Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 16 to 22 of 22

Thread: Computers

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Mackay Qld
    Age
    50
    Posts
    1,039

    Default

    Dot matrix was the bees knees compared to the daisy wheel printers. ehhh, whirrrr, chick, erhh. whirrr, chick.....
    Could print a whole letter in half an hour.
    Mick

    avantguardian

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Brisbane
    Posts
    0

    Default

    My first computer was an IBM 5100 http://oldcomputers.net/ibm5100.html
    Complete with 1/4" tape drive and built in monitor. I guess it was the equivalent of a notebook. And what was even cooler is that it could play the Star Trek game. It was a few years old when we got it.

    Peter
    The other day I described to my daughter how to find something in the garage by saying "It's right near my big saw". A few minutes later she came back to ask: "Do you mean the black one, the green one, or the blue one?".

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Mackay Qld
    Age
    50
    Posts
    1,039

    Default

    and weren't they cheap.
    Mick

    avantguardian

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Mount Colah, Sydney
    Age
    73
    Posts
    0

    Default

    Cut my teeth in first year Uni, on a punch card driven IBM360. Later in a second attempt at another Uni, it was a Burroughs mainframe

    Started playing on the HP 9825 in late '70s doing chemical reaction monitoring and reactor simulation modelling at work. Single 2" tape cartridge, with program on track 1 and data storage on track 2. Melted one with the constant scanning back and forth.

    Then was running one of the first spreadsheet programs on it in '82. (remember supercalc?)

    Later early IBM PC and XT, used as a data management system for factory records, and later as a programming interface for PLC run plant.

    Then the world as it is caught up, with Internet, email and Windows!
    Alastair

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Jun 1999
    Location
    Westleigh, Sydney
    Age
    78
    Posts
    1,332

    Default

    First desktop computer I used was an Olivetti Programma 101 in about 1968. From memory, it had 13 registers, some of which could be reduced in precision to give a few more registers. Program & data I/O was by magnetic card, and as with most machines of that time, often required multi-step processing.
    Quote Originally Posted by dai sensei View Post
    My first big job was writing software for the HP41C, the wis-bang fancy claculator with 2K of memory, at the time it was amazing
    In 1978, I wrote a hydrographic data processing system for a 64K machine, the HP9845. This was an amazing machine, and driving two plotters, a digitiser, two x 8" floppies, line printer, thermal printer & two x cartridge drives, it did things that up 'til then were only done on mainframes.

    While playing around with it, I wrote a program that would plot the bar codes for a HP41C (or was it HP41CV?) program if you typed in the code. You could then program the calculator by swiping with a bar code reader.

    Later on, I used a portable (if you had a coolie at your command) Kaypro, and various other early machines.
    Visit my website
    Website
    Facebook

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Tallahassee FL USA
    Age
    82
    Posts
    0

    Default

    The Kaypro was "portable" because it had a handle; weighed about 20 pounds, IIRC.

    Earlier, around 1980+, I had the full package for the HP41 (C?, CV? who knows?). I wrote a program for multiple moving loads on a "beam-on-elastic-foundation," for a boat repair facility. I set the machine running at 11:59am, and departed for lunch break. When I returned, I found the desk covered with paper tape. Lucky me, I did the post-processing by hand.

    Joe
    Of course truth is stranger than fiction.
    Fiction has to make sense. - Mark Twain

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Jun 1999
    Location
    Westleigh, Sydney
    Age
    78
    Posts
    1,332

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by joe greiner View Post
    I set the machine running at 11:59am, and departed for lunch break. When I returned, I found the desk covered with paper tape. Lucky me, I did the post-processing by hand.

    Joe
    Ah yes. We used to run flood routing programs on the Olivetti overnight - just make sure it has a new roll of paper, set it running & go home. Several times, a 'good samaritan' turned it off thinking we'd forgotten to.
    Visit my website
    Website
    Facebook

Similar Threads

  1. Aren't computers good
    By masoth in forum NOTHING AT ALL TO DO WITH RENOVATION
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 29th August 2007, 09:12 PM
  2. Computers..............
    By Iain in forum JOKES
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 29th July 2006, 07:36 PM
  3. computers eerrrr
    By dzcook in forum NOTHING AT ALL TO DO WITH RENOVATION
    Replies: 25
    Last Post: 29th March 2005, 12:43 AM
  4. I hate computers but....
    By chook in forum NOTHING AT ALL TO DO WITH RENOVATION
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 10th December 2004, 08:12 PM

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •