Anything that tried to bring smells to the desktop. 😀

Modems.

Zup wrote:

https://i2.wp.com/www.clipset.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/ibuddy.gif i-Buddy and the like: There was a time that they were in […]
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i-Buddy and the like: There was a time that they were in every computer shop in the world. Small toys that flapped wings, move arms or show lights when you received messages on MSN Messenger... Why? Were they useful? Aren't IM apps annoying enough on their default settings? Do they work in Windows 10 or with modern IM apps like telegram or whatsapp?

I've never seen that before. Was I under a rock?
Seems like a cute idea though. I suppose novelty was the main reason people would buy them.
Practical benefit? It might do a better job getting your attention when you're away from your desk (presuming it's alerting you to messages that need prompt attention, and not just anything and everything). It would also mean you could turn the monitor off.
But in real usage I imagine it would get triggered too often and end up annoying or ignored.
I could see maybe liking something like that if I could tightly filter what messages it reacts to, and be able to easily turn the whole thing on and off.

I was an ICQ guy, I've never heard of iBuddy either. What year was it around? Perhaps Apple tried to surpress it given its naming convention 😵

Here's my contribution: DiscDr/SkipDr...

ISDN modems first! I never knew anybody that owned them when they were a thing. I also moved from 56k crap winmodem to a LAN cable. God i loved my 33k US.Robotics, it was definetly faster then those 56k winmodems.

Cyberdyne wrote:

ISDN modems first! I never knew anybody that owned them when they were a thing. I also moved from 56k crap winmodem to a LAN cable. God i loved my 33k US.Robotics, it was definetly faster then those 56k winmodems.

The Lucent based 56k winmodems were the only ones I could ever get to connect at close to advertised speeds.

A lot of the problem with them from what I gathered back then was that the phone lines and the connections on the other end were not up to snuff for 56k... mostly the phone lines.

My contribution to the list would be RDRAM.

Cyberdyne wrote:

ISDN modems first! I never knew anybody that owned them when they were a thing. I also moved from 56k crap winmodem to a LAN cable. God i loved my 33k US.Robotics, it was definetly faster then those 56k winmodems.

Using ISDN was the mark of a serious gamer in the dialup era. I knew a couple of guys who did it. Expensive though.

I don't think RDRAM and ISDN qualify for this list. There are people that still try to obtain RDRAM motherboards and memories and do some builds. On the other hand, ISDN modems are not forgotten but mostly useless today (I mean, people don't buy them because they can't be used anymore).

Two more contenders...

Computer/monitor/keyboard/printer dust covers: Back in the 80s, PC and XT clones were cheaper than their IBM counterparts but still an expensive item in most homes. So they should be cared to avoid early failures... what about covering them so no dust get inside? Still you can buy some new or NOS computer covers in some shops... but I guess that nobody make an XT build and buys some kind of cover to get that "correct era" look. On a second thought... do you use this covers when you have computers in storage?

Screen filters: If all those stories about radiation coming from CRT screens were true, most of us would be blind or be a green glowing mutant. But there was a time when this filters were on almost every CRT display was equipped with one of those filters (I mean the "transparent" kind, not the privacy one). Attributes: radiation -??, reflections +4. Yes, the most visible effect of this filters was that they were slightly less reflective than a mirror. You could see everything at your back... and most sources of light (windows, lamps) were annoying. What are your approach with screen filters? Do you buy them for your old CRT monitors? If you buy a CRT and get a filter... do you keep it or trash it? In any case, it's funny how they are returning in the form of "anti-blue light" screen protectors...

Bonus track:

Anti radiation plants: It seems that not only our monitors produce harmful radiation, but computers do as well. So some years ago, many gardening and flower shops were selling plants that supposedly fought these radiations. There are many kinds, but most of them were of the cactus kind. Anyone bought one of these? Did you need different plants for AMD or Intel computers?

The unforgettable one:

A cat over your monitor: This items can not be bought anywhere but can be easy to obtain, and there are many models to choose from. A CRT monitor is a warm (mostly) horizontal place to rest, and most cats feel comfortable with them. When I was a kid, I had a ZX Spectrum and my cat used to be with me on my gaming sessions. It was so lazy that my computer shut down routine included removing it from the TV. Later, my girlfriend also had one, but when she bought her first LCD screen discovered that the hardware was incompatible (it was too thin for a cat).

EDIT: I've added more photos to the first post... how can I resize those photos so they don't break the thread?

Now that you mention it, the computer room in my school was full of plants. It was the only classroom like this. I guess now I know why.

Handheld scanners.
Printer stands and or covers for noise.
Keyboard covers.
Those device labeled power strips CRT monitors used to sit on.
Power supply line out plugs that you used to connect your monitor to so when you power up the machine the monitor powered up as well.
Drawing pads.
Mini keyboard vacuums.

Anti-glare screen protectors. As I recall, it just forced me to crank up the brightness and contrast all the way so my games weren't too dark anymore.