stone knives and bearskins

from Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003)

stone knives and bearskins
 n.

   [from the Star Trek Classic episode The City on the Edge of Forever] A
   term traditionally used to describe (and deprecate) computing
   environments that are grotesquely primitive in light of what is known
   about good ways to design things. As in "Don't get too used to the
   facilities here. Once you leave SAIL it's stone knives and bearskins
   as far as the eye can see". Compare {steam-powered}.

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)

stone knives and bearskins

   (From the Star Trek Classic episode "The City on the Edge of
   Forever") A term traditionally used to describe (and
   deprecate) computing environments that are grotesquely
   primitive in light of what is known about good ways to design
   things.  As in "Don't get too used to the facilities here.
   Once you leave SAIL it's stone knives and bearskins as far as
   the eye can see".

   Compare {steam-powered}.

   [{Jargon File}]

   (1995-01-24)