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Post by drjohn on Oct 30, 2005 17:31:17 GMT -4
Well, if you recommend it, I'll definately get it.
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Post by JayUtah on Oct 30, 2005 18:52:44 GMT -4
The one important point Hall makes that bears on the hoax theory is the clear evolution of the AGC from earlier digital flight control systems. The AGC didn't just spring out of nowhere; it was a follow-on to earlier work, most of which the public has no clue about.
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Post by drjohn on Oct 31, 2005 8:27:23 GMT -4
The one important point Hall makes that bears on the hoax theory is the clear evolution of the AGC from earlier digital flight control systems. The AGC didn't just spring out of nowhere; it was a follow-on to earlier work, most of which the public has no clue about. Did you ever think or try to contact him and have him write a page or two for Clavius?
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Post by JayUtah on Oct 31, 2005 10:18:01 GMT -4
I hadn't thought to do that. I just figured I could get what I needed out of his book.
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Post by Obviousman on Nov 1, 2005 2:34:34 GMT -4
Quite amazing, when you think about it.
At High School, I used punched cards to programme.
When I started a Digital Engineering & Computers degree (which I sadly never finished), it was a PDP 11/70.
My first PC was a Tandy MC-10, with a whole 4K of RAM and a cassette tape "hard drive".
I still have a room full of 80, 150, 300 etc Mb hard drives; Socket 5 CPUs; RAM chips of various ratings and types. I figure someone will want them one day.....
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Post by nomuse on Nov 1, 2005 15:05:09 GMT -4
Sounds like my closet.
First computer I owned was a Kaypro IIx -- Zilog Z80 chip and 32 honking K of RAM. Before that was playing with my friend's programmable calculator. HP-65, I'm pretty sure Lovely beast. Had a Lunar Lander sim in one of those ROM sticks. First computer I ever saw was a breadboard monster, switch-entry and bulb-display, pure 8-bit binary. I don't know what the program memory was, but it couldn't have been much.
So I can still call out package numbers...7400 quad NAND, 7404 Hex Inverter, 7474 Dual J/K Flip-flop...but my memory no longer holds the pinouts for those chips. And I still build stuff with relays and cams at work (got a handmade light chaser we use every now and then).
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Post by JayUtah on Nov 1, 2005 16:39:03 GMT -4
Oh yeah? Well I had to program uphill in the snow. Both ways.
Fortran IV on punch cards on a "mainframe" that had less memory and CPU capacity than my cell phone does. I've got boxes and boxes of old computer parts. I had a dirt-poor student friend come over once and built two working computers out of parts.
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Al Johnston
"Cheer up!" they said, "It could be worse!" So I did, and it was.
Posts: 1,453
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Post by Al Johnston on Nov 1, 2005 17:31:29 GMT -4
Punch cards on t'mainframe? You were lucky! Back when we were predicting t'heliacal rising of Sirius on Stonehenge we had to move a thirty ton granite boulder if we found bug in t'program. By hand. Proper silicate chunk technology, that were. ;D
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Post by JayUtah on Nov 1, 2005 17:43:55 GMT -4
Punch cards on t'mainframe? You were lucky!
[yorkshire]And you try 'n tell that t'young kids today; they won't believe ye[/yorkshire]
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Post by Tanalia on Nov 1, 2005 20:31:38 GMT -4
Punch cards on t'mainframe? You were lucky! Back when we were predicting t'heliacal rising of Sirius on Stonehenge we had to move a thirty ton granite boulder if we found bug in t'program. By hand. Proper silicate chunk technology, that were. ;D Oh, you was lucky to have non-volatile memory boulders -- all we had was mud & sticks and had to reporogram the whole bloody mess after it rained. Or the beavers borrowed parts for their darn dam.
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Post by echnaton on Nov 1, 2005 23:14:32 GMT -4
Mud and stick, boy you guys were rich. My parents made my brother and me stand in the same position for years, just so they could mark the beginning of spring. All we had to eat was the grass that grew up to the height of our mouths. After I moved once, they build up a pile of garbage around me so I had to stay put. Sure it smelled, but the flies were a welcome change to my diet. My parents were tough, but I loved them.
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Post by sts60 on Nov 2, 2005 9:46:54 GMT -4
the flies were a welcome change to my diet.
Wait. You had meat and you were complaining?
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