4 Jun
2023
4 Jun
'23
8:28 p.m.
Rick Bensene wrote:
Earlier today, I wrote:
Please stop trying to discuss classic computers on the station wagons mailing list.
:-)
> Doubtful that VW Bug was on the Autobahn at
the time, and, while the advertisement was very
> novel with a full-on minicomputer in the back seat of a VW Bug, the amount of data
> potentially being transported was likely only 4K 12-bit words, or 48K bits.
> Since the machine had magnetic core memory,
the system would retain the content of its memory
> without power, so in this scenario, the VM Bug was actually capable moving data from
one
> point to another, albeit, not all that much data.
> Now, if the Bug had a trailer hitch, it could
tow a trailer behind it with a gasoline or
> diesel powered generator with sufficient capacity to run the PDP-8. If that were
the case,
> the machine could actually process the data in its memory while it was moving down
the
> road...something a station wagon full of reels of magnetic tape wouldn't be able
to do.
To which David Barto replied:
Are you suggesting some kind of, say, portable
computer?
Runs, dodging and weaving.
I'm not sure that you could fit a complete Model 33-ASR Teletype in the passenger
seat of
the Bug. I suppose if the Teletype was removed from its stand, it might be able to sit on
the
seat, and be powered by the same generator that runs the Straight-8. The Straight-8
came with a 110-baud
current-loop serial I/O interface, so it'd just be a matter of cabling it up to the
Teletype.
It'd be really hard to operate the machine while driving, for sure. It'd be far
worse than messing with a smartphone while driving :-/.
But, once stopped somewhere pleasant, you could actually develop programs using the
punched tape reader/punch on
the 33ASR. It'd definitely be an example of early "mobile computing".
(Tongue firmly in cheek).