20 Mar
1998
20 Mar
'98
8:55 p.m.
;-) Clearing the snow from my glasses, I saw Doug Yowza typed:
I know people collect calculators, but I just can't
imagine how it can
bring the same kind of satisfaction as computer collecting. You can't
really hack a calculator. They don't lend themselves very well to
restoration efforts. They can't do many tricks. And few of them have any
sort of personality (OK, I'll admit that HP tries pretty hard in this
area).
Uh, and what about that "grey area" of programmable calcs? Not only do they
have personality...
1) my trusty Casio programmable calc of 12 years ago that started me thru
college, may it R.I.P. is wholly program code compatible with my new(er)
9700 (icon-based screen, 32K RAM)...
2) The TI-59 had not only magnetic card storage, but also a ROM-card
library, (at least) one of which was a ROM of games... including an
interesting football simulation.
but in most (if not all) definitions of a computer, they fit.
Has anybody ventured a definition of computer that
allows us to weed out
mere calculators? How about:
Why? As you seem to be less interested in calcs, it seems many on this list
may be as interested, and if they do fit the definition of a computer, why
can't they be included? The absolute definition of a computer as I remember
it goes thusly:
"An instrument which can perform arithmatic and logical functions without
the aid of a human."
Which to me would:
exclude sliderules (tho the thread on here I found *very* interesting and
enjoyed),
include mechanical / analog computers,
(to me) exclude basic / 4-function calcs (some folks think carrying &
single-memory storage encompass logical functions... I disagree)
include programmable calcs... (heavens, my Casio calc has more memory than
my Tandy 200... Goodness!)
Granted, these points are primarily moot, for the definition of a computer
as to be used on this list would need to be defined by Mr. Bill Whitson,
the (still) owner of this list.
* must be programmable
* must be general purpose
* must have alphanumeric input capabilites
* must have alphanumeric display capabilites
My New Casio fits all these descriptions (but is not 10 years old), my old
Casio fits all and is old too, and (with a slight stretch for input) so
does my TI-59.
Unfortunately, this would mean that an Altair isn't
a computer until you
add a terminal, but it keeps those pesky HP-65's out of the group.
By your definition, adding a terminal to an altair would not turn it into a
computer... for the computer is only performing I/O on an RS-232. The
terminal is doing the displaying. To fit your definition, you would need to
add a dedicated keyboard & video board to said Altair...
So, you've successfully excluded Altairs, but included Casio calculators...
Or is this just an HP vendetta???? :-)
Just my (awkward) views...
Roger "Merch" Merchberger
--
Roger Merchberger | If at first you don't succeed,
Owner, MerchWare | nuclear warhead disarmament should
zmerch(a)northernway.net | *not* be your first career choice.