What did people do in offices before PC's

[Greedo]

Out at a meeting earlier at a UK wide property company and sitting waiting on my guy. Behind the reception there were about 30 people in a huge open plan office just sitting at their desks staring at PC's.

Every one of them. Not one on the phone trying to sell anything, or speaking to a customer or client, just all sitting staring. It's always the same. I'd hate it if our office was like that.

Now I know now most work has been transferred to PC's, accounts, design etc etc etc... but surely there must be something they can do to create an atmosphere in the place. I'd go nuts.

 

[Globalti]

The plural of PC is PCs.

Before PCs people made 'phone calls or even walked around and talked to their colleagues to resolve a problem. Then they sat and wrote things out on self-carbonating forms and distributed the different coloured sheets to different departments.

 

[Wigsie]

They had office affairs and wasted time on the phone.

I would struggle without being able to waste time on CC, Facebook or on Youtube!

Actually doing work? turning a profit, whats that?

 

[tyred]

PCs have been a feature for all my working life. Before that, I presume, people actually did what they were paid to do!

 

[Rhythm Thief]

This sort of office work - and I mean no offence to anyone who works in an office - is the modern equivalent of factory work. Before PCs (and indeed, before office life as we know it) these people would have been working in a mill or a factory on a production line or a machine, doing one tedious and unskilled task over and over again, all day, every day. Now they work in offices because the factories have all gone.

 

[mr_cellophane]

When I started work for an insurance company we used these

The Chief Clerk was more hi-tech and had a

We were so jealous

The main (only) computer was English Electric - all punched paper tape, flashing lights and batch processing

The punch card one went just after I started.

 

[Aperitif]

I had a mainframe instead. And then a mini for a while.

Wow! You had a big office then. Twice.

 

[Wigsie]

This sort of office work - and I mean no offence to anyone who works in an office - is the modern equivalent of factory work.

doing one tedious and unskilled task over and over again, all day, every day. Now they work in offices because the factories have all gone.

How very dare you?

My job is at a PC and I am a very high powered (and overpaid) business executive dont you know!

 

[Davidc]

They worked...

Sympathies to Uncle Mort. I remember having to go to see the nurse (35 years ago)after seriously cutting my buttock with Izal - if it had been 2 inches higher ?***!

 

[PaulB]

I presume by PC you are all meaning Personal Computers? I don't think they'll take off myself. I mean, I've never used one and to be perfectly honest, I don't know anyone else that's used on either. A passing fad, mark my words.

 

[tyred]

I presume by PC you are all meaning Personal Computers? I don't think they'll take off myself. I mean, I've never used one and to be perfectly honest, I don't know anyone else that's used on either. A passing fad, mark my words.

Do you use telex to send your posts into this board?

 

[ianrauk]

604k ought to be enough for anybody..

say's Bill Gates..

Can you imagine having all that power in a computer?

 

[Fnaar]

didn't they spend all their time playing with these?

 

[Rhythm Thief]

And we would usually drink three or four pints at lunchtime and nobody minded.

... which is as it should be, of course. Well, unless you're in my job, I suppose.

 

[nilling]

I use to put a folder under my arm and go walkabout on the shop floor - the aim was to cover the whole area without going down the same walkway - it took a few weeks but I did it yay me!

Oh and reading newspapers in the bogs...