The Amish, simple people work in the land,
a way of life that eschews the vain luxuries of modern technology, or does it?
We tend to think of the Amish and Mennonites as if they haven't changed at all in the past centuries,
but the reality is a lot more complicated. The Amish don't advocate the refusal of all technology.
More so, Amish culture generally supports a mindful approach of gradual adoption
based on principles of simplicity and practicality.
This means that a huge loophole exists for technologies that are primarily work-related.
Each community votes on its own rules, which can vary a lot from group to group,
but in some cases, they're allowed to use computers and even cell phones so long as they are kept
outside the home and are never flaunted. A small number of Amish began adopting computers
soon after they first became available to the mass consumer market in the mid 1970s.
A particular favorite was the word processor, then a type of hardware rather than software.
These were essentially electric typewriters and are hard to view as decadent or frivolous,
but as personal computers became more powerful, do-it-all machines and began to incorporate elements
for personal entertainment like music and games,
standalone office devices like the word processor plummeted in popularity.
By the late 1990s, most computer companies no longer manufactured them,
leaving the Amish without options. Enter Alan Hoover, an old order horse and buggy Mennonite
who worked with computer scientists and Amish leaders to build a computer that suited the needs
of Amish farms and businesses. But what does an Amish computer even look like?
The first computer made specifically for the plain people by the plain people
was the 2005 classic word processor,
an ad for which promised no modem, no phone port or internet connection,
no outside programs, no sound, no pictures, no games, no gimmicks, not even solitaire.
That sinister succubus of workday distraction. A big focus is on what features the classic didn't have,
but it did have a built-in keyboard and fold down eight inch full color screen,
as well as USB ports for file sharing and optional peripherals like a printer or a mouse.
The Amish typically avoid connecting to the power grid instead relying on pneumatic tools
or locally generated power by a diesel generators, water wheels or solar panels.
So the classic uses a battery rather than a wall plug.
In order to remove as many connected features as possible,
Hoover preloaded the computer with open source programs and then locked it from any further installation.
Among its features, the classic proudly counts its complete incompatibility
with all Microsoft computer programs. That's right, the Amish have computers
and they're using Linux. All this for the low cost of $798,
a fairly standard price for a low end computer of the era, albeit one that functions roughly like a PC
from five years prior, according to Hoover. Turns out that some customers are willing to pay a premium
for a computer that doesn't come packed with a bunch of nonsense features they don't want
and the sinful touch of Bill Gates. Further, these devices were incredibly durable and secure.
You might not be able to run Doom on it, but you won't have to replace it in four years either.
An ad for an updated version of the classic lists a 12 inch display,
dual core three gigahertz processor, four gigabytes of RAM and a 500 Gigabyte hard drive in 2014.
By then the classic had several competitors, including The Guardian, The Pioneer,
The Pleasant and The Plain Book, a laptop with no video, sound, internet or games.
But it does have a typing tutor, quick books, Microsoft Office, full facts functionality,
a PDF reader and a Bible reader and search program.
These plain computers aren't competing primarily based on power performance.
They're competing based on functionality, reliability
and compliance with the guidance of Amish bishops.
The key word here is trustworthiness. A modern version of the classic currently advertised
by the Plain Community's Business Exchange is the classic steward word processor,
which comes with a Linux based operating system, eight gigabytes of RAM, 120 Gigabyte solid state drive,
a 4.1 gigahertz processor and a copy of Libra Office
from 2017, perfect for inventorying your chickens.
As most businesses have become increasingly online, Amish business owners have had to follow suit,
adopting the internet in small measured ways. Some use a PC free email service
that allows them to receive emails in the form of a printout on their fax machine.
And when they wanna answer an email, they just fax right back.
A similar service even allows Amish to send faxes
to request a basic internet search. One sec, I gotta send out a fax
for hot singles in my area. Incidentally, you can't buy the classic
or most other plain computers on the internet. You have to call the dealer.
Sorry, Amazon. So thanks for watching guys. If you liked this video, hit like, hit subscribe
and hit us up in the comments, maybe letting us know what everyday technology
you'd prefer to live without and don't say tech wiki.