If Its New It Must Be Better

IfItsNewItMustBeBetter or more important, or worth keeping.

This is called NeoMania by NassimTaleb?

This is a argument for preserving old things, and an illustration that just because something is new it is better, that the old must not be, and then can be discarded.

From another page:

A fifty year old encyclopedia may have lots of valuable information in it still, but lack of maintenance send these to the recycle bin.

I wrote the above because I picked up such a set from recycle bin. I like old things that are still useful, however I am in the minority and probably rightly so

In the case of people, new means young. All else the same, or similar, see who gets more opportunities in employment and attention and ... -- MicrosoftSlave

From a one hundred three year old Encyclopedia: 1910 (the images will change from time to time, different volume, different topic)

Early photographs

 * (remember this is from a 1910 encyclopedia)
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I for one am glad that I saved this from going to a recycle bin -> twenty nine volumes of what used to be considered important and vital. I still consider it to be both. -- DonaldNoyes

I agree. I have an 1892 EncyclopediaBritannica? which I find very interesting. Partially for the feeling of the era, but also it includes information that my newer Britannica leaves out in preference of newer information. And it is very useful for historical research, such as what towns were in my area back then (they've all merged together into a super-city with origins largely forgotten). You must have the ninth edition.

Painful memory

My wife discarded a complete set of "Science Encyclopedia" that I brought back from Denmark. They were published in the 1950s. Had some minor water damage, but still overall in great shape. They had artists conceptual drawings of what rocket ships and moon landers would look like. Had some of the clearest explanations (and the supporting math) for basic physical science topics that I've ever seen. She figured they were useless because ... they were old.

I'm glad she's not a librarian.

This is an example of others applying YAGNI to our own stuff.

A couple years ago I rescued a copy of The New Farmer's Rapid Calculator and Veterinary Hand-Book, 1908. Notice the 'New' in the title. I'm not sure what's "new," the farmer or the book. Well, it's the coolest little pocket book, particularly for OldUnits. Ear corn is 70 lbs to the bushel, barley is 48... The fermentable matter in the principal grains, fruits, etc., is as follows: Rice 78%; corn, rye, and spelt 70%; barley 68%; artichokes 17%... Civil Service Law: Every applicant must furnish proof of good moral character and good health... 3 inches make 1 palm, 4 inches make 1 hand, 6-1/2 tods make 1 wey of wool, 2-1/2 inches make 1 nail of cloth, 18 US gallons make 1 runlet, 2 pipes make 1 tun [yes, that's the spelling]... One cord of hickory wood and one ton of anthracite coal are equal in heating power... When your cow has leucorrhea or "whites" and what to do about it... -- ElizabethWiethoff

A tun being a large barrel, used to store liquids.

as in "mash tun" in beermaking, where the crushed grain sits in appropriate temperature water to extract the sugars. -- RonJandrasi, homebrewer.