Front loading washers are nothing new - my folks had a Westinghouse front loading washer w/matching dryer that they bought in 1956. They were still working when we cleared out their estate and sold the house in 1995.
The front door on the washer did have to be left ajar so the water sitting in the seal would evaporate. Also, if the load got imbalanced that thing would just about jump off the floor during the spin cycle.
