Let's start at the beginning
- Thread starter Scott Borduin
- Start date
Nope, the gent I'm thinking of, was part of the WW2 code breaking effort that Scott aludes too. Seems obvious today, but computers were for math, period, not manipulators of data in the sense of how we perceive that today.
Back in 1972-73 I worked in different factories (tobacco, textile, steel, tires, breweries...) and I was used to punch my card when I started my shifts and at the end of them.
Fast forward to 2009; I acquired a computer for the very first time in my life! And I still type with only one finger!
Prior to that, I worked and lived mainly outside; in the forests, in the mountains, in the nature... And I also played outside; at the lakes, by the ocean, in the mountains, in the valleys...
My first experience with a computer (like typing letters on a keyboard and read things from the Internet) was probably around 2005 or so, from my local library! Maybe a year or two earlier but that's it! ...And only rarely on occasions for few minutes.
I don't have cable or satellite at my place since about year 2000. So I never watch TV!
I will bet anything here to anyone that I am the most inexperienced person of this entire site and others as well on computers!
Only using one finger! Absolutely true!
So if there is one person that can learn the most here it's me!
Fast forward to 2009; I acquired a computer for the very first time in my life! And I still type with only one finger!
Prior to that, I worked and lived mainly outside; in the forests, in the mountains, in the nature... And I also played outside; at the lakes, by the ocean, in the mountains, in the valleys...
My first experience with a computer (like typing letters on a keyboard and read things from the Internet) was probably around 2005 or so, from my local library! Maybe a year or two earlier but that's it! ...And only rarely on occasions for few minutes.
I don't have cable or satellite at my place since about year 2000. So I never watch TV!
I will bet anything here to anyone that I am the most inexperienced person of this entire site and others as well on computers!
Only using one finger! Absolutely true!
So if there is one person that can learn the most here it's me!
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Yes, nice box and pretty powerful OS for home use in its day. No one could multi-process, if I remember right, at that price point, for awhile anyway.
Well Bob, I'm sure we can all learn, that's the nature of the beast. I was in the computer biz many years and learned something new just about everyday, still do. Plus I type with one finger on each hand and have since my first day in the biz. On teletype style interfaces when I started to IBM selectrics which those replaced, then video terminals.
Probably that we enjoy being fussy about getting things right, and that we'll persist in striving for a goal. This can only be good for audio in the long run ...
Also, thumbs up from me about the Amiga, all the best hackers learnt great tricks on that fellow, sorry, sorry, I meant filly! ...
Frank
Well Ron, you're using one more finger than me!
...Because I use only my RIGHT index finger. My LEFT index finger is used only and strictly for [^Shift].
In 1983, I took training for the Lanier word processing system. Yeah, I remember to move to the next page you had to hit FILE -> EXECUTE.
Around that time, my friend, Ralph, had a Commodore VIC20. He kept trying to interest me in computers back then, but those 40 column CGA graphics didn't pique my interest..
Back in '77, another friend got the Timex Sinclair with 1K of RAM. He had it hooked up to his 25" color console TV.
I did order entry on a TI 99/4A shortly therafter.
In '78, the 'brains' of the automated inspection system that I worked with used an Intel 80/80 CPU. It had 8 toggle switches on the front panel, by which it was programmed. It did simple functions relating to defect categorizing, in our application.
Around that time, my friend, Ralph, had a Commodore VIC20. He kept trying to interest me in computers back then, but those 40 column CGA graphics didn't pique my interest..
Back in '77, another friend got the Timex Sinclair with 1K of RAM. He had it hooked up to his 25" color console TV.
I did order entry on a TI 99/4A shortly therafter.
In '78, the 'brains' of the automated inspection system that I worked with used an Intel 80/80 CPU. It had 8 toggle switches on the front panel, by which it was programmed. It did simple functions relating to defect categorizing, in our application.
Does anyone remember making your own macros to save keystrokes? I recall my first hard drive. We could do things like automatic footnotes. I thought I had died and gone to heaven with spell and grammar checker. Lotus also allowed you to locate the address in your letter and print it on an envelope. WOW.
Yeah! I started with Visicalc and Wordstar, and both allowed macros. Even today, I still use [Ctrl-B] for bold, [Ctrl-C] for copy. I'm glad that Microsoft carried these all the way to the latest version of Office! It's a pity that these keys don't work on What's Best Forum
You can blame that on the abomination that is web programming. It is incredible what a world we have built on such weak and poorly thought out design and implementations. Maybe Scott will cover that in the futureI'm glad that Microsoft carried these all the way to the latest version of Office! It's a pity that these keys don't work on What's Best Forum
.
You can blame that on the abomination that is web programming. It is incredible what a world we have built on such weak and poorly thought out design and implementations. Maybe Scott will cover that in the future
Like so many things in software, most of the stuff in Web programming really wasn't designed a priori. It just sort of chaotically happened, and then the designer types came in afterward and tried to impose some order in the form of standards (e.g. HTML5, CSS3, ECMAScript 5). The truth is, at the leading edge web programming is now capable of creating very rich, powerful interfaces. It has come a very long way since I started experimenting with Web apps in 2006. But the leading edge requires that the user be on a modern browser, and the programmer using a well-designed JavaScript library like ExtJS. Since none of the extant versions of Internet Explorer fully qualify as a modern browser, and IE remains the most-used browser, that alone dramatically restricts what can be done with Web development on a general-purpose site like this.
I'll put it on my list of things to cover at some point
I do remember the Amiga computer, it was very friendly but focused more to word processing duties if I recall correctly...
I started with a Timex7Sinclair Z80 with a variable of Basic language, then moved to various TRS80 from Radio Shack (storing programs in cassettes and then to 8 inch floppy disk) and then to an IBM PC Jr wireless, all these prior the boom of personal computers in 1980. Time flies!
Amiga's claim to fame was video editing through the use of Video Toaster: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_Toaster
It lived on way past its normal life due to above capability. It had quite a cult following and some major TV programs and some movie segments were produced using its Lightwave 3-D engine.
It lived on way past its normal life due to above capability. It had quite a cult following and some major TV programs and some movie segments were produced using its Lightwave 3-D engine.
A couple of days ago I met a friend on his bike, and he showed me some pictures of his computers (dual screen) setup in his room.
And that was from his iPhone! It was very cool the way he moved the pictures on his iPhone! ...Just by sliding his finger across the touch-screen (side ways and more...).
...I wish I could do that with my PC. I'm just blown away by this kind of stuff! WoW!
Are we there yet from the technology shown in movies like "Avatar", "Quantum of Solace", "Iron Man" & "Iron Man 2", "Minority Report", and others of that genre?
Holographic imaging from PCs and that you can superimpose and move at will, with your hands, in pure floating air, and turn in any directions, inside out, and in 3D with all the details! Just amazing stuff!
The future... Teleportation?
And that was from his iPhone! It was very cool the way he moved the pictures on his iPhone! ...Just by sliding his finger across the touch-screen (side ways and more...).
...I wish I could do that with my PC. I'm just blown away by this kind of stuff! WoW!
Are we there yet from the technology shown in movies like "Avatar", "Quantum of Solace", "Iron Man" & "Iron Man 2", "Minority Report", and others of that genre?
Holographic imaging from PCs and that you can superimpose and move at will, with your hands, in pure floating air, and turn in any directions, inside out, and in 3D with all the details! Just amazing stuff!
The future... Teleportation?
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Is that like a laptop Steve? Or is it a smaller portable device?
Expensive? Do you need a contract with a service provider?
Is that make you a slave of that provider?
Why can you be your own independent self-provider? Monopoly?
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