I have been on this site for about 14 years.  I can see how much these technology do changes here.

Yeah, it's been a quite long time. Now when I think about it back in 2009 when I joined most active members were either from US or UK. I think we now have quite few more nationalities which is a good thing. Back then lots of people were grumpy about HPS replacing mercury and there was lots of negative opinions about HPS. Incandescent wasn't that popular topic and self ballasted CFL was like blue cheese, some loved it while others could not stand those. Still there was lots if interesting technical discussion about it. Oh, and fluorescent, it was everywhere back then.

The world has changed and so has the internet too.

I too remember when people said negative stuff about HPS, although I wasn't one of them. (And never will be.) HPS has always been one of my favorite. I was,
however, one of the members who didn't really like 34w lamps. Although I agree that they aren't good for the HPF Rapid Start ballast, my opinion changed
about that, and it's now one of my favorite kind of T12, aside from the full wattage 40w. Same with other energy saver lamps in terms of fluorescent,
specifically T12's.
I do definitely miss the days when fluorescent was everywhere. It made trips to stores WAYYY more exciting to me. Especially during the T12 days.

Oh yes, the famous 34W ballast burners. I always wanted to get few lamps and appropriate ballast to see was it really as bad as people said but never got any lamps due to shipping being problematic and expensive. Also all those stories of slimline EOL show made me think those slimline instant start lamps sounded really fancy. I did luckily get some 20W T12 Alto lamps and those are still some of my favorites in my collection. Apparently F20T12 wasn't worst model in Alto line but I could definitely see the weak spots people were complaining about(but still, those green endcaps are really nice looking IMO)

Yeah the 34w lamps are definitely notorious for burning up ballasts. I'm guessing it's the same for the Slimline Instant Start 60w and the HO Rapid Start 95w T12's, but regardless, those are still some of my favorites. Even those horrible 60w lamps.
I've heard stories about Slimline Instant Start, HO Rapid Start and VHO Rapid Start EOL's, but unfortunately I've never really seen either type of those eight footers EOL in person.
Fluorescent start ups and EOL's, followed by Metal Halide, HPS and MV start ups as well, also heightened my interest in lighting significantly.

Yeah, HPS, CFL, and T5/T8 fluorescent used to be viewed similarly to how LED is today. The energy saver T12s were also derided but most of the hate for those is tied to their poor performance in some situations and their tendency to cause older ballasts to overheat. Ironically all of those energy savers got discontinued and the only T12s one can buy new now are the full wattage ones.

Back then lots of people were grumpy about HPS replacing mercury and there was lots of negative opinions about HPS.

The orange cloud still looks like floating nuclear waste. As I had recently to note on a moonless night, thinking I could again try some long exposures. And lost the interest after seeing on the screen the result of the first attempt. It's still yellow everywhere, still not how it used to be 40 years ago.

Nevertheless – who would have predicted that sodium vapor would by 2024 indeed be on its way out and white light making its return?


What was actually the first picture I have posted here?

https://www.lighting-gallery.net/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-43397

Most of these lanterns, at least the row to the right, are still there, now with – you guessed it – LED retrofits. But there is no possibility for retaking the picture, which itself is meanwhile 21 years old, for another reason: The bridge from where it had been made is gone, removed without substitute.

Enough said.