On Tue, May 24, 2016 at 9:44 AM, Swift Griggs <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Tue, 24 May 2016, Charles Anthony wrote: > > "Older machines" covers a lot of ground..... > > Sorry, I should have said "machines from the 50's - 70's which used > buttons, toggles, rockers or other switches on the front panel" > > > Typically, there was a set of data switches (0/1 toggles) that could be > > set to an address or data value, and a set of command switches > > (momentary contact) that copied the data switches to some data register > > or memory. > > Did some of the machines have blinkenlights to show you what you were > doing so you could see the values you were inputting? Judging from how I > play guitar, I'd probably miskey and have to start all over etc... > Hah. Video of some toggling in a bootstrap... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIsZVqhaneo > > > The 709 had these massively over-engineered rocker switches, reminiscent > > of circuit breakers, and a reset switch which activated a electric motor > > in the console which physically set the switches back to 0. > > Heh, that sounds cool. Could you hear the motor running after hitting the > switch to activate it? > > Oh yes. *whir* *CLUNK* -- Charles
