Bruce Kidd with his old computer that has Windows 98

"There's nothing wrong with it. It still goes," said Bruce, of Lakelands.

"It has Windows 98, which was put on later as an upgrade from Windows 95."

Bruce, 76, doesn't connect to the internet, citing concern over hackers.

He decided against upgrading to a new computer because he's used to the one he has.

"I don't like change too much," he said.

Plus, he prefers a computer that he can control, rather than the other way around.

He mainly uses the computer as a typewriter and to play Klondike, a solitaire card game.

When he taught at Tighes Hill TAFE, he used the computer for lesson notes and preparation.

Bruce's daughter Debbie Rae said the photo showed that he still uses the mouse pad that she bought from NASA in 1996.

She said her dad sticks to "the simple life when it comes to technology".

Bruce does have Foxtel and also a smartphone, but he doesn't use it to surf the net.

"I have my wife's second one. She has the later model, I have the older one," he said.

There was a time, though, when he was up with modern technology trends.

"I had the brick phone when it first came on the market. It was in a carry case," he said.

Nowadays, he doesn't like being sucked in by companies to buy more and more.

"We used to repair appliances. Now people put them out the front of their house. It's a shame when you see these kerbside throw-outs. It's staggering what's lost."

Can anyone beat Bruce's effort for getting maximum use out of a product?

Let us know at topics@newcastleherald.com.au.

Bruce Kidd would, no doubt, be a fan of the Right to Repair movement.

This movement has been gaining traction around the world, with people sick and tired of companies deliberately designing products that aren't made to last and can't be easily repaired. Apple is firmly in the sights of this movement.

Olympics football commentator Andy Harper - who played for Newcastle United - made a reference to Nobbys in the Olyroos' 2-0 win over Argentina on Thursday night.

Harper noted that the two goalscorers in the Olympics match "weren't sighted off Nobbys as Olympic candidates". In other words, they weren't favourites to be playing. We hadn't come across that saying before.

One of the goalscorers was Lachlan Wales, of Terrigal on the Central Coast.

This photo shows Wales coaching kids at Gosford Football Club's academy a few years ago. Harper noted that another of the Olyroos players - Connor Metcalfe - played youth football in Newcastle.

The Olympics should be a nice distraction from the plague, don't you think?

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