11 May
2003
11 May
'03
2:20 p.m.
On Sun, 11 May 2003, Bill McDermith wrote:
I was working at NASA at the time (GSFC bldg 26, National Space Sciences
Data Center). We were NOT part of the moon mission, although we
occasionally shared 360-9x access with them. FORTRAN. We used punch
cards. a LOT. And we used a LOT of tapes. We used a 360-30 for I/O to a
7094. And we used selectric terminals with a time-sharing service for
APL. We used slide rules a bit. But we had a calculator! It had a 5?
inch CRT, and was on a typewriter cart, to let a lot of people share it.
In another job (environmental systems analysis) in early 1972, before HP
and TI were out, I used a 4 function "pocket" (BIG pocket!) calculator.
I was listed in contract bids as "head of computer systems", because the
calculator was kept in my desk drawer and because I did some miscellaneous
FORTRAN programming.
People went to
the moon on simple
technology built using sliderules.
Hmmm. In the case of the "went to the
moon" at least all the data I
could find in ten minutes
on the internet show this false (I knew this, but wanted data -- always
best to do a quick
google before you say something in _this_ forum...) -- the spacecraft
had computers (these
are still occasional converstions on this list about the apollo
compters) and the ground control
system was one of the largest operating computer systems at the time...
From a nasa site:
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/computers/Ch8-3.html
and plenty more from the same location.... BTW: Is a slide rule considered a "Classic
Computer"? Is there still a
forum around about these?
What IS the definition being applied? What grounds are being used to
exclude an abacus? I would guess that there are many that are still in
use for HUNDREDS of years.
BTW: punch cards? I have heard (unsubstantiated) that there are some
ancient Jacquard punch card looms still in active use.