8 Aug
1999
8 Aug
'99
5:20 a.m.
Frank writes:
source). Given that I got that copy around 1982 or
so, I'd guess that
it was originally produced in the late 1970s and before the wide
deployment within HP of computerized tools for doing this sort of work
(TDP, HPDRAW, graphics terminals, plotters, laser printers, most of
which didn't really play together on HP3000s 'til about 1980-1983
or so). 2000E manuals and lab workbooks probably would be from the
same or an earlier date.
At least as far back as 1979 (when I joined HP), people were doing the
majority of their IMS (Internal Maintenance Specifications) as flat ASCII
files, using EDITOR (the simple-minded editor that came with the HP 3000).
Graphics, other than ASCII graphics, were unheard of.
However, I do remember printing a lot of IMS's out on the laser printer,
HP 2680, back around 1982 (perhaps earlier? we had an early EPOC (HP
2680 page printer). I simply avoided flowcharts :)
When the 2680 became available, there was an explosion in the amount
of printing in the lab!
Stan