I am from that generation. Makes me feel quite ancient (OK, I am a grandfather for over a year now ). That is one of the reasons I collect and restore tape recorders, I suppose. At the time I did make stuff with a relay only logic. In about 1983 I've designed a cassette deck electronics doing all kind of automated routines, including auto tape tuning, using 4000 series chips only, no microprocessors. On the other hand, I can not do any computer programming even now .
Cheers
Alex
I use to be fascinated with how "clever", the early cassette tape recorders became, a bit later. Even though they seemed to be entirely mechanical (ignoring the amp playback electronics), they could keep the tape speed constant (but may have been done by small transistors, built into the motor casing), perform auto-reverse at the end of the tape, and autostop when the end of the tape is reached (RR (Reverse) or FF (fast-forward) modes).
Some even had mechanical tape position counters, which were useful for knowing where your favorite music song positions were.
All those operations, just from one motor, and a number of mechanical push levers.
The earlier, "metal" construction cassette tape recorders, seemed to be the best. They were usually reliable, robust and very durable. Later on they seemed to be replaced by, cheaper mostly plastic mechanisms. Those tended to be relatively weak (easily broken), not durable or reliable. They were also semi-unrepairable, in my opinion.
I'm still amazed at the phenomenal pace of technological progress, that I've experienced.
So many things, have come and gone in my lifetime.
E.g. Home Video Recorders, going from virtually non-existent, up to very popular, going to obsolete, and becoming rarer by the day.
CD's/DVD's going from being non-existent to being popular, to being partly replaced by online/download sources.
Computers, going from being almost entirely non-existent (in peoples homes), to being popular, to being partly replaced by handheld devices. (I.e. the desktop PC is less popular these days).
Microwave ovens, going from being extremely rare in homes (in the UK), to being quite common place, these days.
We might need to get some of those engineering skills back, depending on how the future pans out.
The current situation, where other countries (especially China), make nearly everything for us. Is not necessarily going to be a successful long term strategy. As the history books have shown, time and time again.