Products and Services That Refuse to Die

Over the years, products and services are born, live a short life and then die.  This is the world of the technological world.  Even on the launch date, their epitaph is already written—its called Planned obsolescence.

For an industry planned obsolescence or built-in obsolescence stimulates demand by encouraging purchasers to buy again sooner,  if they still want a functioning product.

Built-in obsolescence is in many different products, from vehicles to light bulbs, from buildings to software. There is, however, the potential backlash of consumers who learn that the manufacturer invested money to make the product obsolete faster; such consumers might turn to a producer (if any exists) that offers a more durable alternative.

There are however, some products and services that refuse to go along with the concept of planned obsolescence.  For example take a look at the following products:

• dot-matrix printers
• 3.5″ floppy disks
• Zip disks
• Lotus 1–2–3
• Pagemaker
• After Dark
• Prodigy

Using General Douglas MacArthur’s words, “all soldiers never die, they just fade away”, these products and services just hang in there defying time.  They stay on the market—even though they haven’t been updated in years. Or their names get slapped on new products that are available only outside the U.S. Or obsessive fans refuse to accept that they’re obsolete–long after the rest of the world has moved on.

I remember that the Apple II-e was on the chopping block many times and its head was cut off by Apple honchos; however it always came back because the public would replace the head back again.  It happened over and over again.  It was a product that was hard to kill.  The general public resisted to accept its death for a long time.

Do you know of any services or products that could be added to the previous list?  I’m sure you do.  Good Day.

Source: Where are They Now?  25 Computer Products That Refuse to Die – Harry McCracken, Technologizer

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The Balboa Commissary

David McCullough in his book, “The Path Between The Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal 1870 – 1914″, gives the following account.

“On July 26, 1905, John Stevens arrived to take over as Chief Engineer of the construction. With him was Theodore Shonts, Chairman of the Isthmian Canal Commission. They spoke with the the governor of the Canal Zone, Charles Magoon.

Shonts asked: ‘Governor, what’s the matter here?’ Governor Magoon explained the food supply problem.  Shonts said, ‘commissaries must be established immediately, to feed the men at cost.’  ‘When Governor Magoon responded that that would be a violation of an agreement with Panama, Shonts responded, ‘…it’s evident that you haven’t heard the news… I’ve come down here to build the canal…’”

Since labor was almost non-existent in the Isthmus of Panama, it had to be imported from abroad.  That meant these men had to be employed, housed, cared for, sometimes jailed, entertained, and of course…fed.  This was the main and sole responsibility of the Panama Canal commissaries. Shortly after the appointment of Stevens as Chief Engineer of the waterway,  the commissaries were built—circa August, 1905.

Many products for the Canal Zone commissaries were bought from Panama City, and this trade started to contribute significantly to the local economy, though canal purchasing managers still persisted in importing some goods from as far away as Australia.

Canal-related economic value for Panama would increase over 700 percent, from $44 million in the 1950s to $363 million by 1979.

One of the by-products of the commissaries was contraband.  Considerable volumes of merchandise was smuggled into the Panama economy by fat cats.  It was not uncommon to see street peddlers selling Old Milwaukee or Budweiser beer at the slums of El Chorrillo and El Marañón.  Authorities always looked the other way.  It was one of the worst kept secrets in Panama.

Old photograph of the Balboa Commissary at the turn of the century. (Credit: Joe Duvall)

On March 22, 2009 I was at the Balboa Commissary and took the following pictures.  Here we go.

Notice that the basic structure of the building remains exactly the same as the one depicted in the previous photograph. Even the three windows at the top are still there. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)

The Panama Canal commissaries, together with the theaters and clubhouses, played an important role in the social life of the former Canal Zone.  They were vital elements of the sui generis social tissue created by George W. Goethals at the turn of the century.

Currently the Balboa Commissary is used by the Panama judicial system for clerical offices.    Good Day.

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Photograph of the Day: Misty Road

(Credit: G & A Scholiers in Belgium a.k.a. TouTouke)

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