I have a drawer where I keep different types of paper for my printer — 4×6 and 5×7 glossy photo paper, magnetic paper for the kids to play with, papers that can be folded into greeting cards, crispy resume paper, and larger glossy photo paper. I also had some transparency paper. 
You know, to make presentations to be used on overhead projectors.
Ok, guys and gals and unisex, raise your hands if you’ve watched or given a presentation in the past five years using overhead projectors and transparency paper. None of you? Oh, just one of you, way over there in the back. Just what I thought. I pity that fool in the back.
Since I hadn’t used an overhead projector in years and years (ever since Microsoft PowerPoint, laptops, and electric projectors became ubiquitous), there was only one place I could now store my blank transparency paper.
In the trash.
Bye bye, transparency paper. Adieu. Nice knowing you. Now scram. Git!
Seems overhead projectors have gone the same way as mimeograph machines. (Sidenote: I used mimeograph machines in the late 1980’s while a student at Cal State Northridge to print flyers and newsletters. Oh, I miss the smell — probably the only time I’ve ever gotten high in my lifetime.)
Strangely enough, I don’t feel a pang at the demise of overhead projectors and transparency paper. Too much fuss, too expensive, too bothersome to store. But yes, a lot less complicated to set up (unless, of course, the overhead projector bulb burns out). With laptops, you gotta know which key combination to press to show both the screen and the electric projector at the same time, plus connect several cables, plus find the right program to open. With overhead projectors, all you gotta do is flick the on-off switch. (And yes, adjust the mirrors and focus knobs on top.) But still, transparency paper? Please, get a life already.
Monochrom, an “art-technology-philosophy group,” even created a song / poem entitled “Farewell to Overhead.” I particularly liked these lines: “Now you are dead media / Looked up on wikipedia” — that’s exactly what I did!
Buh buh, overhead projectors and transparency paper. Don’t let the door hit you on your way out. Good riddance.
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Obituary:
Overhead projectors and transparency papers are survived by dearest companion projector screens.
LOL! Excellent obit!
Haha! I’d forgotten all about projector screens! you’re right, they survive to this day because we still use them. but I haven’t seen in a long while the old type that sets up like a tripod and then pulls up …
Into the trash? Did you know you could recycle unused transparency paper since it is classified as Type 1 polyester? Imaged transparency is another thing, but 3M has a program just for that. Just google “recycling transparency paper.”
Really? Whoops. I did take out the transparency pages from the paper containers and recycle the paper containers. Didn’t recycle the transparencies, though. And my trash got picked up earlier this morning (yes, on Labor Day!) … So, it’s literally bye bye transparency paper.
Being a teacher, I don’t like using transparencies. Waste of resources. Lucky, at both schools I’ve worked at, they have ELMO document readers (do a Google search for these). They transfer the exact image of whatever is projected — even from books — onto the screen via a LCD projector.
Although quite expensive, these document readers really do add up and save from the unnecessary expense of transparencies.
You could have let your two girls draw colored markers on these transparencies for fun.
*raises hand*
Well, hey, not every school those days is updated to the latest technology, don’t ya know? And they are quite convenient. I mean, what if there is no computer? No power point you can use? What if you don’t have a smartboard you can write on? Or even a board at all?
I think we should all try to keep in mind that access to resources are not the same for everybody. :)
Not to be picky but its actually called Transparency film or transparencies. However I agree with the last post, not all schools have the resources or the money so for a few more years at least transparencies are still needed.
The next time anyone decided to throw anything away, be sure and do a search to see if the item can be recycled or if its hazardous to throw in your regular garbage can or ask around your school or office and see if someone else can use the items.
Or sell them on ebay or craigslist!
or Freecycle it.
http://www.freecycle.org/
Or donate them to schools. Even when I was taking graduate classes at AU a few years back, two of my professors were still using the goddang thing! I bet some elementary schools haven’t tossed out the bulky light-bulby machines just yet. Also, many developing countries are still using technology that seem obsolete to us.
When it’s time to say “good riddance”, it’s also a good time to ask, “Wait, is this donate-able?”
I’m truly abashed by all the recycling comments and suggestions. And some folks are correct — overhead projectors are still being used in schools that do not have much resources. Thanks, all, and good luck!
a blog about throwing transparencies away?
am i the only one struck by how pointless this post is?
Could be, So Fly, or the whole point could be how new technology makes old (and beloved) technology obsolete — and how do we deal with the remnants of old technology?
I had the same problem when personal computers came along, because I had two working electric typewriters that I had used throughout high school and half of my college years.
Gritted my teeth and gave ‘em away to people who really wanted them, for free.
Just thought I’d add a humorous anecdote.. I have a boss who is technophobic. About 10 years ago, he finally “learned” how to use an overhead projector (about 30 years too late). Just last week he had to do a presentation to a large group of people, so he asked me to create a PowerPoint presentation for him. I learned long ago that its easier to just appease him than to say, “Learn it yourself!”…
Anyway, I made a 15 slide presentation for him, and then he asked me to print them out — full size and in color (which I did). He then took the presentation printouts to the copy machine, put in transparency film, and made overhead transparencies out of the PowerPoint presentation slides!!!!
I guess his presentation went well — overhead projector and all!!
Does anybody remember the 16mm projectors??