The first time I ever saw....

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

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

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

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

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

I saw my first e-reader whilst on holiday in Turkey in 2009. The guest on the sun bed next to mine had it my curiosity got the better of me and we got into conversation. He worked for the company which made them, Sony I think. I had no desire to own one at the time but now would not be parted from my Kindle. The only drawback is that you can't see what other people are reading from the cover of the book, but then I'm nosey like that.

I saw my first cinema movie in 1968 in Perth (Scotland) it was Oliver with Ron Moody/Jack Wild/Oliver Reed etc. I was 8 and to this day though I have seen it many times over the years I can still remember how I felt when the jewels fell in the river, the sparkle & colours in the film were just beautiful. Effects and cinema have changed considerably but that is a lasting memory.

I saw my first mobile phone brick when a pretentious friend brought one into the pub. The following week a friend and I had our own phones - I was a mature student and she was married to a striking miner - so we had very little money. We tapped the 'friend' on the shoulder and told him there was a call for him on our phone. We had made a tin can and string phone and attached another can as an 'extension'. He did see the funny side though.
I also used an early single-line display wordprocessor and worked in a secretarial room in a university. Some of the lecturers were amazed as the 'daisy wheel' went back and forth printing each line of text. I told a couple of them that we had to type every other line backwards so that it would print correctly. Some Academics can be so gullible!

I remember seeing Cds on Tomorrows world and thinking how amazing it was.
They will be gone soon with streaming on the up.
It makes you feel old, when you think about it

It must have been in the early 50s or even the late 40s when my Dad came home from work with the first Biros - the genuine articles from which all the ballpoints we now use are descended. It was remarkable to us that there was a pen that wouldn't blot or get our fingers inky and didn't need constant re-fills.

First non horse-drawn milk float outside my granny's house. They still look very modern to me.

I think it was 1966 when I saw a colour television for the first time in the home of a school-friend. I remember thinking how odd the colours were - faces were brick red and all blue colours had a greenish tint.

I saw a car phone the year after when I was an au pair in a vet's family. I remember thinking my father who was a doctor could do with one - he kept his book of home visits in duplicate, so the one book lay by our phone, so we knew which patient to try and contact (if they had a phone) if there was an emergency while he was out on home visits.

The first time I ever saw.... a person of colour was in '55/'56. A trip to London with my Dad and little brother, preparing to go down an escalator in a tube station when to our left a tall thin chap in a hat slowly rose into view. "daddy, daddy that man's face is black!" Dad grinned and shrugged apologetically at the man, who bent towards me and smiled. I hope I was able to smile back but I'm not sure I managed to.

My first photocopier at secretarial college in the mid 70's (found that amazing!). My first glimpse of colour TV at a friend's house in the earlier 70'so. My first glimpse of topless sunbathing in Majorca early 80's (I'd led a sheltered existence so quite taken aback!).
I still have and use our first microwave bought in early 80's - it cost us £300! I still have the receipt too! Nowadays a similar one would cost less than a third of that.

I saw yogurt for the first time when staying with my much older cousin for the week - her milkman delivered it, and she gave me a blackurrant flavour to try. They were sold in small chunky glass jars - I think milkmen also sold orange juice in similar cotainers - and I thought it was absolutely delicious. I have eaten it almost daily since, but none compare with that lovely solid rather tart yogurt with pieces of blackberry that I first tried, aged about seven.

At my dad's place of work I saw my first computer end of 60s or beginning of 70s. It took up a whole room but my dad said it wouldn't matter because only big organisations would need them! I also remember him bringing home the first pocket calculator to show us. He said it cost £40 (more like £400 nowadays) and we had to be very careful with it.

We bought our first video recorder in the mid 80’s. We were all fascinated by it not just the kids. I remember they used to record bits of programmes just for the novelty of playing them back. We found a film to rent that we had seen in the cinema - unbelievable watching it at home!

I saw my first digital camera at Warwick Castle. The person using it was holding it way above his head.

I saw my first colour TV at a schoolfriend's house in about 1970. I remember the colour was very unnatural with orange faces etc - a bit like watching David Dickinson! I had no desire to have colour as a result and our familuy didn't get one for many years.
I first saw a bidet when viewing a house when looking to move - we didn't buy it - but first had one we could use in a holiday home in Italy. I have picture somewhere of my young son, then about 6, sitting in the 'Bum Washer'!

The first time my very young son saw an African was when a trainee came to preach at our church. I was busy setting up the music for the service and he wandered up to the man and asked him "Why are you so black?" The preacher replied with"Why are you so pink?" He then mentioned the encounter in his sermon referring to my son as 'my young friend Joshua.' I blushed scarlet and he noticed and said "Ah, you are his mother!" We became good friends in the end.

annodomini I remember getting my first ballpoint pen out of my Christmas pillowcase around that time. So exciting.

My first tv was when my father bought one in time for Queen Elizabeth II coronation. I believe it had a 9" screen and was fixed on high shelf, as all the neighbours came in to watch. I was still very young, but I remember a lovely day. It was, of course, black and white.

Bellanonna ref bananas. I had never seen or tasted a banana. I’m not sure that I had even heard of one. Someone told me to close my eyes, and open my mouth, then fed me a chunk of horribly sticky and over-ripe banana. I was almost sick, and still hate the things.
I remember my first sight of a bright red apple, during the war. Our school received some boxes as a gift from Canada. I was used to seeing our bog-standard Cox’s etc. I was presented with this beautiful shiny red apple, and felt like I had been given a precious jewel. I can remember rushing home to show my family the lovely gift, but can’t remember eating it. Maybe someone else got to it first!

jocork. I was also embarrassed, no, I was mortified when I took my young children to Liverpool when the Pope visited. They had never seen a person of colour in our little town. When a very black lady came to stand by us my little son stared, then turned to me and said, loudly, “What’s that?” I was speechless! Luckily the lady found it amusing.

I’ve remembered another ‘ first’, which nobody else seems to remember! The Royal Bank of Scotland sent me a ‘Cashline Card’. You took it to a ‘ hole in the wall’ machine ( I think there were about ten all over Glasgow) which dispensed a 5 pound note and five 1 pound notes. The machine kept the card, which was posted back to you.

We were staying with friends for the weekend. The husband always had the first of whatever the latest gadget was. He announced that he had used his new camcorder (?) to film their Christmas morning and was about to share it with us.

OH suddenly remembered that the car needed petrol and vanished. Most of it was mind numbingly boring but some bits were hilarious although it would seem rude to laugh! Both sets of grandparents (who eventually contributed to their divorce), our friends plus three children all wearing pyjamas and dressing gowns. The room was gloomy and it was hard to see much at all so Grandad picked up the standard lamp to use as lighting but the cord was only about 4’. He kept falling over his own feet and pulling the plug out of the wall!

Can remember glaring at OH when he appeared a couple of hours later (he must have gone to drill for the petrol) but later conceded it would have been harder to keep a straight face if he had been with me.

My OH said he had a Saturday job in a greengrocers in London's West End in the very early 70s. His boss went out for lunch and he pick up an avocado pear from the display thinking it was some sort of exotic sweet pear and bit straight into it and promptly spat it out!