Pluvi First Cold War/Atomic Energy kitsch and now 10-key calculator lust. The breadth of your preoccupations continues to astonish!
If you will give me your snail mail address, I can send you a copy of a Peacekeeper (MX) ICBM program orientation manual that I got when I worked on the program in 1985 - for your Cold War collection. Looking at it now, it's astonishing the detailed data in there that wasn't classified
When I took college chemistry in the dark ages, slide rules were no longer acceptable due to recent advances in technology. Hand calculators were so expensive that only the rich could afford them. The professor took pity on us poor geeks and left just such a machine outside his office door for homework calculations. It would be plugged in his office with the cord under his door. For security he would tie a knot in the cord on the inside so such a precious item could not be stolen. The cool thing was how the numbers would seem to move in and out in each tube as they changed. Thanks for the memory.
These comments have made me so happy! Reid, I'll be in touch; would *love* to have a copy of that stuff. Expect more science-related geekitude in the near future...hehe.
9 comments:
But are you geek enough for the Museum of Soviet Calculators??
You *so* win.
Nice. I like the Burroughs C3300 - nixie tubes! Connection to a wild man!
You are a serious geek John-- and I'm getting those "separated at birth" vibes again....
Pluvi
First Cold War/Atomic Energy kitsch and now 10-key calculator lust. The breadth of your preoccupations continues to astonish!
If you will give me your snail mail address, I can send you a copy of a Peacekeeper (MX) ICBM program orientation manual that I got when I worked on the program in 1985 - for your Cold War collection. Looking at it now, it's astonishing the detailed data in there that wasn't classified
When I took college chemistry in the dark ages, slide rules were no longer acceptable due to recent advances in technology. Hand calculators were so expensive that only the rich could afford them. The professor took pity on us poor geeks and left just such a machine outside his office door for homework calculations. It would be plugged in his office with the cord under his door. For security he would tie a knot in the cord on the inside so such a precious item could not be stolen. The cool thing was how the numbers would seem to move in and out in each tube as they changed.
Thanks for the memory.
These comments have made me so happy! Reid, I'll be in touch; would *love* to have a copy of that stuff. Expect more science-related geekitude in the near future...hehe.
Guilty as charged.
Your copy is already made - just send an address!
Post a Comment