USMB Coffee Shop IV

[Foxfyre]

Who knows what the big round thing is?

 

[Big Black Dog]

It’s an early computer hard drive!

 

[Shawnee_b]

The next thing in LP's?

 

[Montrovant]

The last time I got my eyes checked I didn’t get bifocals, but the eye doc said I might need them, the next time I get my eyes checked if not that time.
I just noticed I cannot really read with my right eye, it’s all the left I’m using.

Welcome to the wonderful world of middle age Montro. Physical challenges start becoming a way of life but they're rarely fatal. We adjust. It might be time to go to a good ophthamologist instead of the neighborhood optometrist though. They can identify and correct developing problems to avert any really bad ones. My 93-year-old aunt has had macular degeneration for many years but still has near 20/20 vision because of competent treatment.

I have a condition in my right eye that has and would blind me in that eye, but with good treatment my right eye is as good as the left.

Modern medical science is an amazing thing.

My eyes have been bad since I was a kid. It's just weird how my right eye is better for distance vision, but worse for up close vision.

 

[Foxfyre]

The last time I got my eyes checked I didn’t get bifocals, but the eye doc said I might need them, the next time I get my eyes checked if not that time.
I just noticed I cannot really read with my right eye, it’s all the left I’m using.

Welcome to the wonderful world of middle age Montro. Physical challenges start becoming a way of life but they're rarely fatal. We adjust. It might be time to go to a good ophthamologist instead of the neighborhood optometrist though. They can identify and correct developing problems to avert any really bad ones. My 93-year-old aunt has had macular degeneration for many years but still has near 20/20 vision because of competent treatment.

I have a condition in my right eye that has and would blind me in that eye, but with good treatment my right eye is as good as the left.

Modern medical science is an amazing thing.

My eyes have been bad since I was a kid. It's just weird how my right eye is better for distance vision, but worse for up close vision.

Not that unusual though especially as we age. Many adults develop what is called a 'lazy eye' in which one sort of backs off and lets the other do most of the work. But there are corrective lenses for that too.

 

[Foxfyre]

It’s an early computer hard drive!

That's it. That is a 10mb disc in a prototype 1960's computer.

 

[Hossfly]

Year: 1946

When the ENIAC was announced in 1946 the press immediately started calling it a “Giant Brain”. ENIAC was the world’s first general-purpose electronic, digital computer and is probably the most famous of the ones included in this article. It weighed 27 tons. Among other things, ENIAC was used for calculations to create the hydrogen bomb. Programming the machine could take weeks, since after the program had been figured out on paper you first had to manipulate the various switches and cables that controlled the programming and then follow that with verification and debugging.

Above, top: The ENIAC in all its glory. Above, bottom: Old-school programming?

 

[Foxfyre]

Year: 1946

When the ENIAC was announced in 1946 the press immediately started calling it a “Giant Brain”. ENIAC was the world’s first general-purpose electronic, digital computer and is probably the most famous of the ones included in this article. It weighed 27 tons. Among other things, ENIAC was used for calculations to create the hydrogen bomb. Programming the machine could take weeks, since after the program had been figured out on paper you first had to manipulate the various switches and cables that controlled the programming and then follow that with verification and debugging.

Above, top: The ENIAC in all its glory. Above, bottom: Old-school programming?

I still remember "Jim Lovell's" line in "Apollo 13" when he said that part of what has made the moon landings possible is a belief that anything is possible, "things like a computer that can fit into a single room, and hold millions of pieces of information".

What he was describing was not beyond capabilities of the computers we actually had in 1970 so Lovell almost certainly didn't say that. But certainly computers were very primitive then compared to now. I remember in the late 80's when my engineer son and I were setting up my first 486 computer and marveled at what it could do. We both agreed it was all the computer I would ever possibly need or use.

I don't think you could even load Windows 10 alone into that computer now. It is incredible how far we've come in 30 years.

 

[Montrovant]

Year: 1946

When the ENIAC was announced in 1946 the press immediately started calling it a “Giant Brain”. ENIAC was the world’s first general-purpose electronic, digital computer and is probably the most famous of the ones included in this article. It weighed 27 tons. Among other things, ENIAC was used for calculations to create the hydrogen bomb. Programming the machine could take weeks, since after the program had been figured out on paper you first had to manipulate the various switches and cables that controlled the programming and then follow that with verification and debugging.

Above, top: The ENIAC in all its glory. Above, bottom: Old-school programming?

I still remember "Jim Lovell's" line in "Apollo 13" when he said that part of what has made the moon landings possible is a belief that anything is possible, "things like a computer that can fit into a single room, and hold millions of pieces of information".

What he was describing was not beyond capabilities of the computers we actually had in 1970 so Lovell almost certainly didn't say that. But certainly computers were very primitive then compared to now. I remember in the late 80's when my engineer son and I were setting up my first 486 computer and marveled at what it could do. We both agreed it was all the computer I would ever possibly need or use.

I don't think you could even load Windows 10 alone into that computer now. It is incredible how far we've come in 30 years.

There’s a meme that’s gone around showing a screenshot from the original Super Mario Bro’s. Game. It says the screenshot is something like 280kbs while the game itself was only 32kbs.
After a little research it seems at least possible the original game was only 40kbs, while depending on the type and quality of the picture, it could be 280 kbs.
A picture from the game could take 3 times as much storage space as the game itself did.

 

[Oddball]

SHEEEEEET HOWDY!

While everyone seems to have been frantically scrambling to put everything in the biz world on indefinite hold, one of my outfit's clients sent notice that they're very probably going to start their planned renovation project in May....Never thought that I'd suddenly find myself exited about going to Des Moines, but there it is!

I suppose. I've been to Des Moines. And I really can't think of a scenario in which I would be excited about going there. But hey. . .we all love different stuff. . .

Upon reflection I want to apologize for this post. Okay maybe Des Moines isn't anybody's idea of a preferred vacation destination, but I should have qualified my response with the fact that I was treated very well there, the people are friendly, helpful, and kind. Not a terrible place at all.

Oh, I don't think that it's terrible, especially after having been in Dubuque for a couple months...I'll easily find plenty of suitable off-the-job diversions....And the people are are as nice as anywhere else.

Having done my normal pre-job recon, it appears that there are a number of local joints nearby to go eat and schmooze with the rustics.....Only about 5 hours from the tree ranch, so trips home will be on the radar too.

 

[blackhawk]

 

[Hossfly]

 

[gallantwarrior]

Year: 1946

When the ENIAC was announced in 1946 the press immediately started calling it a “Giant Brain”. ENIAC was the world’s first general-purpose electronic, digital computer and is probably the most famous of the ones included in this article. It weighed 27 tons. Among other things, ENIAC was used for calculations to create the hydrogen bomb. Programming the machine could take weeks, since after the program had been figured out on paper you first had to manipulate the various switches and cables that controlled the programming and then follow that with verification and debugging.

Above, top: The ENIAC in all its glory. Above, bottom: Old-school programming?

I have the privilege to work with and IT guy who is in his 80s and has been in IT since its earliest days. That man can tell tales. He has a photo of himself helping load an early computer onto and airplane. It took the entire plane. He's still going strong and can program circles around most mortals. I worship him.

 

[Shawnee_b]

It’s an early computer hard drive!

That's it. That is a 10mb disc in a prototype 1960's computer.

Don't swear at us!

 

[Foxfyre]

Year: 1946

When the ENIAC was announced in 1946 the press immediately started calling it a “Giant Brain”. ENIAC was the world’s first general-purpose electronic, digital computer and is probably the most famous of the ones included in this article. It weighed 27 tons. Among other things, ENIAC was used for calculations to create the hydrogen bomb. Programming the machine could take weeks, since after the program had been figured out on paper you first had to manipulate the various switches and cables that controlled the programming and then follow that with verification and debugging.

Above, top: The ENIAC in all its glory. Above, bottom: Old-school programming?

I still remember "Jim Lovell's" line in "Apollo 13" when he said that part of what has made the moon landings possible is a belief that anything is possible, "things like a computer that can fit into a single room, and hold millions of pieces of information".

What he was describing was not beyond capabilities of the computers we actually had in 1970 so Lovell almost certainly didn't say that. But certainly computers were very primitive then compared to now. I remember in the late 80's when my engineer son and I were setting up my first 486 computer and marveled at what it could do. We both agreed it was all the computer I would ever possibly need or use.

I don't think you could even load Windows 10 alone into that computer now. It is incredible how far we've come in 30 years.

There’s a meme that’s gone around showing a screenshot from the original Super Mario Bro’s. Game. It says the screenshot is something like 280kbs while the game itself was only 32kbs.
After a little research it seems at least possible the original game was only 40kbs, while depending on the type and quality of the picture, it could be 280 kbs.
A picture from the game could take 3 times as much storage space as the game itself did.

It took me a long time to master the original Mario Bros. on Nintendo but I spent many happy, challenging hours getting to the end. Still one of the all time great computer games.

 

[Montrovant]

It took me a long time to master the original Mario Bros. on Nintendo but I spent many happy, challenging hours getting to the end. Still one of the all time great computer games.

I was never big into Mario Bros. My original Nintendo game was Super Tecmo Bowl. I played so much of that game!

 

[Oddball]

Saturday morning!

A little music might pick things up.

Let the cartoon begin!

 

[Shawnee_b]

It took me a long time to master the original Mario Bros. on Nintendo but I spent many happy, challenging hours getting to the end. Still one of the all time great computer games.

I had the cheat book. Basically ruined it but was fun anyway. Had a buddy kids were almost to the end. he reset it!

 

[Foxfyre]

It took me a long time to master the original Mario Bros. on Nintendo but I spent many happy, challenging hours getting to the end. Still one of the all time great computer games.

I had the cheat book. Basically ruined it but was fun anyway. Had a buddy kids were almost to the end. he reset it!

Yeah I didn't have any way to cheat so it was challenging to solve each puzzle as they came up, but really fun.

 

[blackhawk]

Not everyone will get this.