OK, here's some pre-WWW nostalgia for vintage nerds in cryptic phrases. Do you get them? Can you add any?

Reader reply cards
Databooks
Radio Shack catalogues
Heathkit catalogues

 

Printed Digi-Key catalogs the size of a phone book
Printed application notes from semiconductor mfgrs
Monthly visits by semiconductor mfgr's customer reps
Industry rags like Electronic Design, Design News, EDN, etc. on paper

 

Printed Digi-Key catalogs the size of a phone book
Printed application notes from semiconductor mfgrs
Monthly visits by semiconductor mfgr's customer reps
Industry rags like Electronic Design, Design News, EDN, etc. on paper

EE Times too, controlled circ pubs with "applications" to subscribe.
NASA Tech Briefs!

Hmm... Technitool catalog too.

 

Oh, and of course, BBSs
FidoNet (still around, it seems!)
CompuServe
BIX
Xmodem and the like
Gopher
Kermit
Archie
Veronica

 

While working in San Francisco I filled out every postcard application that I could find. Just for fun. Every afternoon I would grab an issue to read on the train home (BART). Then toss it in the bin upon arrival unless it was something actually interesting. I got on a bunch of security mailing lists somehow and then started receiving cop equipment catalogs. I guess I could have bought a lock picking set but never did. Interesting culture that.