tree68 Electroliner 1935 ...little paper dots... Ah, chads. The chads from punched cards are retangular, and of heavier stock. Teletype "five level" tape was punched either with chads (clean holes) or chadless (little flaps). The little buggers aren't too popular at weddings either... They weren't very popular in Florida a few years ago, either...
Electroliner 1935 ...little paper dots...
Ah, chads.
The chads from punched cards are retangular, and of heavier stock.
Teletype "five level" tape was punched either with chads (clean holes) or chadless (little flaps).
The little buggers aren't too popular at weddings either...
They weren't very popular in Florida a few years ago, either...
Who wants a chad hanging?
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Electroliner 1935...little paper dots...
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
My old computer story is back in '65, the utility where I worked built a new Generating station with PDP process computers that used black paper tape for its data transfer. (shades the player piano days) but when it was being punched it filled boxes with little paper dots. So come Easter time, little boxes arrived in the interoffice mail to many of the other Engineers and Technicians in the office. When people opened them, they found a colorful plastic Easter Egg which naturally whetted their curiosity. So they opened them covering their desk and laps with thousands of little paper dots. Magnetic tape is much cleaner though it had its issues.
tree68At one point we got a small computer that was supposed to do that in-house. I don't think it ever did - all we ever did was it was play tic-tac-toe. It wasn't the size of a file cabinet - more like an oversized typewriter - keyboard and monitor all in one case.
As long as we're trading 'old geezer' computer stories, I'll relate mine. In the late 1970s as a defense contractor field engineer I assisted with some Army operational tests. Our equipment was used by the field artillery to estimate target location. Back at their fire direction center where calculations were made, they were using a large refrigerator sized computer in an oversize trailer. Their computer tech showed me the insides - all discrete components on large plug in cards.
That monster was definitely on the way out as their 'backup' computer (usually preferred) was a HP or TI hand calculator with a stored program strip. Not sure what they use today, but for quite a while now the size of a typical military use 'computer' is ruled by interface circuitry and connectors for related sensors.
Links to my Google Maps ---> Sunset Route overview, SoCal metro, Yuma sub, Gila sub, SR east of Tucson, BNSF Northern Transcon and Southern Transcon *** Why you should support Ukraine! ***
BaltACDWhen I first got involved...
Indeed. When I was at Vandenberg AFB, providing weather support for missile launches. the operators (I was maintenance) would punch the results of upper air (balloon) soundings on paper tape, which was then sent all the way to Cape Kennedy for processing, then the results were sent back (also via teletype). A number of parameters were computed on the mainframe computer at Kennedy.
At one point we got a small computer that was supposed to do that in-house. I don't think it ever did - all we ever did was it was play tic-tac-toe. It wasn't the size of a file cabinet - more like an oversized typewriter - keyboard and monitor all in one case.
The tic-tac-toe aspect was interesting. The machine would learn from it's "mistakes." You could use a series of moves maybe twice, then the computer would block you. Until you turned the series 90 degrees. Thus one series of moves could garner you eight wins.
The TI99-4A only had 16K of RAM, but would handle two cassette recorders for storing data and programs.
Nowadays one's phone has more processing power than that mainframe at Cape Kennedy, and my micro computer has a terrabyte hard drive in it...
tree68 BaltACD Would a Radio Shack TRS80 be a upgrade? I've worked on the "Trash 80's" at college, but never owned one. Also still in the attic is the TI-99-4A. I'd bet it still works, but finding a TV with a twin-lead antenna connection might be a problem. The Tandy 1000SX in the attic probably still works, too. I upgraded that with a 40 Mb hard drive (you read that right). It was nice not to have to boot from the floppies...
BaltACD Would a Radio Shack TRS80 be a upgrade?
I've worked on the "Trash 80's" at college, but never owned one.
Also still in the attic is the TI-99-4A. I'd bet it still works, but finding a TV with a twin-lead antenna connection might be a problem.
The Tandy 1000SX in the attic probably still works, too. I upgraded that with a 40 Mb hard drive (you read that right). It was nice not to have to boot from the floppies...
When I first got involved with 'mini' computers at the Chessie TSC's. The 'mini' was the size of a refrigerator - just the processor. The 10 MB - that is right Megabite disk drive was a 12 inch platter that operated in an electronics filled cabinet the size of a two drawer file cabinet. The operating system for the 'mini' computer was loaded into it on punched paper tape.
BaltACDWould a Radio Shack TRS80 be a upgrade?
My atari still works for simple word processing.
BaltACDwould a Radio Shack TRS80 be a upgrade?
I once overclocked my old Timex Sinclair using a twist-tie off a bread sack and a Bic lighter.
Paul of Covington From what you guys are saying, my Commodore64 might be out of date.
Would a Radio Shack TRS80 be a upgrade?
MidlandMikeVista? Windows7 ?? I2 year old laptop??? I think you guys already got your money's worth out of your old computers.
I think you guys already got your money's worth out of your old computers.
I still have a XP desktop that keeps chugging along at 17. I have a desktop that I bought as W8.1 and upgraded to W10, I also have a W10 laptop.
Found out today that my W10 Desktop needs to get a newer and higher powered video card if I want to participated in the iRacing video racing that various organizations are running as a replacement for the real thing.
Both laptops travel with me. The desktops stay in Maryland.
From what you guys are saying, my Commodore64 might be out of date.
_____________
"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
MidlandMike Vista? Windows7 ?? I2 year old laptop??? I think you guys already got your money's worth out of your old computers.
Vista? Windows7 ?? I2 year old laptop???
Mine don't owe me a thing. The desktop computer was top-of-the-line for gaming when I got it, even though I'm not what I'd call a gamer. I've been working on getting it up to W7, as the upgrade to W10 is then free, but it's been a pain. One of these days.
The newer laptop and the new microcomputer are both current.
tree68 MikeInPlano I was thinking it's because no advertiser thinks anybody is still running Windows Vista. That's a possibility, too. I'm trying to convert to W7, but the pieces aren't aligning properly. I'll be putting a hosts file on the micro computer a soon as I get the chance.
MikeInPlano I was thinking it's because no advertiser thinks anybody is still running Windows Vista.
That's a possibility, too. I'm trying to convert to W7, but the pieces aren't aligning properly.
I'll be putting a hosts file on the micro computer a soon as I get the chance.
My Vista laptop just threw a crap - won't link up wirelessly with my DSL modem as it has been doing for the past 12 years. Called my local techician and he has taken it back to his shop. Basiclly use the machine for POP3 e-mail.
MikeInPlanoI was thinking it's because no advertiser thinks anybody is still running Windows Vista.
tree68 ShortCircuit AdBlocker Ultimate enabled for this sites seems to stop the adds for me. That may be why I'm not seeing them on the Vista machine - I don't have AdBlocker, but I do have a hosts file which blocks most "popular" ad sites.
ShortCircuit AdBlocker Ultimate enabled for this sites seems to stop the adds for me.
AdBlocker Ultimate enabled for this sites seems to stop the adds for me.
That may be why I'm not seeing them on the Vista machine - I don't have AdBlocker, but I do have a hosts file which blocks most "popular" ad sites.
I was thinking it's because no advertiser thinks anybody is still running Windows Vista.
When I couldn't close the !#$ ad on my ipad because it increased in size as soon as I touched inside the box with my fat fingers, I closed the ipad after I threw it across the room. I haven't been back for a while.
And I'm sure it's their loss, Mod-man!
What Kalmbach might not see -- and Taligent or whoever programs the API for the site to push ads may not care about -- is that a passive-aggressive approach like deploying a nuclear-grade adblocker is not quite the same thing as a boycott. The 'teeth' of the latter is not just in the economic consequence of 'nonpatronage', it's in the very conscious invocation and then continued publicity that the lack of patronage is conscious, and based on principled points.
I want to make very clear, to Kalmbach and (if possible) back to the people that introduced this 'fantastic' new functionality in push advertising, that I very specifically refuse to do business with anyone appearing in a push ad. I fully comprehend that many of the businesses involved don't have a formal choice of when they show up in the bottom-ad rotation vs. sidebar presentation, but it is now up to them to compel the contracted provider to keep them out of the bottom rotation if they want to avoid sharing the consequences of being streamed there.
At some point, I expect to see the old interference-with-a-business-relationship argument being trotted out about this. It is not the business relationship itself that is the subject of boycott; it's the establishment of one consequent to advertising. And just as complaints about the substance or nature of advertising, or ill-timed comments by company officials as at Papa John's, are supposedly not interference, neither will be strict refusal to trade and advocacy that others refuse similarly.\
On the other hand, it's sure easier just to turn on the adblockers en masse and let Kalmbach find yet another new joint-venture software provider, from among the ones who put up the blue 'blocking screen' that prevents or precludes seeing content until an adblocker has been disabled or site overrides implemented in preferences. I would expect to see that in any 'free Web presence 3.0' that Kalmbach eventually rolls out; it's in keeping with the increasing ad presence (remember when that sidebar was both adjustable and far narrower?) and the clever ways of mining post content and comments for 'suggestions' on pushing particular things on individuals without giving them the opportunity to edit their ad preferences other than -- perhaps -- delete or reset some of the tracking.
(Amusingly: the Taligent software doesn't share the opinion of some people regarding my relative lack of credentials in COVID-19 treatment. In keeping with my strict boycott principles, I have now rejected the third call of the day, in bottom ads, for me to join the staff of a major medical facility...)
Flintlock76That's overly-agressive marketing boys, just as annoying as a pushy salesman. It's what pushed me over the edge to blocking all ads. Whoever came up with agressive pop-up system is, to use the old saying, "Too smart for their own good!" In my case it caused them to lose part of their "audience," for lack of a better term.
Whoever came up with agressive pop-up system is, to use the old saying, "Too smart for their own good!" In my case it caused them to lose part of their "audience," for lack of a better term.
Likewise. I can take ads that just lay there. When they try to 'attack' me, I draw the line and invoke the ad blocker.
Some of the ads that just 'laid there' on the screen, I might have ultimately patronized. The aggressor ads, I vowed not to patronize and then used the ad blocker so I won't see them anymore.
Deggesty MidlandMike 54light15 I'm getting these pop-ups too- when I try to click on the X on the upper right, the ad will move up and down like it's fighting me. If I don't click right on the x, the ad page opens up. Toyota, Scotiabank, other banking ads. I have had a similar experience. When I try to hit the X on my touch-screen, I may have to try a few times, and if I touch slightly inside the box, the full ad opens up a new tab. I tried to use the pointer, but as you say the X moves up, and if you follow it, the X moves back down. Somewhat diabolical, and really annoying. It is annoying--it is as though you should not want to kick the thing off your screen.
MidlandMike 54light15 I'm getting these pop-ups too- when I try to click on the X on the upper right, the ad will move up and down like it's fighting me. If I don't click right on the x, the ad page opens up. Toyota, Scotiabank, other banking ads. I have had a similar experience. When I try to hit the X on my touch-screen, I may have to try a few times, and if I touch slightly inside the box, the full ad opens up a new tab. I tried to use the pointer, but as you say the X moves up, and if you follow it, the X moves back down. Somewhat diabolical, and really annoying.
54light15 I'm getting these pop-ups too- when I try to click on the X on the upper right, the ad will move up and down like it's fighting me. If I don't click right on the x, the ad page opens up. Toyota, Scotiabank, other banking ads.
I'm getting these pop-ups too- when I try to click on the X on the upper right, the ad will move up and down like it's fighting me. If I don't click right on the x, the ad page opens up. Toyota, Scotiabank, other banking ads.
I have had a similar experience. When I try to hit the X on my touch-screen, I may have to try a few times, and if I touch slightly inside the box, the full ad opens up a new tab. I tried to use the pointer, but as you say the X moves up, and if you follow it, the X moves back down. Somewhat diabolical, and really annoying.
It is annoying--it is as though you should not want to kick the thing off your screen.
That's overly-agressive marketing boys, just as annoying as a pushy salesman. It's what pushed me over the edge to blocking all ads.
Johnny
jeffhergert I took the plunge. I updated Microsoft edge and added ad blocker plus. No more ads, no more chasing the 'X' around the bottom of the screen. Jeff
I took the plunge. I updated Microsoft edge and added ad blocker plus. No more ads, no more chasing the 'X' around the bottom of the screen.
Jeff
Isn't it wonderful?
I'm suprised that you haven't thought to tell your wife that you like looking at beautiful women (thats why you married her) and that she is still the best there is.
It's encountered far less that it used to be, but some radio programming software (especially Moto) would run only on a DOS machine. Not DOS emulation, as most PCs will still do, but actual DOS. This made life difficult for the dealers because they had to maintain at least one PC that had DOS well after DOS had been superceded by other systems.
CN's program is called CATS (crew and timekeeping system). It does indeed run on modern machines, and sometime in the 00s they developed an emulator so you can log into it from any external machine (but you can't tie up from home anymore, too many crews took advantage of that early on.....).
It's quite odd to see such an obviously vintage system, complete with Pac-Man colours, running on a ultra-modern flatscreen monitor.
A Conductor with a knack for coding developed a F-keys app, as smartphones do not have them.
CN also still uses the SRS/TOPC program for tracking trains and cars, which I believe was originally developed by the Santa Fe back in the 1980s. CATS may have come from there too.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
SD70Dude Just like a real railroad. I was told when I hired on that we would be getting a new employee computer system within a year. A decade later I am still getting paid by the same old 1980s program. I think it was developed before the mouse was invented, you can navigate it using only the keyboard. Press F7 and F8 to scroll, F6 to save a pay ticket, F5 to submit, and F3 to back out...... ...all the other F keys have at least one function, which may vary depending on what part of the program you are in. Tab and Shift+Tab come in handy too.
I was told when I hired on that we would be getting a new employee computer system within a year. A decade later I am still getting paid by the same old 1980s program.
I think it was developed before the mouse was invented, you can navigate it using only the keyboard.
Press F7 and F8 to scroll, F6 to save a pay ticket, F5 to submit, and F3 to back out...... ...all the other F keys have at least one function, which may vary depending on what part of the program you are in.
Tab and Shift+Tab come in handy too.
It may be 80's 'legacy' software operating on a 21st Century box. Payroll software, especially when it comes to properly 'paying' T&E personnel in concert with the labor agreements is a daunting task for computer application programers and designers since most of the time the only rule is the exception, and the exception is far from being a rule.
The other application area programmer/designers are hesitant to get involved with is crew calling with all the twists and turns about who should be called under what circumstance in the various T&E contracts - with, at least on CSX, multiple different contracts to be allowed for.
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