Think about the things that are obsolete because of the smartphone. The portable radio, video camera, alarm clock, compass and calculator, to name a few. You don’t need those things anymore because they (and a hundred other things) have been replaced by that little device in your pocket. Now, think about starting a car. In 1950, you had to push in the clutch, turn on the ignition switch, hold the accelerator pedal down halfway and press the starter button. If it was cold, you had to set the choke as well. Today, you press the remote start button on your key fob twice.
If you look at where we are today in the water well industry, you’ll see many designs that date back decades. If you compare a standard control box for a 4-inch submersible pump from 1955 with one made in 2016, you’ll see that they both have a relay, two capacitors and an overload. Sure, the boxes are a bit smaller, they cost less and are likely much more reliable, but they are still essentially the same.