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the Amish simple people work in the land

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a way of life that eshoes the vain luxuries of modern technology or does it

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we tend to think of the Amish and Mennonites as if they haven't changed at

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all in the past centuries but the reality is a lot more complicated the

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Amish don't Advocate the refusal of all technology more so Amish culture

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generally supports a mindful approach of gradual adoption based on principles of

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Simplicity and practicality this means that a huge loophole exists for

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technologies that are primarily work related each Community votes on its own

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rules which can vary a lot from group to group but in some cases they're allowed

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to use computers and even cell phones so long as they are kept outside the home

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and are never flaunted a small number of Amish began adopting computers soon

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after they first became available to the mass consumer Market in the mid 1970s a

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particular favorite was the word processor then a type of Hardware rather

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than software these were essentially electric typewriters and are hard to

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view as decadent or frivolous but as personal computers became more powerful

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do it all machines and began to incorporate elements for personal

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entertainment like music and games Standalone office devices like the word

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processor plummeted in popularity by the late 1990s most computer companies no

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longer manufacture them leaving the Amish without options enter Alan Hoover

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an old order horse and buggy Mennonite who worked with computer scientists and

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Amish leaders to build a computer that suited the needs of Amish farms and

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businesses but what does an Amish computer even look like before we get

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into that we turn to our high tech sponsor brilliant brilliant is a

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techwiki will get 20 off an annual premium subscription the first computer

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made specifically for the plane people by the Plain people was the 2005 classic

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word processor an ad for which promised no modem no phone port or internet

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connection no outside programs no sound no pictures no games no gimmicks not

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even Solitaire that's sinister's succubus of workday distraction a big

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focus is on what features the classic didn't have but it did have a built-in

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keyboard and fold down 8-inch full color screen as well as USB ports for file

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sharing and optional peripherals like a printer or a mouse the Amish typically

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avoid connecting to the power grid instead relying on pneumatic tools or

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locally generated power via diesel generators water wheels or solar panels

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so the classic uses a battery rather than a wall plug in order to remove as

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many connective features as possible Hoover pre-loaded the computer with open

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source programs and then locked it from any further installation among its

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features the classic proudly counts its complete incompatibility with all

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Microsoft computer programs that's right the Amish have computers and they're

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using Linux all this for the low low cost of 798 dollars a fairly standard

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price for a low end computer of the era albeit one that functions roughly like a

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PC from five years prior according to Hoover turns out that some customers are

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willing to pay a premium for a computer that doesn't come packed with a bunch of

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nonsense features they don't want and the sinful Touch of Bill Gates further

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these devices were incredibly durable and secure you might not be able to run

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doom on it but you won't have to replace it in four years either an ad for an

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updated version of the classic lists a 12-inch display dual core three

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gigahertz processor 4 gigabytes of RAM and a 500 Gigabyte hard drive in 2014.

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by then the classic had several competitors including the guardian the

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Pioneer the pleasant and the plain book a laptop with no video sound internet or

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games but it does have a typing tutor QuickBooks Microsoft Office full fax

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functionality a PDF reader and a Bible reader and search program these plane

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computer aren't competing primarily based on power performance they're

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competing based on functionality reliability and compliance with the

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guidance of Amish Bishops the key word here is trustworthiness a modern version

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of the classic currently advertised by the Plain communities business exchange

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is the classic Steward word processor which comes with a Linux based operating

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system eight gigabytes of RAM 120 gigabytes solid-state drive a 4.1

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gigahertz processor and a copy of Libra office from 2017. perfect for

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inventorying your chickens as most businesses have become increasingly

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online Amish business owners have had to follow suit adopting the internet in

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small measured ways some use a PC free

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email service that allows them to receive emails in the form of a printout

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on their fax machine and when they want to answer an email they just faxed right

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back a similar service even allows Amish to send faxes to request a basic

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internet search one sec I gotta send out a fax for hot singles in my area

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incidentally you can't buy the classic or most other playing computers on the

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internet you have to call a dealer sorry Amazon so thanks for watching guys if

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you liked this video hit like hit subscribe and hit us up in the comments maybe letting us know what everyday

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technology you'd prefer to live without and don't say techwiki