What are the really unusual or weird computers? - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

26 Jun 2007

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Subject: Re: What are the really unusual or weird computers?
   From: "Liam Proven" <lproven at gmail.com>
   Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2007 16:36:50 +0100
     To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at
classiccmp.org>

On 25/06/07, Chuck Guzis <cclist at sydex.com> wrote:
> On 25 Jun 2007 at 18:14, Liam Proven wrote:
>
> > I am a biker myself - pedal and motorcycles both - and don't know much
> > about cars, but I don't believe I've ever seen a car with a starter
> > button. Maybe in a museum.
>
> Liam, you must not be old enough.  Most cars made before 1951 or so
> had one--I clearly recall the one on my aunt's 1950 Hudson. 
My brother had a '69 baracuda when a few performance mods that the ignition lock
was only to "enable" it and the button for the starter was under the dash
where a foot could do it.  Securtity by obscurity.

...
 But American cars are /weird/ compared to the rest of
the world. (I
live in Europe and have travelled extensively there, grew up in Africa
and have visited Asia as well as N America.) 
Really!  I had a Saab that had a three cylinder engine that burnt 
two cycle mix (oil in gas) like an old outboard.  If that wasn't 
weird enough starting was turn on ignition, set choke and pull cord.
Yes  it had a pull cord to start it no electric starter.

...
 Automatic transmission seems ubiquitous, which AFAICT
is pretty much
unique to N America, /but/ most people still drive these huge,
tank-like petrol-guzzling monsters, whereas the rest of the world
(that can afford new cars at all) prefers smaller, lighter, more
efficient machines which cope better with traffic and produce less
waste and environmental damage - though that's incidental to their
owners for the large part, what matters is that they are cheaper.) 
I drive a toyota small pickup 2.2liter engine (smallest) and dirt 
cheap to feed and lots of room for racks!  Great for gathering 
system and all.

...
 It's too fiddly that way, but then, I mainly drive
Windows with the
keyboard anyway. And since I prefer and use 20yo IBM Model M
keyboards, I don't have a Windows key, either - so it's Ctrl-Esc, up,
return, return. :?) 
I do that and people watching are amazed it's possible!  Really 
helpful when the mouse quits or worse isn't recognized for some 
odd reason.  I just wish someone would make a PC keyboard without
the numeric keypad at all, just slice it off to the right of the 
cursor keys and get rid of four inches of wasted space.

Allison