Re: OT: When I was kid . . .


On Sun, 18 Dec 2005 09:21:32 -0600, Ken Cashion wrote:

> People forget that we went to the moon with slide rules. Hand
>calculators had not been invented. We had two main-frames at NASA and
>one talked to the other during flights. They did simple Newtonian
>math.
>
I still have my slide rules (both circular and linear), and more
imortantly, I can still use them.

> The computers in the spacecraft had brand new, modern Zilog
>80s. The same powerful units as later powered Radio Shack's TRS-80,
>of which, I still have three in good shape. Spacecraft had about 64K
>ram storage.
>
Which three Trash-80s do you have? I donated mine several years ago
to a computer museum.
I bought the TRS-80, Model-1, Level-1, 4K. Later I upgraded it
myself (proud of that) to a Level-2, 16K with keypad, and built a box
that monitored the tape loading level so that I could zero in the best
volume for each tape. Sure saved on errors and re-loads.
While I did do a lot of my own programming in both BASIC and Assembly
Language, I don't believe I ever owned a program that I didn't fiddle
with to suit me better. I learned a lot about programming by making
Level-2 programs run in Level-1 and casting off bells and whistles to
stuff larger programs into my 4K. I was extremely proud when I
figured out how to reliably convert the complex data arrays into
simple linear arrays - that opened up a lot of programs to me that
were just wishful thinking about running them.
And when the Commodore line came along I was dumbfounded (at first)
how they could do all they could do (sound, color, animation) with
just three registers, when my TRS-80 with 32 registers couldn't come
close to their display levels. :o)

> Can you imagine some one waiting on you in a store (in the
>U.S.) and saying the dreaded, "I am sorry. The computer is down." I
>can add up the list of stuff and do the taxes in my head while she is
>looking for the "reboot."
>
Yes, I can. I have suffered though it too many times (once was more
than enough).
While school taught me the math my maternal grandmother taught me the
practicality of using it as a doublecheck on the clerks in the stores.
I, too, can do the calculations in my head.
What I think is worse than the "The computer is down." is when it
ISN'T down and they have to depend on it to tell them how much change
to give. You can bet that before they get their hands on my money I
already know exactly how much change I am owed - thanks again to my
grandmother.
And just a small peeve about counting change - It irks me when they
count the amount of change rather than counting up from the purchase
price to the amount tendered. When the cash register/computer tells
them to give me $2.30 they count "one dollar, two dollars" and then
drop the coins in my hand "and thirty cents." I can't stand that. I
would much prefer, if the amount was $7.70 and I gave them a ten, to
continue with the $2.30 example, that they say/count "that's $7.70,
$7.75, $8.00, $9.00, and $10.00, thank you" as they hand me the
individual coins and bills. Too bad more of them don't remember the
"thank you." I tell them "you're welcome anyway" with emphasis on the
"anyway." I'll stop here before I ramble on about about cashiers
socializing while "waiting" on customers. :o)
I believe the main difference is in our day people cared about doing
a good job instead of just putting in the time until payday. On the
rare occasion I found someone like that today you can bet I tell them
how much I appreciate it and that their manager/supervisor hears about
it, too.

> How far away is Hell?
>
Just a lifetime away?

> How long does it take to get there?
>
Just a lifetime?

> How fast are we going?
>
At the speed of life?

> If we are not going to Hell, where are we going?
>
I've always been told there are two paths....

--
Dave (Rebuilding/Repairing from Hurricane Rita)
1979 Yamaha FG-365S, 2003 Yamaha YRS-24B,
Ibanez #70, Kay banjo & Feadóg Irish whistle.
.

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