You guys bring up memories. I think I was a bit behind you. My first
experience at school was with an IBM 360 at the Univ. of Mich., running
a proprietary language known as MAD (Michigan Algorith Decoder), plus
the usual COBOL/SNOBOL/Fortran, etc. I remember punch cards and batch
output (what a pain), but I was able to cheat because I had a EE class
where the prof gave us access to his account using the TeleType Model 28
terminals in the EE bldg., so needless to say, I didn't use up much of
my allotted time for the computer classes to get my programs debugged ;-)
My first experience with a mini was with a Data General Nova II, with
paper tape I/O (plus front panel switches, of course). The thing had 16k
of core memory, and a "huge" hard drive of 64k. The drive weighed about
100 lbs, and was pressurized with helium. We had a big tank of
industrial grade helium that we could re-pressurize with when we had to
open it up for maintenance... and of course we all had to inhale it and
talk funny.
Larry N8LP
Mike Morrow wrote:
Kevin wrote:
The memories are good ones but I realize the kids working
the store were not born when those computers were first
considered obsolete.
I spent many a happy evening with Ga. Tech's Univac 1108 scientific mainframe 35 years ago, and their older but clever stack machine known as the Burroughs B5500.
Later, as a EE grad student at U of Arkansas after leaving the Navy, I learned about IBM's famous
System 360/370. How many people today remember the "Houston Automatic Spooler Program
(HASP)" or would understand a bumpersticker that read "Honk if you love JCL!"
Today, we are most of us computer appliance operators, who learn application
programs, but know little about the hardware and firmware beneath the
application.
73,
Mike / KK5F
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