifice aesthetic for function, but they provide the time in an easy-to-read format and often come with a few useful functions such as a stopwatch, timer, and displaying the time in other time zones (if you have long-distance friends or business contacts, for example). Many LCD watches also have a light-up mode for checking the time in the dark, although some analog watches can also do the same with glow-in-the-dark hands. |
| 148 | ** A basic battery clock -- either on the wall, or a shelf. While smartphones can easily replace alarm clocks (though only if they are charged), and watches do the same job, clocks are still all over homes and workplaces. We still need to be wearing our watch to see the time, and most workplaces frown on overt smartphone use during work time. The clock on the wall persists because it's still the easiest way to see the time. |
| 149 | * Seven-segment displays. When compared to other types of displays, they look rather ugly and are sharply limited in what they can display, but they're very cheap to implement into an electronic device and are adequate for displaying numbers. |
| 150 | * In this day and age of biometrics and physical authentication, the password, or pass''phrase'' as they're called in more security-minded circles, remain the most effective way of safeguarding one's personal digital data. Biometrics can be rendered useless by bodily disfiguration, physical dongles render you likely SOL if you lose them, but a strong and easy-to-remember password stays in your mind once you've taken a little time to commit to it. A lengthy mnemonic with some symbols and numbers that only the user(s) can possibly remember is even better, ensuring that brute force is highly impractical. |
| 151 | * The refrigerator and freezer. Most are big, boxy creations that lack the "flash" of other, fancier kitchen gadgets. And unlike multi-purpose tools like a dishwasher or stove, they only do one thing--store food. But that one action has probably changed human history more than any other object in the kitchen besides cooking itself. Even in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, bulky "iceboxes" only kept food fresh for a few days at most, requiring near-constant purchases of meat, vegetables, and dairy products, to say nothing of actually buying the ice to keep the machine cool. Then refrigeration and freezing technology were perfected in the 1900s...and ''everything'' changed. Suddenly, "big box" supermarkets sprang up left and right, which choked out small markets (how many towns still have a greengrocer?) and changed suburban landscapes while helping raise the automobile to prominence; jobs like milk and ice delivery became obsolete, as people could keep their dairy foods fresher longer and no longer needed to buy ice in the first place; meat preservation was possible, which in turn led to a steep decline in foodborne illnesses; demands for produce boomed; new industries and frozen food producers became powerhouses (Ore-Ida, Birds-Eye, Mama Celeste, and more); women--traditionally the "homemakers" of this time period--were given more freedom, as making meals no longer required an entire day of shopping for, preparing, and serving food; food storage itself, including Tupperware (and its subsequent parties!), became an industry unto its own; and life, in general, was never the same, especially as people began to adapt their diets to the new rules. That big box humming in your kitchen probably isn't the most appealing thing in there, but few other appliances can truly say that they totally changed the course of human development. |
| 152 | ** And it just so happens that the best way to preserve organs, tissues, blood and pharmaceutical compounds for later use in medicine, is with refrigeration and freezing. AKA cryogenics and cryopreservation. From there, the humble big box humming away in the corner of a kitchen or hospital lab, just gained even more respect and acknowledgement in shaping human society, and saving lives. |
| 153 | * The UsefulNotes/CompactDisc doesn't have the visual flair of the vinyl record or the nostalgic kitsch of the cassette tape, but it's cheap to manufacture, small enough to easily store and transport, doesn't wear out from repeated playback, lacks surface noise, and can remain in good condition indefinitely with minimal effort (issues like playback-affecting scratches and disc rot are more often than not the result of easily avoidable mistakes). Additionally, although the merits of digital audio vs. analog have been debated for as long as digital audio has existed, a well mastered recording can still sound just as good (if not better) on CD as on vinyl or tape. It's for these reasons that CD sales, while very modest compared to vinyl, are still steady enough to ensure new releases on the format well after the rise of digital downloads and streaming (with the ClassicalMusic and {{jazz}} crowds being particular devotees thanks to those genres seeing the most benefits from the CD's advantages). |
| 154 | [[/folder]] |
| 155 | |
| 156 | %% For civilian vehicle and transportation-related items |
| 157 | !!Vehicles and Transportation |
| 158 | [[folder:Cars]] |
| 159 | * [[WhatAPieceOfJunk Regular, ordinary cars in general]]. They lack the ruggedness of an SUV or pickup or the power and sleekness of a sports car, but are more efficient with gasoline, are usually the cheapest new cars you can find, and they won't make your insurance rates sky rocket. Newer such cars also come with various safety features such as front and side airbags and proximity sensors that will raise your chances of avoiding or at least surviving an accident more than a sports car will, as most sports cars sacrifice safety features and other luxuries in order to achieve optimum performance. Most importantly, since they are the most common cars on the road, replacement parts can easily be bought new for lower prices and/or salvaged from junkyards compared to sports and luxury cars. |
| 160 | * Cars as a means of transport in general. We have machines that can fly through the air or zoom along rails at hundreds of miles an hour, but the simple car is still one of the most ubiquitous forms of transportation the world over. The reason is simple, it's cheap to build and maintain roads. |
| 161 | * On that note: Older cars amongst regular cars are generally cheaper and still have a good amount of efficiency, even if they have over 100,000 miles on the engine. They also have less modern features on them that can and ''will'' fail at some point, making repairs much simpler. (It's not uncommon for all those sensors on a modern car that detect failures with the powertrain and brake systems to fail in and of themselves!) All it really takes to maintain this car is a decent understanding of mechanics and keeping an eye on your car's fluids. Decent or extraordinary maintenance can turn these older cars into[[WhatAPieceOfJunk ...]] |
| 162 | ** Used cars may not have the newest features and looks, but they have already suffered the biggest depreciation and their weak and strong points are well-noted. The weak points are also more likely to have been fixed by prior owners. |
| 163 | * [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citroën_2CV The Citroën 2CV]], a small, unassuming car that eventually became France's answer to the Beetle, with over 3.8 million produced (not counting the numerous variants) between 1948 and 1990. This car is so versatile, it can drive almost anywhere. [[WhatAPieceOfJunk One 2CV]] drove all the way from Paris to ''Yokohoma''. |
| 164 | * The van. Ugly, ungainly and largish, but it can deliver both people and goods, and anything which can be laden manually, such as furniture, machinery, gear, luggage, packages and parcels, can be delivered with a van. You can use a van as a mobile storage, a minibus, a camper and sleep in one, and the fuel economy is not usually worse than that of an ordinary car. |
| 165 | * Minivans (or [=MPVs=], as where you called) once had that "soccer mom" stigma in America but became appreciated for having the passenger and cargo capacity of an SUV without the gas-guzzling property; granted, a minivan can't typically go off-road, but if you just need a vehicle for everyday purposes, that isn't necessary. This gains minivans a popular status in Asia and Europe where people use them as family vehicles. Their standard maximum engine power was increased thanks to fitting highly-tuned V6s into the smaller engine bays. Also, unlike with regular vehicles, their sliding doors can be very helpful in tight parking spaces, when the driver's door can't open easily, depending on how accessible the back is for the driver. The seats are often completely removable as well, letting you lower the weight when when extra seating isn't needed and increase storage space at the same time, and they can even be converted into a camper van with some creativity. |
| 166 | * Japanese kei cars are small, dismally underpowered and slow at first glance, but they are actually [[BiggerOnTheInside tall and roomy]], and they can handle better than most regular cars due to their narrow sizes. Mid-engined kei cars like [[FragileSpeedster Honda S660]] and [[JackOfAllStats Mitsubishi i]] deserve this mention. |
| 167 | * Much of the ex-Soviet, now Russian, automobile industry embodies this trope. Rough roads and climate conditions don't play well with modern vehicles that haven't been explicitly built to withstand them, and those that ''have'' are usually far too expensive for a land with a long history of chronic monetary scarcity. As a result, the typical Soviet/Russian car up until a few years ago relied on dated designs and uncomplicated, robust and cheap componentry, but paid the price with low performance, low efficiency and ghastly safety standards. Even the half-hearted attempts of the Soviet Age to implement the Western luxuries like automatic transmissions failed when repairs and maintenance would have been prohibitively expensive. This has slowly been changing, with many cities seeing more and more imported cars of recent design, but it's been a slow process -- the Lada Riva, based on the seventies-era Fiat 124, has only been discontinued sometime between 2010 and 2012. And if you go to places where the cold and warm seasons are rather classified as "lethally freezing" and "slightly survivable", you can bet you'll still be seeing a lot more Lada Nivas than Range Rovers. |
| 168 | * Small trackday cars like the Lotus Elise, Mazda Miata or Caterham 7. They may lack the babe magnet capabilities of sports and super cars, the sheer power numbers of muscle cars and the daily usability of both, but they can beat them on race tracks and winding roads. |
| 169 | * On that note, even the ordinary pick-up truck qualifies. While some you have your "crucks" and your "Oversized pickups for fashion and compensation", the majority of them are massed produced utility vehicles designed take a decent amount of cargo and one or two people and move them from one place to another. The basic design of the pick-up truck hasn't changed in over half a century. It's safer then many other vehicles in most types of common collisions because [[MemeticMutation Sir Isaac Newton is the deadliest SOB on the road]]. It's so damn utilitarian that if an ordinary pick-up truck is properly maintained and driven normally, you can even get more mileage and years of usage out of a good truck then a car and have average to better than average gas mileage. |
| 170 | ** Toyota pickups in particular have a reputation for being MadeOfIndestructium, which keeps resale values high even on models dating back to TheEighties. They even tend to compete surprisingly well with domestic Ford and Chevrolet pickup trucks down in the DeepSouth, where trucks are as common, if not moreso, than sedans and [=SUVs=]. |
| 171 | ** Compact or "quarter-ton" pickups - small, versatile trucks, usually with smaller engines for better fuel economy, not much larger (and sometimes ''smaller'') than most passenger cars and (at least in their early days) lacking a lot of "luxury" options. Examples include the Chevy S10, the original run of Ford Rangers, and the Mazda B-Series. Beloved by contractors, tradespeople, and anybody who wants an inexpensive daily driver that prioritizes cargo capacity over passenger space. New ones are mostly a thing of the past in the US (though it's quite common to see older ones still on the road), thanks to EPA regulations that [[EpicFail accidentally incentivized manufacturers to focus on larger, less-efficient trucks]] - though with the rise of hybrid and electric vehicles, come commentators are predicting a comeback. |
| 172 | * 90s body-on-frame [=SUVs=] also qualify. While new models might have stuff like GPS and leather seats, the old ones have the offroad and hauling capabilities of trucks while being able to carry more people. You also shouldn't forget that running ones can be bought for under $2500 or £1500. |
| 173 | ** The smaller [=SUVs=] from the late 90s and early 2000s are another example. They were derived from compact cars and typically seat five (driver + four passengers) about as comfortably as a large sedan does while having the cargo capacity of a minivan. They also have all the safety features and creature comforts contemporary cars had. [=4WD=]/[=AWD=] plus decent ground clearence and (relatively) high torque engines means they can go off-road, handle 5-6" of snow without flinching, and can tow a small trailor in a pinch (assuming a tow hook has been installed). |
| 174 | * Diesel engines fullfill this trope. While they might be less powerful and cool-sounding (and [[MightyGlacier much heavier]]) than gasoline ones, they are also more frugal with fuel and have more torque. [[InvincibleHero Audi]] used their diesel engines to beat the UsefulNotes/TwentyFourHoursOfLeMans. However, as became evident in TheNewTens, diesel engines have huge problems with particulate and nitrous oxide emissions that engineering seems incapable of fixing for an acceptable price, which hinders diesel adoption greatly in the United States with its strict emissions standards -- doubly so in California. On the other hand, Mazda didn't give up completely on compression-ignition and developed a diesel-style system for use with gasoline with their Skyactive system, which allowed them to close the gap between gasoline and diesel while also reducing emissions through a more efficent burn. |
| 175 | * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GL1T-JVpgQ The 2011 Mediocrity]] is an intentional exaggeration of this trope. |
| 176 | * This is Toyota through and through, not the best in any field, except probably reliability. |
| 177 | ** [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] for Lexus, which could, depending on your taste, be seen as Awesome and Practical or this trope for luxury brands. They're not as powerful or high-tech as say, Mercedes, Audi, or BMW, but they're comfy, built to last, and hold their value much better than most other luxury brands. |
| 178 | * The Ford Crown Victoria model of sedan isn't cutting-edge in style or modern luxuries, but they have a good history as a fleet vehicle, starting a strong economy for third-party replacement parts. If a one is bought from a Police/Taxi sale, there's a good chance that the vehicle had routine maintenance and may be able to take a second owner another 100,000 miles with timely trips to a mechanic. Your friends may not be amazed by your ride, but parking one of these at your residence may scare off trouble-makers who are familiar with the sight of the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor. The Crown Vic engine isn't powerful enough to impress sports car fans, but this is partly because the engine is designed to last a while rather than give thrilling acceleration from 0. |
| 179 | ** Its Panther platform stablemates, the Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car, offer more luxury features on the same V8, RWD, body-on-frame configuration as the Crown Vic and even share many of the same parts, making them almost equally maintainable for someone who would like a more upscale version. |
| 180 | * Simply driving smoothly with gentle applications of the accelerator and brake pedals and keeping your speed at the speed limit on the highway (when traffic conditions allow it) will get you solid fuel efficiency and make you a much safer driver to yourself, your passengers, and drivers around you. Your DrivesLikeCrazy friends may think you're boring to ride with, but others who ride with you will thank you for being a driver they can trust and ride comfortably with. Similarly, other drivers may give you the stink-eye for driving at what they consider to be a slow speed, but that's why multiple lanes on highways exist. |
| 181 | ** Cruise control. It will set your speed to a desired constant and use the most fuel efficient settings. You can save up to 3 liters per 100 km by simply using the cruise control when driving on highways. Usually, driving a constant 90 km/h speed is likely to be the optimum between fuel economy and time spent on driving. |
| 182 | * The jerry can (or jerrican). A simple fuel container at the surface, its simplicity betrays a sophisticated nature. It was designed to be operable without a pump, funnels, or a wrench (at least one of which was required by most of its predecessors), and the multiple handles mean that empty cans can be carried two in each hand by a single person, and full ones can be carried by two people at once. The 'X' mark you see on the side is not just for show; it reinforces the sides and allows the contents to expand without warping the container. It's one of the first German technologies adopted by the British in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII; the Allies often used jerrycans in place of their own fuel containers whenever they could acquire them. Even now, the jerry can design has been used in more civilian goods, like liquid detergent and gasoline cans. |
| 183 | * Motorcycles 500cc and below (We're looking at you, Piaggio Vespa scooters). Sure, they're not high speed powerhouses like the Suzuki Hayabusa or a badass bike like a Harley-Davidson in the 1200cc range, but they're light, can reach sufficiently fast highway speeds, are easier to handle (weight being part of it, not being twitchy being the other), and are insanely efficient (250cc bikes can routinely achieve 80MPG, 500cc bikes maintain a Prius worthy 55MPG). There's a reason why many motorcyclists suggest new riders to get something in that range. |
| 184 | ** In many South East Asia countries (especially [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff Indonesia]]), even smaller 110 cc and 125cc, both automatic and "semi-auto" variants are pretty much embodient of this trope, with it's affordability by majority of the populations, ease to operate and modify to suit many purposes, also rather convenient to drive on narrow and ''extremely'' crowded streets typical of South East Asia countries. |
| 185 | * [[DrivingStick Manual transmission]]. It lets you to choose the most efficient gear and reduce speed without braking simply by switching a smaller gear. It is easier to repair than automatic and less prone to malfunctions. Having a manual transmission can improve your fuel economy by more than 2 liters per 100 km compared to automatic. This efficiency becomes apparent especially when driving on winding small roads with lots of curves, such as mountains, as switching manually between gears without braking is far more fuel efficient than braking. In mastered hands, a manual transmission gives better control of acceleration and deceleration, as well as allows you to use engine braking, which can be incredibly useful on those situations. |
| 186 | * On the other hand, it can be argued that ''automatic'' transmissions are this trope in the United States, owing to their sheer ubiquity (you actually have to go out of your way to find a stick-shift for sale, and said cars are frequently ''more expensive'' because those cars are often high-performance models), much reduced cognitive load when driving, ''greater'' fuel efficiency than manual transmissions [[TechnologyMarchesOn as of the late 2010s]] (and even before then, the manual needed to be used with a fair amount of skill to beat out the automatic, and a lot of people can't do that), and most importantly, no fear of rolling back on hills (and possibly into another car behind you) or stalling the engine, especially in stop-and-go traffic where you may be rear-ended by an inattentive driver who thought you were going to move forward like everyone else driving a slushbox. |
| 187 | * The Ford Focus is frequently mocked by car enthusiasts for its dull design, relatively unimpressive specs, and the fact that its extremely high sales numbers have caused people to get sick of it by virtue of sheer overexposure. However, it has those sales numbers for a reason: It's a comfortable, efficent, cost-effective and reliable car. |
| 188 | * The Toyota Camry and Corolla, as well as the rival Honda Accord and Civic. All of them tend to be the epitome of the Mediocrity parody video mentioned above. In fact, millionaires who want to stay millionaires will very likely drive Hondas or Toyotas because they are so cost effective. |
| 189 | * Volvos before the Ford buyout were famed for being ugly, slow, and absolutely indestructible. |
| 190 | * While Germany's AwesomeButImpractical Maut (Toll) System took its toll in form of endless delays, scandals and empty political promises, Austria has the Picker...which is just a sticker. |
| 191 | * Racing cars have to be quick, but they also must be reliable ("To finish first, first you must finish"), so often races and championships are won by the less flashy, sometimes slower, but ultimately more simple, easy to use and best tested cars. Particularly noticeable in top level motorsports at the end of the 1960s. In Formula One the championship was twice won by the plain Brabham V8 -- less powerful and advanced than the Lotus Ford Cosworth, and less glamorous than the Ferrari or Eagle cars, but usually more likely to be around at the finish. At the Indianapolis 500 jet turbine cars had a brief vogue, and were very fast, but always broke down before they reached the finish. In the Canam sportscar series, where the rule book was very light and all kinds of innovations were tried, the races were dominated by the Mclaren cars -- essentially a big V8 engine attached to a well sorted-out chassis with few other tricks. |
| 192 | * Specification racing series like the UsefulNotes/IndyCar and Japan's Super Formula series don't get all the press that UsefulNotes/FormulaOne does and don't have all the flashy technology that allows the later to have superior cornering, but because the former two must follow strict specifications and suppliers with very little room for modification, the cars are considerably less costly to build and field, reliability is generally very high, the drivers are very evenly matched and have to use their talent to win without relying upon creative engineering to give a superior car. |
| 193 | ** The cars themself may be relatively boring-yet-practical, but the spectators generally get a very entertaining battle for which team has the best driver and crew. Also, despite the cars being relatively mundane in the world of open-wheel racing, Indycar driving is DifficultButAwesome because the driver has to be proficient at both road courses and oval-like tracks which demand different approaches to be successful on. Oval-like tracks look technically boring, yet for the drivers, the Indy 500 is a grueling race and winning this race carries a great amount of prestige. |
| 194 | ** Speaking of crew, the pit crew in any racing series isn't the most glamorous part of the race necessarily, but the driver isn't going to get very far without a team to change tires, refuel, adjust the downforce to correct handling problems (if applicable). The driver also needs their crew chief on radio to communicate vital information and change strategy accordingly. |
| 195 | * The basic Inline-4-cylinder engine option in cars was this for a long time. They weren't as potentially exciting as their contemporary V6 options but they were noticably better on fuel economy, and even performed surprisingly well in more up-market models where drivers still want good fuel efficiency. Technological advancements improved Inline-3 engines for those who wanted even better fuel economy and didn't need even the power of an I4. Also, regardless of era, an Inline-4 and below is very mechanic-friendly, with all the spark plugs often easily accessible on top of the engine, requiring no more than two camshafts to operate the valves, and with variable-valve-timing systems provinding an intergal method of allowing fuel economy at lower engine speeds and higher performace at higher revolutions. Inline-3 engines are even simpler, ligher in weight, and even more fuel efficient plus benefitted from similar technological enhancements as Inline-4 setups. |
| 196 | * Block and Oil pan heaters are rather simple in design and operation. You plug them into a socket, and they heat up the engine block and oil pan of a vehicle. Not fancy, but they help start up engines during cold weather, by helping the fuel and air mix combust properly during initial startup, by preventing fuel from condensing in the cylinders due to cold weather. And by liquifying the cold, congealed oil and even bringing it up to optimum viscosity quicker. This reduces wear and tear that the engine components experience, when the oil flow is sluggish in cold weather. |
| 197 | ** On that note, heated air inlets also help with initial startup and driving in cold weather, by heating up the engine faster and ensuring fuel combusts properly to reduce pollution, using waste heat from the exhaust pipe. |
| 198 | ** A common hack to introduce hot air to help initial start up, is with a hairdryer or heat gun aimed into the air inlet of an engine. Let the engine run with said hot air blowing tech for a spell, then remove it. The engine's freshly generated heat will take over from there. |
| 199 | ** Some companies even make heat exhangers for vehicle exhaust systems, that allow waste heat to heat up engine coolant, thus helping with bringing engines to optimum operating temperature faster. |
| 200 | ** As for heating up the vehicle compartment to defog the windows, and warm up the interior to ensure occupant comfort, one can simply place an small electric heater inside on the floor, and let it run for a while to heat up the air inside. |
| 201 | ** It's a common practice in temperate countries, to drain engine oil into a container after driving the car in winter, like when coming home from work at night. Then the oil is stored away inside the garage overnight, where it gets to stay warm and runny. Come morning, the oil is poured back into the engine, where it can start flowing as if it were a normal, warm sunny day, instead of being cold and needing heating up. If you wanna expedite the process of heating up, you can heat up the oil first before pouring it in, especially if the container is an automotive oil kettle that can be put over a heat source, like a candle. |
| 202 | [[/folder]] |
| 203 | |
| 204 | [[folder:Railway]] |
| 205 | * In the days when the CoolTrain was hauled by steam, the most common and useful steam locomotive was the 0-6-0 goods engine (think [[WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriends Donald and Douglas]]). The long boiler allowed the locomotive to build up a lot of steam and conserve it, so the locomotive would not need to be cold-started every time it needed to move. As all the wheels were driving wheels, the locomotive had a lot of tractive effort for its weight. It had more adhesion than the 0-4-0, but could go more places than the 0-8-0. The 0-6-0 was not fast, but it was a powerful little machine, and every country that used steam locomotives used the 0-6-0. Examples would be the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_South_Wales_Z19_class_locomotive New South Wales Z19]], the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prussian_G_3 Prussian G 3]], the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caledonian_Railway_812_Class Caledonian 812]], the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LMS_Fowler_Class_4F LMS Fowler 4F]], the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GWR_2301_Class GWR Dean Goods]], the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NER_1001_Class North Eastern 1001 class]], the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBR_C_Class North British C Class]], the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GCR_Class_9J Great Central Class 9J]] and the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USRA_0-6-0 USRA 0-6-0]]. The NSWGR Z19 class was [[LongRunner in service for almost a CENTURY]]. |
| 206 | * In North America another example is the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4-4-0 4-4-0]]. It wasn't as flashy or fast as later engines but it handled rough terrain well[[note]]0-4-0 and 0-6-0 designs were among the pioneers of US and Canadian steam locomotives, but the geography of North America soon demonstrated that pilot wheels were a necessity to avoid derailments[[/note]] and was very simple mechanically, making repairs easy. It is also (at least for Americans) the most recognizable design of steam locomotive. |
| 207 | * The Hungarian [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MÁV_Class_424 424 "Buffalo" class]] 4-8-0 engines served [[LongRunner from 1924 to 1984]]. The Buffaloes were popular because they were extremely simple engines, cheap to build, able to pull nearly any train, and very easy to repair or upgrade. They became the largest locomotive class in UsefulNotes/{{Hungary}}. The design was replicated for use in Yugoslavia, and fifteen of the engines were even sent to North Korea. Today, at least seven of the 500+ 424s have been confirmed to survive. |
| 208 | * The British [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LMS_Stanier_Class_5_4-6-0 Black Five]] served right up until the final days of steam in August 1968. Over 800 were built, for anything from top-link expresses to local pick-up goods trains, and 18 survive in preservation. |
| 209 | * The German [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DRG_Class_52 class 52]] "war locomotive". Its immediate predecessor, the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DRG_Class_50 class 50]], a comparatively lightweight 2-10-0, was introduced shortly before UsefulNotes/WorldWarII. During the war itself, the Reichsbahn required insane amounts of steam locomotives capable of pulling whatever trains on whatever (standard gauge) tracks and made of materials that didn't have to be imported. The class 50 was stripped and simplified so much that it was possible to build more than 3,000 locomotives in three years. When the 50 had been simplified to the max, it became the 52, an almost absolutely no-frills austerity locomotive of which more than 6,000 were built in less than three years—an average of about six a day. Originally, they were designed to operate no longer than five years. But their utter simplicity made them so robust that they would survive the next several decades in some places. Poland, for example, used unreconstructed 52s labeled [=Ty2=] and [=Ty42=] in regular services until the early 1990s and still has two operational [=Ty2=], and the Soviet Union still had hundreds of former 52s with only few modifications on stand-by as a strategical reserve in East Prussia when it was dissolved in 1992. Similarly the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Transportation_Corps_class_S160?scrlybrkr=1768fc03 USATC S160 2-8-0]] was widely used throughout Europe after the war |
| 210 | * Diesel shunting locomotives, or switch engines for American railfans. One of the best examples would be [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DRG_Kleinlokomotive_Class_II the Köf]][[note]]Technically, not all of them were Köfs, the exact naming depended on the engine and the drivetrain; also, the [[UsefulNotes/DeutscheBahn Deutsche Bundesbahn]] acquired a larger and more powerful Köf class in the 60s which has got almost nothing to do with these[[/note]]. One of the least remarkable German locomotives. It came up in the early 30s as a small shunter with an internal combustion engine (some had gasoline engines, most had diesels), and although easily ignored, they were a common sight on big and small yards and stations for decades. In fact, when the [[UsefulNotes/DeutscheBahn Bundesbahn]] began to phase them out in the '80s and '90s (the Deutsche Bahn AG put the last one out of service in 1999), there were plenty of buyers for these small, cheap, simple and reliable machines, and countless ones are operational still today. |
| 211 | ** The honorary mention goes to [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VR_Class_Dv12 VR series Dv 12]] which was [[LongRunner introduced to service in 1962]] and is assumed to remain in service until at least 2027. It is used both for shunting work and for main-line operation, both cargo and passengers. |
| 212 | * Diesel locomotives in general. They are rather plain looking, and do not have the charisma and romanticism of the steam engines nor the glamour and dashing speed of electric engines. But they are extremely versatile, mechanically reliable, economical to use, extremely durable and have extremely long service lives. The same engine can be used on shunting, hauling passenger trains and hauling freight trains. Moreover, they are independent of availablility of electricity, can be run on cheap fuels and easy to repair and overhaul. Some diesel locomotives may have up to seventy years' service lives, and fifty years in service is not uncommon. |
| 213 | ** A noteworthy example: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budd_Rail_Diesel_Car the Budd Rail Diesel Car]], or RDC. A self-propelled unit with a cab at each end, possibly a baggage and/or mail compartment, and basic un-reclining seats that you would find in an average city bus. No food service, no frills. 398 were built, and their cheap operating costs kept passenger service alive on routes throughout North America (and one in Australia) that would have been shut down otherwise. Many still survive; in Canada several have been rebuilt and continue in revenue service more than six decades after their introduction. |
| 214 | ** Similar to the above, the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FS_Class_ALn_668 ALn 668]] (''Automotrice Leggera a naft''a, Light Diesel motor car). After World War II, the Italian railways found that most of their fleet was destroyed or rapidly becoming too obsolete to operate, and needed, among other things, a light railcar that was reliable, cheap to buy and maintain, easy to operate, and modest performance, and FIAT not only managed to provide one with almost completely off-the-shelf technology, including a couple of repurposed ''truck engines'' (and it was two only because specifically requested, one would have sufficed), the resulting train was so good it was in continuous production in multiple variants from 1956 to ''1983'', and in Italy was only phased out in 2023. Also, it was considered reliable enough that FIAT used one, the ALN 668.1999, as a prototype for a number of new technologies, including ones adopted in the modern high-speed trains. |
| 215 | ** Railbuses. Basically railcars with one or two internal combustion engines and as many parts as possible that were originally designed for buses. Cheap to make, especially when ordered in larger numbers, cheap to maintain, lightweight and therefore cheap to operate and easy on the tracks. They may not look fancy, they may not be fast, they may not be that comfortable to ride with only two axles[[note]]that said, the Uerdinger railbuses made in the early to mid-50s were certainly way more comfortable than anything previously used on branch lines because they had padded seats [[SimpleYetAwesome that can be flipped over into both directions with a simple mechanism]][[/note]], they may only have one class[[note]]most of them were introduced in a time when European railroads had three classes, and they were third class only[[/note]], they may not be quiet unless you sit in a trailer, but nobody knows how many branch lines they have saved from closure. |
| 216 | *** In some places such as Ecuador, the term railbus was ''literal'' -- they were [[http://gondolaproject.com/2012/10/31/chiva-express-ecuadors-own-railbusbusrail/ buses put on flanged steel wheels]]. |
| 217 | ** All this said, steam locomotives are not without their advantages over their replacements. Maintenance is complex and time-consuming, but all you need to run them is water and a combustible fuel source. No need to produce or import diesel fuel, no electrical grid to maintain. During the Cold War, some European countries kept steam locomotive stockpiled in the event that a nuclear war rendered diesels and electrics non-functional. Some African countries, particularly apartheid-era South Africa and Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), maintained or even rebuilt steam locomotives long after neighbouring countries had retired them. Both had generous coal reserves but no oil of their own, and few countries were willing to sell it to them. |
| 218 | * A livery related one: The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad's [[https://www.american-rails.com/images/ACLFsDunn.jpg black and yellow livery]] which it applied to later diesels. It was not as dashing or gorgeous as the original [[https://www.american-rails.com/images/SpencerNCTME3501.jpg purple and silver livery]] applied to its first diesels. But the original livery often faded due to the southeast's brutal sun, requiring a repaint every two years to keep the colors of quality. This was a problem the black and yellow livery lacked, and it saved the company $100,000 annually. |
| 219 | * The Glasgow subway system: [[https://www.spt.co.uk/travel-with-spt/subway/maps-stations/ No one gets lost.]] |
| 220 | * Yes, straightening curves, eliminating level crossings and laying good tracks in good state to get speeds up to 100 or 125 mph may sound incredibly ''boring'' compared to UsefulNotes/HighSpeedRail but it can shave ''hours'' of the travel time, make the line much more economically viable and drive the political consensus in favor of more expensive investment. And the best of all: The costs of new high speed lines is usually measured in ''billions'' the costs of those "boring" upgrades is usually measured in millions. With an m. |
| 221 | ** This goes to show in Japan more than anywhere else: The Shinkansen lines are maintained by fixing even small booboos over night while the lines are closed for some nine hours. So while Germany has high-speed lines that were opened in 1988 and have to be closed for months, chunk for chunk, and basically completely rebuilt, the Tokaido Shinkansen has been as good as new since 1964 in spite of enduring many more trains per day. |
| 222 | * Speaking of curves, the [[AdvancedTech2000 X2000]] is what happens when a tilting train is designed in the same country as Volvo. It's basically a push-pull train with only one seatless power car, so no driving power distributed throughout the train. And the power car ''doesn't'' tilt. So the X2000 doesn't look as awesome as other tilting trains while tilted because there's always one untilted vehicle sticking out. But there's no technical reason for the power car to tilt, and the X2000 is the world's only electric tilting train that doesn't need pantographs that sway to the sides against the tilting motion of the carbody underneath -- because the only vehicle on the train that carries pantographs doesn't tilt. |
| 223 | * Trams. [[SeparatedByACommonLanguage Or streetcars or trolleys or whatever you call them]]. A lot of them are just glorified buses on rails and have a relatively low top speed. But they're still a really effective and efficient way for large groups of people to get around in a big metro -- and can often carry more passengers than buses. |
| 224 | * Continuous brakes. They eliminated the need for cabooses (in North America) and brake vans (in the UK). To a diehard RailEnthusiast, a freight train is incomplete without one at the end; a train that ends abruptly with a boxcar or tank car just isn't the same. But continuous brakes are safer and more efficient, and it saves time and energy when you don't have to shunt a brake van or caboose. |
| 225 | [[/folder]] |
| 226 | |
| 227 | [[folder:Air Transport]] |
| 228 | * What's the most sold airplane on earth? A Boeing? An Airbus? Some ultra cool fighter jet that can atomize any target in a 5 000 mile radius? No. It's the humble [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most-produced_aircraft Cessna 172]] -- a four seat piston plane that may not look like much and can't do many fancy things, but it is cheap oh and it's [[LongRunner still being produced]] over sixty years after the first one was delivered. |
| 229 | * On that note, passenger jets may not look as [[CoolPlane badass]] as fighter jets, and they can only travel at subsonic speeds, ''but'' they are extremely instrumental to mass immigration, trade, tourism, post/mail, and overall keeping global civlization and economy moving the way it does today. At the turn of the 20th century, the only way to get from one end of the Pacific or the Atlantic to the other was by boat, and the journey would take weeks. Today, a jet can get you across in less than a day. |
| 230 | * Long-range twin-engine jets such as the Boeing 777/787 and the Airbus [=A330=]/[=A350=] may not have the majestic air of the Boeing 747 and even bigger Airbus [=A380=], but a big part of why these sorts of twin-engine aircraft are in vogue is because they can do what quads can do with greater fuel efficiency. Plus, half the engines means roughly half the maintenance needed, as well as less noise, meaning that they can land at airports where a 747 would set off noise complaints from local residents. |
| 231 | * The Boeing 737. Compared to longer-range aircraft, it may look ugly as sin, having earned the nickname "Fat Albert" due to its fuselage to wingspan ratio, but it's been the go-to choice of aircraft for short- and mid-haul flights for decades only in the 21st century facing serious competition by the Airbus [=A320=] family. In fact, it's the oldest Boeing airliner that's still being produced today; while it has gotten modernizing upgrades to keep up with the times, the 737 brand name isn't going away any time soon. |
| 232 | * Contrary to what the SexyStewardess trope may tell you, the real value of flight attendants lies not in serving you meals and drinks with a smile, let alone in a fanservice-y outfit that no reputable airliner's dress code would permit today, but the training they undergo to maximize the chances of passengers getting out of the aircraft quickly and safely after an emergency landing. They're also trained in first aid procedures in case of a medical emergency on board; this is why they were originally required to be registered nurses. |
| 233 | * Low-fare airlines may not offer anywhere near the level of service that the big airlines had at the height of the Jet Age of the 1960s, but plenty of passengers are willing to put up with the cattle car experience for those cheap ticket prices as long as they just get where they're going. |
| 234 | * Stopovers on flights may add extra travel time and are overall tedious to sit through, but remember: airplanes need to refuel. On some flight stops, you can even take the time to temporarily get off the aircraft and just allow yourself to stretch and relax after being cramped on the plane for hours. |
| 235 | * Propellers over jet engines. Jets get you there faster, but propellers are ''far'' more fuel-efficient. Most air-based cargo transport is done with propeller-based aircraft. |
| 236 | * The civilian version of the C-47 mentioned above in the Eisenhower quote, the Douglas DC-3, was very successful in its own right. Several hundred of them are still flying today in active commercial service around the world, simply because nobody ever really designed an aircraft better suited to rugged conditions. The common saying among pilots is that "the only replacement for a DC-3 is another DC-3." |
| 237 | * Regional airliners are often considered TheScrappy of airliners by the flying public due to their small size and the subsequent need to gate-check large carry-on bags, but they open up a lot of smaller communities to air travel, many of which would likely be isolated without these planes transporting them to larger airline hubs. |
| 238 | [[/folder]] |
| 239 | |
| 240 | [[folder:Spacecraft]] |
| 241 | * The Russian Soyuz spacecraft are often derided as being crappy, outdated spacecraft compared to [=NASA's=] capsules and the space shuttle. The space shuttle has since been retired, and no real replacement has yet been developed for production. There's also the Progress, an unmanned version used as transport craft. The first Soyuz capsule went up in 1967. They are still being used to this day -- ironically, also by NASA astronauts due to the aforementioned lack of a shuttle replacement. |
| 242 | ** Similarly, the R-7 rocket family, which was originally designed as an ICBM and was not good at it (its use of liquid oxygen meant it could only be kept on standby for a day at most, and it required guidance from ground stations that presumably wouldn't last long during a full-scale nuclear war). As a space launch vehicle, however, it was excellent and is often touted as a fine example of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Still in service today, and all manned Soviet/Russian missions were sent to space by this very rocket. |
| 243 | ** It is questionable if Soyuz can be called outdated. Well, the basic construction has been quite similar since beginning, but the avionics etc. have been revised many times. With their Kurs navigation subsystem, Soyuz and Progress spacecraft can automatically rendezvous and dock to space stations. Could be possibly considered SimpleYetAwesome. |
| 244 | ** The Soyuz's three-part design[[note]](a service module that holds the capsule's propulsion and life support systems, an orbital module where the crew spends much of their time in space, and a small descent module used during launch and re-entry)[[/note]] is actually considered superior in some ways to the two-part Apollo design (the less of the ship that returns, the less mass is needed for the heat shield and retro-rockets). |
| 245 | * One of the reasons that the Russians have made so many of the space firsts. They have used sturdy and robust system, with simplified electronics as opposed to the bleeding edge of their US and European counterparts. So, end result, a slight frost the night before a launch doomed the Challenger. Russians routinely launch in blizzards. |
| 246 | ** As UsefulNotes/RichardFeynman pointed out, it wasn't a failure of AwesomeYetImpractical tech that doomed the Challenger, but the desire to lower costs by cutting corners and using sub-par materials, allowing outright broken components to be within "tolerable stresses," and endless politics and outright ''lies'' about the safety of space travel that caused the Challenger disaster |
| 247 | ** The Apollo program was an exception to the traditional "bells and whistles" US approach. Hardware was simple and reliable. It routinely performed above specifications. Apollo 12 was launched during a thunderstorm and was struck by lightning ''twice'', but still got Conrad, Bean, and Worden to the Moon. The Saturn I, IB, and V are the only space launch vehicles never to have [[StuffBlowingUp suffered a major failure]] in service, with the worst problems being premature engine shutdown (Apollo 6 and 13)[[note]]Caused by a phenomenon called "pogo oscillation", which was increasingly mitigated as more Saturn V rockets flew[[/note]], and the third stage refusing to re-ignite (Apollo 6).[[note]]The aforementioned Apollo 6 was an ''unmanned test flight'', done with the ''purpose'' of catching these sorts of problems before manned crews were launched. While Apollo 6's mission plans had to be redone because of the latter, the premature engine cutoffs did not threaten the spacecraft or missions for 6 or 13.[[/note]] |
| 248 | * [=SpaceX=] has made a 'space-pencil' like development in building its rockets. Instead of building them vertical as many agencies do, they build them horizontal, erecting them only on the launch pad, saving huge costs on facilities (don't need a VAB, a long shed will do), transport (a big truck, but nothing like the crawler-transporter) and construction (essentially the whole length of the rocket can be accessed at any time). It helps that they also use ball-joint connections between the stages rather than explosive bolts, because the ball-joints don't need to be removed every time there's a fault caused non-launch, they just lie the rocket down again and wheel it back to the facility. In other words, what the Russians always did. |
| 249 | * Unmanned space exploration. While it may not be as captivating to the public as astronauts walking through, say, the sands of Mars it's way faster and cheaper -as to send people to space means to send with them the logistics at the very least for the voyage, unmanned missions requiring far less, and current spacecraft propulsion is quite limited-, and especially safer than sending people up there especially when as in the case of UsefulNotes/{{Venus}} we do not know what may exist beneath all those clouds, thus it's better to lose a robot or several than a living crew, and allows us to develop technologies to use in the future. And if things go well a spacecraft, be a probe/lander/rover, can operate way longer than a human and even become a cultural icon of their own -just ask NASA's Mars twin rovers "Spirit" and "Opportunity" or the "[[LongRunners Voyager]]" probes. Another big advantage is that unless you insist on sample return, there is no need to bring the robotic mission back, which means ''enourmous'' fuel savings[[note]]As Russian space pioneer (before anyone actually flew to space, someone had to think of how to do it -- he was that guy) Konstatin Tsiolkovsky found out, you need a lot of fuel to get to space... then you need the fuel to carry that fuel to get to space... then you need the fuel to carry the fuel to carry the fuel to get to space... and so on. If you don't need to carry the fuel to get back, you can get there with much less fuel and/or deliver far more payload[[/note]] and besides that you can either extend the mission if the probe still works[[note]] Virtually all NASA Mars missions had a "planned" mission duration of 90 ''sols'' (Mars days, about 25 hours) -- all of those commonly seen as "successes" exceeded that duration by ''far''[[/note]] or do something that results in the destruction of the probe at the end.[[note]] The Cassini part of the [[=Cassini/Huygens=]] for example was deliberately crashed into Saturn at the end of its mission and able to deliver data on the way down until systems failed[[/note]] |
| 250 | [[/folder]] |
| 251 | |
| 252 | [[folder:Infrastructure]] |
| 253 | * The most common style of exit between a freeway and a surface street is the "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_interchange diamond]]", a simple construct that doesn't require an excessive amount of space, channelized ramps, or extra bridges. Just four ramps providing full access in all directons. |
| 254 | * In the U.S., the Interstate Highway System. The single largest government project in world history, a network of precisely engineered high-speed, high-volume superhighways connecting every major population center, manufacturing center, farm and natural resource. Available to everybody who owns a car (which in the US is [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_vehicles_per_capita very close to everybody period]]), all the time, mostly without tolls, restrictions, or checkpoints/barriers. Of course building and maintaining it is a political nightmare, precisely because of the boring but practical nature of routine repairs and the tax- and fee-averseness of virtually all Americans. The gas tax (which is supposed to cover all highway costs and never did) was last raised under President Bill Clinton and is a fixed cent amount, not a percentage. [[RidiculousFutureInflation Go figure]]. |
| 255 | ** There's also the even older system of United States Numbered Highways (i.e. US Routes). It's more than three times as long as the Interstates and was built after World War I to address the transportation issues the US faced during World War I. It currently connects all but the most remote parts of the Continental US to each other. If a US Route can't get you there, one will at least get you close. In some instances, a US Route is the only paved road directly connecting two communities. |
| 256 | ** One odd part of the US highway system, compared to other countries, is the lack of tolls needed to use it. By law US Routes can not be toll roads except under very specific conditions. Interstates also can't be toll roads unless there's also at least one alternate paved route that doesn't require a toll. |
| 257 | * Paved surfaces in general. They support the weight of heavy vehicles and equipment far better than dirt or gravel roads or grass will, and they don't turn into mud when it rains. Entire armies have been destroyed and the course of wars changed because of troops and supplies getting bogged down in the mud at some key moment instead of being able to get to where they needed to be. |
| 258 | ** In addition, when you are dealing with airplanes, paved airfield surfaces can not only support heavier aircraft, but are also much safer (an airplane getting a wheel stuck in the mud while trying to land can have catastrophic results). Once you have a paved runway, it's nice to have some place solid to park the plane so it won't sink or get stuck while it's parked, whether this means a concrete or asphalt apron or just a simple hard stand, just big enough to rest the plane's wheels on. Also remember that planes usually launch and land flying into the wind for aerodynamic reasons, and that any plane taxiing up the runway will block any other planes from using it, and consider the simple expedient of installing a taxiway parallel to the runway, meaning planes can land, pull off the runway, and sedately taxi to their parking spaces without holding up the landing pattern. |
| 259 | ** Similar to paved surfaces, solid foundations for buildings. A large concrete slab, despite being fairly heavy itself, will much better distribute the weight of a building over a wide area, meaning you will have less issues with the ground settling beneath it and possibly causing the structure to fail. Even tents can be vastly improved by laying a solid surface to built them on (in addition to concrete, wooden platforms and metal mats can be used for this). |
| 260 | * Numbered and single-letter streets are often not the most fancily-named streets, but they have the side utility of being usable as rough indicators of distance. For example, if you're on a street called 1st Street and your friend tells you to meet up with them on a street called 15th Street, you know right away that you need to travel 15 blocks, rather than having to consult a map. |
| 261 | ** Fractional street numbers such as 6 3/4 Street--for example, in Rochester, Minnesota, where the street grid is essentially Cartesian coordinates. |
| 262 | * Rest areas on highways. Typically, they have restrooms and vending machines for snacks and drinks. Not the fanciest accomodations, but they're cheap to construct and provide a place for drivers to safely stop and get some air before resuming on their way, and they're most likely to be found on rural highways where towns and shopping centers may be scarce. |
| 263 | * Stop signs are a simple method of traffic control in smaller-scale road networks, and don't need electricity to run[[note]]Some stop signs have flashing LED diodes to draw attention to them, but they're not required for the sign to fulfill its purpose; using reflective tape is a cost-effective alternative[[/note]]. |
| 264 | [[/folder]] |
| 265 | |
| 266 | [[folder:Miscellaneous -- Vehicles & Transportation]] |
| 267 | * Plain bicycles can be this. They are typically inexpensive compared to other types of bicycle (or many vehicles) but they are very practical. Most are hassle-free vehicles (no registration nor licenses are required, just buy and use straight out of store), versatile, environment-friendly, and easily repaired. Although limited by users' strength, they are versatile enough to navigate both pedestrian space and motor traffic. Throughout Europe it is often faster to take a bike than any other mode of transport in major cities. In cities like Amsterdam or Copenhagen every class and age group will bike to work and leisure activities. A cheap bike costs less than a tank of gas and lasts for years if taken good care of. Most repairs can be done by every moderately competent mechanic. |
| 268 | ** The Sturmey Archer AW internal gear hub: Originally designed in the 1930s as a mix of parts from their other hubs to provide a low-cost seller, the hub became the standard gear system for bicycles up until the 10 speed fad of 1970s. Unbelievable reliability has kept it in production for ''over seventy-five years''. |
| 269 | ** The Viet Cong (as in the "rice farmers" that stared down the United States Army at the height of the Cold War and won) transported much of their goods, supplies, ammo and food along the Ho Chi Minh paths using bikes. Those bikes were so overloaded they couldn't be ridden anymore, but they could be pushed, needed no fuel, no food for mules or horses and what little infrastructure they needed was virtually impossible to destroy through aerial assault. In the game of whack-a-mole the US Air Force might totally incinerate one path only for the VC to push their bikes down another. Never before in the history of warfare has such a simple yet stable logistics been shown to beat even the most advanced military machinery of its time. |
| 270 | ** Like in Europe above, in many parts of Asia widespread car ownership was until recently (or is still) too expensive for most of the population, so bicycles became popular in the 20th century for their low cost. Nowadays big cities tend to have better mass transit so it's not needed as much, but it's still not uncommon to get around by bicycle in countries like China and Vietnam. |
| 271 | * Tugboats. Small, hardy craft designed to help maneuver bigger ships around in the confined spaces of a harbor. They could also be used to move cargo around by having them tow barges around (very handy for loading and unloading a large vessel in shallow water). During the [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Japanese air raid on Pearl Harbor]], Navy tugboats were hard at work fighting fires, towing ships free of their moorings (either to get them out of harms way, such as the ''Vestal'' being pulled away from the burning wreck of the ''Arizona'', or to clear lines of fire for ships docked next to each other). When the battleship ''Nevada'' was severely damaged while making a run to the sea, she needed to be beached quickly to avoid blocking the harbor entrance. The Tugboat USS ''Hoga'' helped to shove the crippled and burning dreadnought into the shallows and continued to help ''Nevada's'' crew fight fires (with the additional help of the seaplane tender USS ''Avocet''). The ''Hoga'' would spend the next several days fighting fires in the harbor and assisting with DamageControl. |
| 272 | * For hobby-grade r/c boats, constructing the hull out of wood rather than fiberglass or carbon fiber. Wood does not carry the same cachet of a hull made of high-tech composites, and are often sold in kit form, requiring you to build it yourself (Glass hulls are almost always sold ready to accept their hardware.) However, wood is cheap, and, if built correctly, just as strong as fiberglass (though not carbon fiber, although its use is largely limited to large scale boats.) |
| 273 | ** For gas r/c boats, the humble Homelite and Zenoah engines. Converted Homelites (they are typically used for yard equipment) powered the first gas r/c boats, while Zenoah released the first dedicated marine engine, the G23. Its successor, the [=G260PUM=], is the most popular engine in the hobby. Stock, they will reliably power most hulls at a respectable speed. When modified by a skilled engine builder, the G260 can chuck out about 6hp (increased displacement and/or aftermarket top ends can further increase that,) up from a claimed 3.2hp, and can push the fastest hulls up to 100 mph, depending on setup, hull, and conditions. The Zenoah is so ubiquitous, that every other brand of gas r/c engine is designed to fit in the same footprint, and parts commonality is, well, common. The only realistic challenger to the Zenoahs crown are the RCMK engines, which are sold for not much more than a stock G260, but can develop 5hp, in addition to far better after-sale support. |
| 274 | * Skis and the slightly more awesome dog sled for moving across snow. One of the reasons [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roald_Amundsen Amundsen]] won the race to the South Pole (and, you know, survived) was the use of these two simple methods of transport. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Falcon_Scott Scott]] on the other hand wanted to use high tech mechanical crawlers that soon broke down due to the extreme conditions. There have been claims that Scott and his men didn't even know how to ski, usually with the implication that they would have survived had they known. Another contributing factor to Amundsen and co.'s survival is the understandably less advertised fact that unlike engines, [[EmergencyFoodSupplyAnimal sled dogs are edible]]. |
| 275 | * When new aircraft and vehicles are introduced you may notice they look just like... planes and cars, with no wild, amazing, exciting concept designs. The problem is we've already found the best aerodynamic shapes for these things, and to vary too much would harm fuel efficiency. So yep, it's the same-old-same-old, but still ''incredibly'' practical. |
| 276 | * The standard issue American yellow school bus: |
| 277 | ** Neither fast nor flashy, yet incredibly sturdy, many of them have taken a second (or third) career carrying passengers of all ages throughout the "third world". If the alternative would be ''walking'', you tend to appreciate a simple technology that can take a licking and carry on ticking well beyond their designed lifespan. |
| 278 | ** Even when old buses aren't exported overseas, surplus school buses can often be had for less than US$10,000, depending on their age, mileage, and condition. They can used as a farm vehicle by removing most of the body, creating a long flatbed truck. Some people convert old school buses into motorhomes, whose accommodations can range from spartan to rivaling professionally-built luxury [=RVs=]. |
| 279 | ** Another popular re-use of old American school buses is as Food Trucks. You have a lot of room to work with for stuff like the kitchen (comparatively speaking, food trucks are always kinda cramped), if you're going for an "Americana" feel the iconic and recognizable design wins you hearts and minds (and primes your customers for what to expect in terms of food) and unlike some of the more exotic constructions you might come up with, they are usually easy to get street legal even in countries with exceeding standards like Germany's TÜV. |
| 280 | * Public transportation. |
| 281 | ** Transports countless passengers every day to their destinations en masse, eases traffic congestion on major roads since passengers are keeping cars off the road, and for passengers who cannot drive (either due to the costs of buying a car and the related costs like insurance and registration, or being unfit or unwilling to get a license), a good public transit system helps them get around without having to rely on friends or expensive taxis for rides, likely saving them tons of money. If you can get a seat on public transit, you can do things that you can't behind the wheel, such as homework, reading books, and messaging your friends. In areas where traffic congestion practically turns streets into parking lots, a good metro system may be the only way to get where you want at a reasonable speed. |
| 282 | ** Bus systems are about as "boring" as public transportation can be: they have a smaller capacity per vehicle than railed systems, and don't have the ability to bypass traffic like them. However, they're much more versatile, being able to reach areas that rails cannot; aren't taken out of service by a damaged rail; cheaper for the city to operate, since they don't need their own designated track; and more convenient for very short distances, given the flexibility of their stops in comparison to rails. They may not be the preferred mode of travel, but they're nonetheless the most likely choice. UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} continues to use buses alongside its world-class rail system, while in UsefulNotes/SouthAmerica they're the dominant form of transportation due to the continent's difficult terrain. |
| 283 | ** Bus rapid transit systems consist of dedicated and physically-separated lanes with bus stops that are designed more like train stations, combining the efficiency of railed transit (since only buses can use the lanes) with the aforementioned versatility and relatively low cost of bus systems. An effective compromise for areas that suffer from severe traffic congestion, but don't have the population density to warrant investing in a rail system, such as the largely-[[{{Suburbia}} suburban]] San Fernando Valley. |
| 284 | ** Even in places like [[UsefulNotes/{{California}} Southern California]] where automobiles have historically been the favored means of transport, busses gained traction due to rising traffic congestion, and the migration of city residents to outlying suburbs such as the Inland Empire. The express lines became very useful for commuters due to their limited numbers of stops, and the ability to enter the express lanes and bypass highway congestion, all for a still-modest fare due to the rising price of fuel and vehicle expenses. It's not as elaborate as a bus rapid transit system and has the drawback of still being affected by traffic conditions, but utilizes existing toll-routes and infrastructure to still circumvent significant congestion, so it's relatively easy to implement. |
| 285 | ** Low-tech bus passcards and similar don't have the same flair as using your phone as a pass, but they're still worth considering as passcards work even if your phone is absent or happens to be out of battery. The bus company's passcards also don't have much issue with farebox compatibility, are very quick to scan when kept at the ready, and don't require any digital cash transactions in and of themselves. If the pass is lost or left behind, there's still paying with cash or even using the required phone app as backup options. |
| 286 | * The cargo container has radically transformed shipping over the last 60 years. Instead of moving dozens of boxes or barrels one at a time, you just put them into a single cargo container and move that. Standardize the size of cargo containers and you can have trucks, ships, and traincars specifically designed to carry them, and infrastructure to transfer them from one to another. Simple, boring, and so useful that it is difficult to imagine doing it another way. |
| 287 | ** To put this in perspective: one of the many difficulties the US, particularly the Navy, faced during WWII was loading cargo and munitions on ships in a timely manner. (As you can see above, the US was busy shipping a ''lot'' of cargo overseas to allied forces and its own.) There were two serious proposals that would speed things up over the time-honored "have a guy lift it onto the boat" -- [[PoweredArmor hydraulic power-assist gear]], and standardized shipping containers. Take a wild guess which one they chose to pursue. |
| 288 | ** It also vastly reduced the amount of cargo lost to damages and "damages" (read: theft by the crew) during transport. |
| 289 | ** Cargo containers have also provided a secondary boon: you don't need warehouses to store cargo for loading or unloading. You simply drop the container in a convenient spot and leave it there until it's time to move. If you're shipping cargo to remote areas or places with minimal infrastructure, the humble seacan acts as its own storage building. And once the cargo has been removed, there's countless uses for the container ranging from being used as storage sheds to actual homes or emergency shelters. Indeed, in a response to a natural disaster the containers used to deliver emergency supplies can be just as important as the cargo that was shipped in them. |
| 290 | * The sailboat. Cheap to use -- it takes its energy from the wind, and its range is limited only by its storage of food and potable water. The Bermuda rig allows to sail into almost any wind direction except straight into headwind, but you can always tack. Even a small sailboat (smaller than 1.8 m overall length) can be used for a transoceanic voyage. And a 3.6 m one for ''circumnavigation'' [[note]]Hugo Vihlen and Serge Testa still keep their records[[/note]]. Sailing ships remained in regular use for bulky cargoes that weren't particularly time sensitive until a few years after World War II. The last [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grain_race "Grain race"]] from Australia to Europe around the "roaring fourties" (a particularly windy stretch of ocean at 40°-49°S) happened in ''1949''. In light of rising fuel costs (a sailing ship has none, but it needs more crew and you can't store goods on deck as easily) and increasing carbon dioxide concerns there are now efforts to reintroduce some sort of 21st sailing ship to the freight market but thus far they haven't made much of a dent on the market. |
| 291 | [[/folder]] |
| 292 | |
| 293 | %% For jobs, habits, and daily life actions |
| 294 | !!Daily Life |
| 295 | [[folder:Lifestyle]] |
| 296 | * Do you hate that person who keeps saying or doing annoying, but benign things you seriously don't like? Simply ignore them. Chances are, they are not going to pleased. and will probably will want to stop. Unless those actions are dangerous, it is unlikely someone would want to keep doing something to annoy you. After all, when was the last time someone ignored you and you felt like you defeated them? |
| 297 | ** It should be noted, however, that ignoring does not work 100% of the time. In fact, contrary to what teachers say, ignoring a bully, even/especially a verbal bully, can actually make the problem ''worse''. This is because ignoring & doing nothing sends the bully the message that their victim is unable to do anything to stop them along with giving them emotional satisfaction that they have power over their victim. |
| 298 | * Anyone successful can tell you the power of delaying instant gratification. People would turn down short-term pleasures in favor of long-term rewards. College students who party every day are likely to wind up in dead-end jobs. Students who studied hard ends up being the ones who graduate and has an easier time finding jobs. Adults who spend their days watching TV and spending money on useless things might not become rich in the long term. It’s exactly what the trope is about: choosing something less appealing but can give long term-benefits. |
| 299 | * An additional rule on MurphysLaw: "If something looks stupid but it works, then it's NOT stupid." |
| 300 | * A healthy lifestyle. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and refraining from unhealthy habits like smoking and junk food doesn't particularly impress anyone, but the reduction in risk of cardiac disease, cancer, stroke, etc -- nevermind ''feeling good'' -- add up to a longer, happier life. |
| 301 | * Exercise itself is this on multiple levels: |
| 302 | ** The obvious: many consider exercise itself boring, yet it is supremely practical. Almost nobody does ''not'' want the benefits of exercise, but the hard work and boredom deter many from even attempting it, or drive them to quit if they do. |
| 303 | ** Free weights and dumbbells continue to be not only more versatile but produce better results than machines that cost thousands of dollars and do less. Professional bodybuilders to this day prefer free weights for most exercises, using machines only for specialized targeted exercises. |
| 304 | ** Running, swimming, and cycling continue to be the premier forms of cardio exercise. Machines that simulate these always come with physical drawbacks, like not developing minor supporting muscles used for balance. A pair of shoes and a sidewalk is just as effective for losing weight as spin classes and translates to a practical ability. |
| 305 | * Education. Regardless of how you get it (e.g. self-teaching, an institution, or getting homeschooled), skills such as reading, writing, and basic mathematics are of the most important things you need to function well in life and contribute to society. |
| 306 | ** Public universities and community colleges, while lacking the small class sizes, accommodations, and prestige of their private counterparts, still provide helpful courses with reasonable financial returns while also offering lower tuition fees (the average public college in US has a tuition of $9,410 compared to the $32,405 of most private colleges). In fact, many public colleges have higher return-on-investments than even some private colleges.[[note]]''The Economist'' calculated in 2015 that graduates of the public university UCSD have median salaries of $59,600 while the graduates of the more prestigious private university Reed College has median salaries of only $36,000 despite having a higher tuition.[[/note]] |
| 307 | ** [[TakeAThirdOption Vocational training for skilled trades]]. While they lack the prestige that comes with a pedigree in higher education and are often sneeringly looked down upon in media as "ditch digging" jobs, such career fields pay surprisingly well due to high demand, unionization, and lack of qualified workers, and many of them are more or less recession-proof (i.e. no matter what the economy is doing, people aren't going to ''stop'' needing welders, construction workers, plumbers, electricians, or HVAC specialists). |
| 308 | ** Mental arithmetic programs look super awesome when young children are able to add, subtract, multiply or divide several large numbers within seconds, but those skills run into a brick wall when it comes to advanced concepts like algebra or quadratic equations. These programs teach mnemonics to round up or down and simplify large calculations, but not the logical progression of math[[note]]Counting amounts is the predecessor to addition, which is an inverse of subtraction, which when done multiple identical times is multiplication/division, at which point numbers can be replaced with alphabets to calculate unknown amounts, which can then allow you to access various equations to calculate shapes, volumes, vectors, angles, etc.[[/note]], and more often than not ''prevents'' the understanding of such concepts. Nothing has beaten simple, sequential, logical math training for thousands of years. |
| 309 | ** When it comes to studying, as horrible as it can be, is very effective in learning. All you need to do is learn the basic concepts, make connections (like we often do here at TV Tropes, [[TVTropesWillRuinYourLife TOO MANY TIMES]]), and then challenge your understanding. The process is uncomfortable, but you can learn entire subjects by this framework. After all, when has this framework for learning failed you when you wanted to learn about your favorite franchise? |
| 310 | ** Speaking of speed reading, that stuff is a myth. Technically, anyone can read up to 600 words a minute and scan through pages of text in seconds. Remembering and, more importantly, ''understanding'' what you read requires meticulous reading that averages at around 250 words per minute (for English, at least). |
| 311 | ** Professional teachers find it hilarious when TV and movies portray all those fancy and exciting teaching techniques, where the teachers bring a gun to class, or force their students to stand on tables to engage their creativity. Simply and clearly presenting one concept, getting the students to practice it until it has been mastered, then presenting a similar but slightly harder concept, mastering that, and then repeating that routine over and over and over and over again until the student graduates, is still the most effective way to guarantee consistent results. |
| 312 | *** Some people may say this technique is boring and kills creativity. A good teacher (like Creator/BruceLee) will tell you that students can learn to experiment and express themselves creatively after mastering the basics, but doing the opposite is far more difficult. |
| 313 | ** People have been touting that the latest technology, from TV to video cassettes to the CD to computers to [=IPads=] to smartphones to the internet would be replacing teachers soon, but it hasn't happened yet. Students still learn best with an active, human role model they can interact with, who can also make corrections on the fly, and customize the class to their optimum ability. |
| 314 | *** In relation to another post above this, all that fancy technology has yet to replace the most common teaching aids: paper and black/whiteboards, because they easily facilitate the aforementioned presentation and practice routines. |
| 315 | *** Seems to have changed if only slightly by the later [[UsefulNotes/TheNewTens 2010s]], with the rise of computer-integrated SmartBoards, websites like GLOW and Moodle at universities, and measures made necessary by the [[UsefulNotes/CoronavirusPandemic COVID-19 pandemic.]] However, these still all require operation and management by a teacher, and when possible, usually work in tandem with paper materials. |
| 316 | *** Paper is the most awesome and versatile teaching material. You can transform it into worksheets, books, letters, scripts, lists, instructions, papercraft, maps, diagrams, illustrations, treasure hunt clues, toys, puppets, decorations, and writing materials for pencils, crayons, pens, chalk, paint, whatever. With just a little imagination, you can turn your boring class into an exciting, engaging adventure for any age group, any class, in any part of the world, all for the low, low cost of... a pile of paper (which you can easily dispose and/or recycle and reuse later). |
| 317 | ** Everybody hates exams, but they are still the most effective way of measuring aptitude, knowledge, and attitude (you can't have gotten a high GPA without ''some'' hard work and effort). They're also the most cost-effective method (coursework needs time, resources, and well-trained teachers to grade and record, and you need to trust that the teachers won't juke the scores), and they provide some assurance to workplaces and educational institutions that applicants have the necessary skills to join their organization. |
| 318 | * Financial planning isn't the flashiest or necessarily exciting, but setting up an IRA or 401(k) account(s) can really pay off down the line. The money in the account is effectively locked away until the legal retirement age, but the more you deposit up to the legal maximum, the more compound interest you acquire. |
| 319 | * Simply living within your means, not buying anything too extravagant, and boring ol' responsible financial management. Sure, you may not be able to "keep up with the Joneses" on the latest flashiest toys, but those become pretty insignificant when compared to not having to take out a 3rd mortgage or having enough money in the bank for when life decides to take a piss on you. |
| 320 | ** Besides, there's half-price sales and seasonal blowouts to help you out with those toys you're dreaming of. Patience pays off. |
| 321 | ** Buying secondhand. Why pay full price for anything which you can get just in good shape half the price slightly used? |
| 322 | ** Thrift shops. While the merchandise isn't new most of the time, it is possible to get several items, particularly clothing, very cheaply, and some people even expressly go to thrift stores in hopes of finding hidden treasures. Also, if the thrift shop is run by a charitable organization, the proceeds can help people in need. |
| 323 | ** Private label (aka store brand or generic) products, depending on the product. Store-brand products are typically cheaper than their name-brand equivalents without the need for coupons. Most store-brand products and name-brand products are often made in the same facility. While some store-branded products aren't as good as their name-brand counterparts, for many grocery and medicine cabinet staples, there is often no discernible difference between the name brand and the store brand. |
| 324 | * Stairs. They're so common that no one thinks about them. Elevators make traveling up and down buildings faster and more convenient, but they are prone to breaking down and require frequent maintenance to keep running effectively. Stairs can almost last forever and all they require from you is some physical movement of your legs to go up and down, thus you also get some exercise in your daily life. Escalators are automated stairs that move you up and down, but even if they do shut down, you can still walk up and down them like a normal staircase. They have ''one'' huge downside though in that they are an insurmountable barrier to people in wheelchairs, baby strollers, and the like. Increasingly stairs are thus supplemented by barrier-free means of access. |
| 325 | * The zipper. So simple that most never even consider them unless they get a body part stuck in one but they made dressing and undressing much easier and faster than the previous alternatives of lacing and/or using lots of buttons. Whether pants, shirts/coats, or shoes, there's a kind that you can simply zip up and go. |
| 326 | * Getting a full eight hours of sleep every night (or day, depending on when you're typically awake). Sure, caffeine might help offset insufficient sleep a little bit, but honestly, getting enough sleep every night is what keeps you not only awake during the day, but also alert and able to focus on what you want or need to do. |
| 327 | * {{Designated Driver}}s at parties, bars, and other situations where alcohol is involved. They may not be as interesting to talk to when you're drunk, and they're skipping out on alcohol that they might want to drink, but they do so in order to get their friends home safely in a way that doesn't involve expensive taxis (or similar services like Uber and Lyft that are just as costly), long walks, or public transit that's inconvenient, unsafe, or unavailable (e.g. due to not running during early AM hours). If you have a friend who chooses to stay sober at a social event or venue so that they can get you home, ''thank them''; it is good manners to buy the designated driver the coffee, energy drinks or pop they would like to have. Being a designated driver is also a way to save on party expenses. |
| 328 | * Labeling your belongings, especially ones that you carry with you, with your name and contact information (usually a phone number or email address). First, this creates some sort of distinction between your items and others' identical-looking items. Second, if you lose something that's labeled with a means of contacting you, it means that if someone has the good sense to try to return it to its owner (you), they have a way to get in touch with you; while it doesn't guarantee that you'll get what you lost back (it could still get outright stolen by someone), at least it raises the chances that you'll get it back. |
| 329 | * Big Box stores and Convenience stores are less flashy than going to a mall or a shopping district, and the merchandise isn't as fancy as you'd find at a boutique, specialty store, or even a department store, but darn if you can't find just about any staple items you need in one place at a reasonably affordable price, despite the substantial markup at convenience stores. Online shopping takes these advantages and obviates the need of leaving the house at all. |
| 330 | ** In Japan, convenience stores are a major industry, known for offering a surprisingly wide variety of services and products, and many foreign travellers consider Japanese ''konbini'' a national treasure unto itself and miles above the convenience stores they have back home. |
| 331 | ** The mini-mall. These small shopping centers are rarely flashy but can house a wide variety of small shops, from major, established chains to small local businesses to even government/public services (it's not uncommon for license branches to be found in mini-malls). |
| 332 | * Sewing. A simple activity, pushing a needle with thread through clothing. A very simple activity, but when it allows you to mend your own clothes instead of you being forced to buy new ones all the time, you stop taking it for granted. Military troops, especially rangers and infantry, take sewing seriously as it reduces wear and tear time for their uniforms out in the field. |
| 333 | * Identification cards, and by extension, driver's licenses. That little piece of plastic showing your photo, name, address, and date of birth is practically vital. It not only proves you are who you claim to be, but it also proves that the information is genuine (unless it's out of date). Simply not having your ID when needed can spell a whole mess of inconveniences or even troubles. Applying for a new bank account? Need ID for it. Buying cigarettes or alcohol? Need ID. Wanting to buy a car? Need ID for that. If you ever lose your belongings and your ID was with them, it also serves as a way for someone who finds your stuff to know where to send them back to. |
| 334 | ** Passports, while generally a bit bulkier, are also accepted as ID at nearly all places that require it, ''and'' you need them to travel between countries. They also have longer periods of validity than most states' and countries' identification cards. Furthermore, if you live in the U.S., you need to upgrade your state ID by October 2020 for domestic air travel due to [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_ID_Act Real ID laws]], which in most states requires not only paying a fee and a visit to the local DMV but also multiple documents proving your legal existence and residency...or just use your passport, which is not affected by the Real ID system. |
| 335 | * Water has many applications that wouldn't be possible if we didn't have it: |
| 336 | ** As a beverage, water is the blandest drink you can have, but it also keeps you hydrated and can quench your thirst very easily. You can also add powered mix of various flavors to water to give it flavor while still retaining the benefits that water gives. |
| 337 | ** Water can be used to cool you down on a hot day. Fans and air conditioning can keep you cool, but they can jack up the electricity bill and can't be used during a blackout. A quick shower can help you cool yourself down and wash away the sweat accumulated on your body. |
| 338 | * Giving cash as a gift. While not the most thoughtful gift, which is why many people discourage it, it allows the recipient to buy whatever they want wherever and whenever they want. For a slightly more specific alternative, one can give a gift card to the recipient's favorite store/restaurant/other business, allowing them to pick out what they want. Or you can get them a prepaid debit card mentioned below. There are cards themed for birthdays, Christmas, and graduation. After all, even Fred made a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWCidnkhPtQ&ab_channel=FRED Christmas music video]] about it! |
| 339 | * Prepaid debit cards. Unlike traditional banks, which are only typically open Monday through Friday during usual working hours less public holidays, a prepaid debit card can be bought at many grocery stores, superstores, pharmacies, and convenience stores during their business hours and maintained 24/7 by online banking. A prepaid card is useful if you don't want your bank-provided cards potentially lost, electronically compromised, or stolen, such as on vacation. These cards use the same payment networks as conventional bank-issued debit and credit cards in brick-and-mortar and online stores. For parents of teenagers, a prepaid card is useful for teaching a teen how to manage money, and for parents of college-aged adults, it provides a convenient way of sending and receiving money, especially if a student is far from home. However, the major downside of prepaid debit cards over those issued by a traditional bank is the various fees to use the prepaid card, such as the initial purchase/activation fee, monthly maintenance fee, ATM withdrawal fees, and cash reload fees[[note]]Electronic deposits either from an employer or government benefits are not charged[[/note]]. They are also very undesirable for renting hotel rooms or cars, or other services that mandate a deposit hold, because holds released on these cards take a preposterously long time to be released customer-side -- sometimes up to a month, as opposed to 1-5 business days for bank cards. Nonetheless if you just plan to use them for everyday small transactions, they can be quite useful. |
| 340 | * Customizable rewards credit cards, particularly when immediately paying back the loan to earn bonus cash. If you get the credit card from your bank, than payback is even easier as its tied to your account you're using anyway. They don't have as high a percentage as more specialized rewards cards but you can customize which category gets the highest percentage (usually 3% rewards) and that category isn't restricted to a single place in the event that you can't obtain the item you're looking for from said place. For example, you can specify that the 3% reward is for "online shopping", making it just as effective on any online store and not just one. The 2% category can be for a versatile category such as any grocery store and wholesale market and not just one particular store, so just by shopping for your regular groceries, you can earn rewards. This is also a great way to build your credit score by proving that you're the type who likes to pay back loans as soon as possible. |
| 341 | * Standard versions of products, as opposed to "Gamer" variants, or variants with other such taglines, such as regular keyboards and mice, office chairs, etc. The standard is typically more plain, but are often more cost-effective and just as well built, if not better (since Gaming Chairs tend to be racing chairs, which are much less comfortable for most people). Subverted with some gaming mice, however, which do have the tangible benefit of faster, more accurate mouse movement compared to cheaper generics, as well as gaming keyboards which tend to be ''mechanical'' keyboards known for comfort and durability, although there are many cheaper mechanical keyboards that don't look as glitzy or have all those fancy macro keys while still being just as built to last. |
| 342 | [[/folder]] |
| 343 | |
| 344 | [[folder:Work]] |
| 345 | * Work in general. Sure, it's boring and tedious for many people (though some people have jobs that they genuinely enjoy), but it's how you make money to pay for your needs, and almost everything we enjoy or need is created or improved by it. |
| 346 | ** Work gives you also meaning in your life, a chance to socialize with other people, and a sense of belonging in the community. |
| 347 | * Those niggling behind-the-scenes clerical tasks you either don't know or care about or might not want to come within a century of? Office workers are those little jars of oil that keep their department running like clockwork. Think of them as real-life {{Worker Unit}}s. |
| 348 | ** To give you an idea of the effectiveness of these workers, the Bolshevik Revolution had famous leaders like Lenin and Trotsky who preferred being revolutionaries and didn't care as much for the paperwork and bureaucracy. They handed it off to a volunteer named Stalin, who proceeded to use the incredible powers delegated him to become a political powerhouse who took control of Russia even after Lenin specifically wrote that he shouldn't be given that power. Remember, Stalin's official position was [[AlmightyJanitor General Secretary.]] It may not be as grand a rise to power as a fast-paced presidential campaign, revolution, or AwesomeMomentOfCrowning, but it worked. |
| 349 | * Maintenance workers are almost the exact same thing, except that they take care of the grounds on which we earn our living. AlmightyJanitor exists as a trope for a reason. |
| 350 | * Want to make sure something goes right? Come up with a list of steps you need to accomplish a task, write them down in order, and then get working on the task, crossing off each step once it is completed. Congratulations, you have invented the checklist. One of the reasons why airliners crash so rarely is that the flight crew goes through a printed checklist before takeoff. Early in TheNewTens, the World Health Organization trialled a similar checklist for surgery. It resulted in an average drop of one-third in deaths and major complications, and is being widely adopted. It takes up one side of A4 or US letter paper. |
| 351 | * This is the fundamentals of Risk Management. Every course of action will have a low, medium, or high risk along with low, medium, or high benefit. |
| 352 | ** Ideally, you will want the low-risk-high-benefit option. Failing that, you should take low risk-medium benefit one. Failing even that, go for the low-risk-low-benefit option. |
| 353 | ** Whenever you're thinking of taking medium or high risk, you should ask yourself whether you can tank the losses/escape relatively unscathed if your course of action backfires/fails. |
| 354 | ** If your answer to the question above is "yes", then the risk factor has dropped from medium/high to low, and you can safely take the option. |
| 355 | ** In short, ''never'' take medium risk, let alone high, as by that point you are taking an uncertain gamble. Only take such options when it has become a safe gamble, aka low risk. |
| 356 | * Food prep may be seen as bottom-of-the-barrel for those with high-paying salaried jobs, but those who work in food prep, particularly in restaurants/eateries, are why you can just pony up cash to have food made for you instead of having to do it yourself. Plus food prep can improve kitchen skills at home, even letting one [[MundaneMadeAwesome make delicious meals]] for friends and family thanks to the honed recipe organization skills. Additionally, these skills are crucial when you take on additional responsibilities in the kitchen and can even be a gateway to management or even chef work if one so desires. And like with vocational skills, even during a crisis such as a pandemic, food preparation jobs remain in demand and can be crucial for providing relief meals for impacted communities. |
| 357 | * Retail and customer service jobs can sound nightmarish to anyone who's never worked in that area. And, yes, it can be a bit tedious (or aggravating, depending on the kind of customers who frequent your store). However, such jobs often teach skills that are incredibly useful both for building one's career and simply going through life (i.e. learning to quickly do math, handling cash, communication, persuasion, patience, reading people, etc). |
| 358 | * When writing a resume, keeping it simple and to the point really helps. Too many details can make it difficult to zero in on what the company is looking for. It's also best to tailor the resume to be familiar by looking at successful sample resumes sent to the same company, which may seem to stifle creativity, but because you'll "speak their language", they'll appreciate it. Simple resume templates are also the way to go, with minimal to no borders and decorations since they consume extra ink/toner and tend to distract. |
| 359 | * Housekeepers don't have the most glamourous jobs in the hospitality industry, but without them, you'd be checking into messy, stinky rooms at your hotel of choice. |
| 360 | * Any job considered "essential" that can't be shut down without seriously disrupting society, ranging all the way from hospitals to emergency dispatchers to grocery store workers and truckers. Often not the most exciting jobs, tend to pay less than "professional" jobs and will often cause said professionals to tease and make fun of you for not having a "real" job, but as [[UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic COVID-19]] taught all of us society pretty much ''needs'' these positions working to make modern life possible for everyone else. And because they're essential, the only situation where you face being laid off is if the company is going under, and finding a similar position at another company often doesn't take long. It helps that many of these jobs are great for teens and young adults looking for money and job skills, and for some of them it ends up being easiest to simply keep climbing the ladder until they retire as leadership or even company management. |
| 361 | * If you're in charge of a business and the people who work for it, simply paying your employees a livable wage, giving them a comfortable and welcoming work environment, scheduling their work such that they can enjoy life outside of the job, and overall being a BenevolentBoss will make those employees happy and want to stick around for the long-haul, which can help keep your business running smoothly. Who knows? Maybe you will be stinkin' rich after some time! |
| 362 | * If your feet hurt after so much walking, you could use a massager to soothe the pain, or just elevate it. This way the blood will flow from your body to your feet, and you will feel better in no time, without taking out your wallet, and all you need is an elevated surface. Give it a shot! |
| 363 | [[/folder]] |
| 364 | |
| 365 | [[folder:Language]] |
| 366 | * Clear and plain writing is easy to understand. |
| 367 | * When you're writing dialogue in fiction, writing "(Character) said," with an occasional adjective to indicate tone (e.g. that a character is being sarcastic) to credit dialogue fulfills its purpose -- explaining who is talking in a way that doesn't distract from the dialogue. By comparison, SaidBookism can lead to people laughing at the dialogue verb, while omitting the dialogue tag can make things confusing, especially in conversations involving three or more people. |
| 368 | * Letter-based alphabets such as Cyrillic, Latin, and Greek are this compared to languages that have different characters for each word, such as Japanese and Chinese dialects. While hanzi and kanji are beautiful ways to convey language, there are thousands of each, and they are all specific to the angle of each stroke. Simple combinations of letters may be dull and repetitive, but they're far easier to memorize and write down. |
| 369 | ** Japanese zigzags this compared to Chinese. The former can be written in syllabic characters in the form of kana, whose pronunciations are constant. However, most written Japanese includes kanji in addition to kana, and [[https://www.sljfaq.org/afaq/kanji-pronunciation.html Japanese kanji generally have more possible pronunciations than Chinese hanzi]]. |
| 370 | ** Korean ''hangeul'' combines the letter-based simplicity of the aforementioned Western alphabets with the phonetic properties of Japanese and Chinese. It looks as elegant as other Asian languages, but without the need to look up how every individual character block is read. Once you learn some fairly consistent alphabet rules, you realize that each block actually tells you how to read it. |
| 371 | * Learning a few of the most common foreign languages. Sure, speaking Irish Gaelic or Uigur might be nice to brag at parties with, but if you want to be able to communicate with most of the world, you should opt for Spanish, Mandarin (Chinese), English, or one of the other "world languages". If you can read Mandarin, you won't have problems making yourself understood to any literate Chinese, even if they speak e.g. Cantonese. If you speak Spanish, you will be able to make rudimentary conversation with Portuguese speakers and might even understand what Italians are saying. English is so widespread that its advantages are probably not even worth mentioning. Arab and French together cover most of Africa that English does not and if you're lost even with them, try a regional language like Swahili (East Africa). Even in places where English is not the official language, enough people are fluent that you will probably be able to get by even if you aren't fluent in one of the other common languages. |
| 372 | * Just about every reputable foreign language course will teach you basic, "academic" forms first. They may not sound as cool as the slang used in foreign entertainment, but these standard patterns are the foundation from which you'll expand your know-how of the language. Generally speaking, those who natively speak a foreign language respond better to "person who sounds overly formal and polite but is clearly trying their best to communicate with me" than "[[FunnyForeigner idiot foreigner]] who probably picked up the language from watching TV and doesn't understand the cultural elements of what they are trying to say". |
| 373 | * When it comes to orthographic systems, [[FunetikAksent spelling stuff like it is pronounced]] usually makes it easier on both those who need to read and those who need to write. It comes with downsides, such as sometimes losing etymologies, loanwords that are present in many languages not looking the same (words like "photography" are spelled with an f in Spanish, ph in French, f[[note]] Or ph according to the pre-1998 orthogrpahy[[/note]] in German and so on), the need for periodic updates of orthography[[note]]Which makes reading stuff from before the reform in the original orthography at least unusual and at worst challenging[[/note]] and upsetting [[UpperClassTwit those who think memorizing arbitrary spellings makes them better people]]. It's no accident that in the (highly unphonetic) English orthography variations that sacrifice etymological spellings for simple, more phonetic spellings ("thru", "tho", "color") are more common in the U.S. which has a reputation for practicality and less common in the more "aristocratic" U.K. |
| 374 | ** In the Latin alphabet, there is apparently a slight (but measurable) benefit to spelling ''every'' noun with a capital letter in the beginning and ''no'' non-noun. While this makes [[CapitalLettersAreMagic Magical Capital Letters]] impossible, it improves reading flow and reading comprehension. This is especially notable when one has to deal with longer sentences. Such as in German. Guess which language is the only one to still regularly employ this system? [[GermanicEfficiency Why, German, of course]]. |
| 375 | [[/folder]] |
| 376 | |
| 377 | [[folder:Fashion]] |
| 378 | * The LittleBlackDress exists because of this trope. What it lacks in pizzazz, it makes up for in timelessness and the fact that black doesn't clash with any body types or skin tones. |
| 379 | * Same goes for the little black dress's masculine counterpart: the three-piece suit. While many people decry men's fashion as boring, the basic suit has endured with only minor changes for over a century because, simply put, why fix what isn't broken? |
| 380 | * In a similar vein, the buzzcut has emerged as one of the most popular men's hairstyles, with relatively little variation over the course of decades. It isn't flashy, but its simplicity and ease of maintenance make it timeless and universally popular across all races and hair textures (it is ''the'' most popular haircut among black men). Even minor stylings such as tapering or "fading" the sides don't date the look (within reason). It's one look that any man can pull off, and many have gotten essentially the same haircut their entire lives because it just ''works.'' |
| 381 | * Straight-up going bald means you sacrifice having cute or cool hairstyles, but you can save lots on hair care products simply by not having any scalp hair to take care of. Plus no pesky nasty lice can call your head home if there’s no hair for them to nest in. It's also more socially acceptable than partly-intact balding hair; can't worry about looking [[YoungerThanTheyLook older than you are]] -- and not in a flattering way -- if you [[CuttingTheKnot just shave the problem off]]. Being bald is also advantageous for cosplay; can't worry about your real hair sticking out from under your wig if you don't have any on your scalp to begin with. Admittedly, baldness is much more socially acceptable for men than women. |
| 382 | * In an ironic contrast to baldness being considered this trope for men, some women forego shaving their body hair for this reason, feeling that doing so is ultimately CoolButInefficient as it offers little practical advantage (outside of certain activities such as competitive swimming) and (contrary to popular belief [[DoubleStandard that's only applied to women and not men]]) body hair isn't actually as unhygienic as it's made out to be. Going "natural" can save one lots of time in one's daily routine and money from not having to purchase and maintain shaving equipment. And while the look can certainly draw unwanted attention and reactions, some either choose to ignore the needless criticism or they're reclusive thus making random strangers' reactions a total non-issue. Body hair also helps keep one warmer in colder weather, so some choose to skip on the shaving but only during the winter. |
| 383 | * Regular, comfortable clothes. Spend a few months rehearsing/acting in a corset, hoop skirt, and high heels if you don't believe so. Anyone who works in a professional environment would agree. One of the greatest joys in an adult's daily life is getting home after a long day at work, stripping off the rigid work clothes one has to wear in order to convey the requisite "professional" appearance (and the accompanying work SHOES), and getting into nice, comfortable, cottony sweats, pajamas, or similar, and soft socks and/or house slippers. You ''know'' a woman is in for the day when the heels and bra come off. |
| 384 | * Bras that match your skin color. Plain and un-sexy, but if you're wearing white or light-colored shirts and don't want your bra to show through, these are the only option. |
| 385 | * Sweatpants are anything but associated with sharp fashion sense, but they're comfortable, let the skin breathe easily, and quite versatile--they can be used for running, lounging around the house, sleeping, and even everyday out-of-the-house wear. |
| 386 | ** Yoga pants have all this and are reasonably acceptable for wear in casual social situations without throwing an immediate impression of slovenliness. |
| 387 | * Basketball shorts, in the same vein as sweatpants, are similarly unfashionable but great for hot weather if you just want to throw on something suited for a relaxing day. |
| 388 | * The jacket: It's just a piece of fabric fitted for human use with sleeves, but ''good lord'' is it truly useful, you can take it off ''much'' easier indoors, and for people in colder climates, where jackets often become large, bulky masses meant to keep you from freezing over, can really make things easier, as indoors the temperature can rise by ''20 degrees'' or more. Just try not taking it off and see what happens. |
| 389 | * The technology that made the jacket as we know it possible: the button. A simple piece of material attached to an item of clothing that goes through a corresponding hole. Despite the simplicity, it revolutionized clothing when it was invented in 13th-century Europe; you could now make snug-fitting clothing that would keep you warm through the cold winters much more easily. Earlier fasteners, like laces, tended to leave an open space that let the air in; not so with buttons. |
| 390 | * [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Taylor_All-Stars The Converse All-Star]]: It's a simple, inexpensive, and very durable all-purpose shoe dating back to the 1920s. They were originally marketed to basketball players (who destroy shoes while playing) and derived from a shoe first marketed in 1917 as "Non-Skids". The thick rubber sole provides good traction, good foot protection, and decent cushioning while the thick canvas uppers of the high-top versions provide effective ankle support. Professional basketball players would continue to use them into the late-1970s, with a few players retaining them into the 1980s. |
| 391 | * Cosplays that are made of modern everyday clothes, or "casual cosplay" as some call it. All you need to do is buy the clothes and accessories at someplace cheap like a thrift store, make some modifications as needed (such as adding embroidery patches or shirt designs), put on a wig or dye your hair, and you're good to go in a low-maintenance, relatively comfortable, and still-recognizable-to-fans costume. |
| 392 | * Those bright reflective vests (also known as Day-Glo vests, after the company known for the reflective paint) that you often see construction and security workers and sometimes bike riders wear at night may be the last thing you'd expect a fashion-conscious person to wear, but they are very useful when walking or biking around at night, as they reduce the risk of vehicle drivers hitting you by mistake because they didn't see you until it was too late. In other words, a 15 USD investment can save you a trip to the hospital (and, depending on where you live, hundreds or thousands of dollars on medical expenses). |
| 393 | * For a child, [[ClothesForChristmasCringe receiving clothes as a gift]] for Christmas, Hanukkah, their birthday, or any other special occasion. While not as exciting as receiving the latest toys (which most kids will eventually get bored of, break, or outgrow) or electronic gadgets (which will eventually become obsolete, and like toys, kids may eventually get bored of or break), clothing is far more practical and will get far more mileage in the long run; even if the child quickly outgrows their new clothes, the clothes can find a second or even third life with another child. As children mature, especially at the college age, they tend to appreciate clothing more, leaving their own money free to buy other necessities and wants, although there are some young children who do enjoy receiving clothes rather than toys and gadgets. |
| 394 | * Hand-me-down clothes. While there may be a slight social stigma for children wearing their older sibling's old clothes, for families with at least two children of the same gender and relatively close in age, it is far cheaper to reuse old clothes in good shape which older children have outgrown than to buy entirely new clothes. |
| 395 | * Basic shoes, boots, and sandals might not look as glamorous as heels or fine dress shoes, but they're usually far comfier and acceptable in all but the most high-class gatherings, and they do their job of protecting your feet from rough terrain remarkably well. |
| 396 | * Overalls. They're made out of durable fabric, the suspender straps hold a loose pair up without requiring a belt and they sport a lot of pockets, making them a rather useful garment. |
| 397 | * Denim jeans are one of the most versatile pieces of clothing available. While often associated with blue-collar workers since their invention in the late 19th century, denim jeans have been a staple in many first-world closets since the latter half the 20th century and even have found their way in white-collar workplaces as some employers have relaxed their dress codes as a way to recruit/retain a younger workforce. |
| 398 | [[/folder]] |
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/context.php
FollowingContext BoringButPractical / RealLife
Go To
- Show Spoilers
- Night Vision
- Sticky Header
- Wide Load
