19 May
2024
19 May
'24
11:39 p.m.
I hear you there!
I started out as a junior FE on the Univac 418 in 1971. Back then the
console was a modified TeleType and no problem seeing the characters as
the wove across the page at 10 cps!
Over my career, starting with 80x24 video terminals (VT05, VT52, VT100
and clones) I was excited as the video went MDA, CGA. VGA, XGA and all
the rest as resolutions increased.
Lately however I am decreasing the resolution so I can see the characters!
On the matter of the interest of the younger generation, I had 25 years
of teaching at the end of my career as a point of observation. I
frequently went into stories to explain how things that I taught matter
: To a question about why we need to learn about cycle times of machine
instructions, I recounted a story about a time i was called in to find
out why both 6800 processors that were monitoring SWR levels of multiple
25kW BDCST FM TXs were showing 'Computer Failure' after a lightning
strike on the CN Tower in Toronto. I looked at the source code,
calculated the cycle times, and worked out that the program was
executing exactly as planned - IIRC 13.5 ms for the loop. I put my
scope on the watchdog reset signal and saw exactly that time! (The
problem was that the designer was driving relays directly from TTL and
the system had never been powered down). Adding a transistor driver
solved the problem and stressed to the students the importance of
carrying knowledge of instruction times and basic electronics in their
toolbags!
From the above interaction, I got comments on my end-of-term faculty
feedback form ranging from 'he brings the theory to life' to 'he keeps
on going off into stories from the past that no longer matter'!
In one consulting contract i did, a young graduate was showing his
disdain for the past when another consultant pointed out that I had
already forgotten more than he will ever know about computer engineering!
Sometimes you can't teach them, I hope the remainder are able to carry
the torch!
As I get older (71 this year) I wonder if there are really enough people
in the world who care!
cheers,
Nigel Johnson
(Previously popularly known as Bill Johnson, MD of Emulex Canada 1984-1987)
On 2024-05-19 16:31, ben via cctalk wrote:
--
Nigel Johnson, MSc., MIEEE, MCSE VE3ID/G4AJQ/VA3MCU
Amateur Radio, the origin of the open-source concept!
Skype: TILBURY2591
Don't get your mind get old. It’s a choice.
My mind is fine, it the eyes that are going.
Screens are getting bigger and text is getting smaller.
I must be dreaming that.