I Remember When...

[Yo ssi]

You should be happy.
I'm old enough, I don't want to be older. I still have a lot that I want to learn/do. I'm a bit under half of an average person's useable life. At times it gets me quite sad at the progress I've made.

Dear I say that's not true? Not just are you not close to half way through "usable life", the progress you made was meant to be exactly as it was, and believing in your future will make it happen as you wish it to be.

[yfr bachur]

As I was pondering the death of PPBP, thinking if anyone else might step in and save the day, I reminded myself of the days when a CC transaction involved the merchant placing the card in a device, putting a 3 copy form on top, moving a roller across to get the imprint, calling an automated system to get an authorization code (and sometimes actually needing to speak to a human for that) writing it on the form and obtaining a wet signature.

How many on DDF never saw anything of the sort?

I think my father still has his, and may even use it on occasion when the network is down

[zh cohen]

Pinskers in PIT was still using that within the past 15 years.

That's where I saw it, but significantly more that 15 years ago

[ExGingi]

Pinskers in PIT was still using that within the past 15 years.

POIDH 

[ExGingi]

I've never seen it or even heard of it until now.

You can actually buy one.

https://terminaldepot.net/products/aic-3785-full-size-manual-imprinter?sku=MANIMP3785
You can also find them (and the forms) on eBay.

And read about it here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/evolution-credit-card-machines-from-imprinters-modern-amber-sotherden

[YitzyS]

As I was pondering the death of PPBP, thinking if anyone else might step in and save the day, I reminded myself of the days when a CC transaction involved the merchant placing the card in a device, putting a 3 copy form on top, moving a roller across to get the imprint, calling an automated system to get an authorization code (and sometimes actually needing to speak to a human for that) writing it on the form and obtaining a wet signature.

How many on DDF never saw anything of the sort?

There was a rental car vendor in Lakewood using those not too long ago. Saw it there sometime over the last 10 years IIRC.

[Dan]

That's where I saw it, but significantly more that 15 years ago

Nope, was definitely after I got married. Email Brad and ask when he got rid of it. He also tried to pitch me some idea to syndicate DD at the time.

Probably still there somewhere.

[JMHO]

I remember when... JetBlue was a good airline!

[CountValentine]

As I was pondering the death of PPBP, thinking if anyone else might step in and save the day, I reminded myself of the days when a CC transaction involved the merchant placing the card in a device, putting a 3 copy form on top, moving a roller across to get the imprint, calling an automated system to get an authorization code (and sometimes actually needing to speak to a human for that) writing it on the form and obtaining a wet signature.

How many on DDF never saw anything of the sort?

Just had this done in PVR in February.

[ExGingi]

Just had this done in PVR in February.

Are they stuck in the 20th century there?

[CountValentine]

Are they stuck in the 20th century there?

Just a local shop. I am surprised I haven't seen unauthorized charges on the card.