This isn’t completely nixie related but of all people the folks on this list will most likely understand and appreciate what I have to say. It is about a recent exchange I had with ChatGPT3. [TL;DR: about history of technology]
I’ve spent the last couple of years working on a couple of alarm clocks. One was going to use IV-9's but then Moses came up with his very nice IV-9 kit. I built it even though it had no alarm. The other alarm clock I wanted to design was based on the thought that the way technology developed there is no such thing as a consumer transistorized alarm clock. (So, that’s the first point: if I’m wrong about this please stop me now!) It takes too many parts to make one. The synchronous motor was well established and made into many inexpensive clocks. The only change to clocks in the time period I have focused on was a modernization of synchronous motor clocks to use flip numbers instead of a dial. The economics of making a transistorized alarm clock as a consumer product were so bad it was barely given a thought. And yet the following is an exchange I had with ChatGPT3 while researching alarm clocks: Me: Has there ever been a transistorized alarm clock (no integrated circuits)? If not why not? ChatGPT: Yes, transistorized alarm clocks without integrated circuits have existed. Transistor technology predates integrated circuits, and many electronic devices, including alarm clocks, transitioned from vacuum tubes to transistors before the widespread adoption of integrated circuits. Transistors were developed in the late 1940s, and by the 1950s, they began replacing vacuum tubes in various electronic applications due to their smaller size, lower power consumption, and increased reliability. Transistors were used in alarm clocks to replace the bulky and power-hungry vacuum tubes, making the clocks more compact and energy-efficient. The transition from transistors to integrated circuits happened later, in the 1960s and 1970s. Integrated circuits provided a further reduction in size and power consumption and allowed for more complex functionality within a single chip. However, during the era of transistorized alarm clocks, integrated circuits were not yet as prevalent or cost-effective as they later became. In summary, transistorized alarm clocks were common before the widespread adoption of integrated circuits, as transistors offered advantages over vacuum tubes. The progression from transistors to integrated circuits occurred as technology advanced, enabling more features and miniaturization in electronic devices. Me: Name one commercial transistorized alarm clock? ChatGPT: One example of a commercial transistorized alarm clock is the "Bulova Transistor Radio Alarm Clock" from the 1960s. Bulova, a well-known watch and clock manufacturer, produced this clock as part of their line of transistorized clocks during the transition from vacuum tubes to transistors. The use of transistors in such clocks during that era was a notable advancement in terms of size, power efficiency, and reliability compared to earlier technologies. Me: Was there a consumer vacuum tube clock ? ChatGPT: Yes, consumer vacuum tube clocks were indeed produced, especially in the mid-20th century. Before the widespread adoption of transistors and later integrated circuits, vacuum tubes were a common component in electronic devices, including clocks. These clocks often had the warm glow associated with vacuum tubes and were a part of the technology prevalent during that era. One example is the Telechron Model 8B03, which was a vacuum tube clock manufactured in the 1950s. Telechron, a well-known clock company, produced various models that incorporated vacuum tubes for timekeeping. These clocks were a representation of the technology available at the time, and they are now considered collector's items due to their vintage nature. While vacuum tubes were widely used in electronic devices, including radios and televisions, their use in clocks diminished with the advent of transistor technology, which offered advantages such as smaller size, lower power consumption, and improved reliability. ++++++++++++++++ Perhaps this is a problem with definitions, “Bulovas...line of transistorized clocks ” notwithstanding. But this looks very much like a series of logically erroneous inferences when it says “the Telechron 8B03 employed vacuum tubes.” It did not. But the cabinet looks like a ‘30's tube radio. Therefore it must have used tubes! Every electronic product progressed sequentially through vacuum tubes to transistors to integrated circuits. The only vacuum tube clock I’ve ever seen was made by David Forbes from HP counter modules. Yes, there are wonderful trigger clocks too; please see Graham Marsh. There have been a couple of kits for transistorized clocks, therefore they are commercial, but I’m still not aware of any alarm clocks. Previous to this ChatGPT exchange I had useful experiences with ChatGPT but this has undermined all confidence it. I’d really appreciate any comments you have about ChatGPT’s responses as well as any additional historical facts you might have, especially if I’ve got anything wrong. Also, I have to say, the Bulova transistor radio alarm clock is pretty sweet. I’ve wanted one for thirty years. My transistor alarm clock uses 6 NL-5441A’s, so this email is about nixies. Thanks, Tom -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/d8a23f15-489b-4502-a8f4-81ee50f44423n%40googlegroups.com.
