New Book of Rules
in [Design]
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From: John Woodgate on 8 Aug 2006 06:52 In message <thngd2lm2cdmrovqre2mfdf71l19ed5vlb(a)4ax.com>, dated Tue, 8 Aug 2006, xray <notreally(a)hotmail.invalid> writes >I don't know the early details, but the first big computer I heard >about was to compute firing tables for artillery guns in WWII. The first examples were mechanical calculators, not electronic computers. There were also analogue computers in use in those days. > I think the first "bug" story occured with that project and captain >Grace Hopper. > >When did the these other things happen, earlier or concurrently? http://www.bletchleypark.org.uk/ -- OOO - Own Opinions Only. Try www.jmwa.demon.co.uk and www.isce.org.uk 2006 is YMMVI- Your mileage may vary immensely. John Woodgate, J M Woodgate and Associates, Rayleigh, Essex UK
From: Eeyore on 8 Aug 2006 07:10 John Woodgate wrote: > In message <44D865AA.A7CA15C0(a)REMOVETHIS.hotmail.com>, dated Tue, 8 Aug > 2006, Eeyore <rabbitsfriendsandrelations(a)REMOVETHIS.hotmail.com> writes > > >I'm aware of what you mean and it's very silly of you ( mainly ) to > >bring it up in this context. > > I treasure your opinion. Thank you kindly ! ;~) > >During WW2 the RAF attempted precision bombing on industrial > >war-related targets but was defeated by navigational problems, yet > >persisted and developed Gee, OBOE and H2S , led by the Pathfinder > >squadrons which radically improved their targeting. > > Sometimes. But we can class the failures as 'accidents of war'. Given that during the early days of WW2 it was considered good going to deliver a bomb within 5 miles of its target ( the RAF was night bombing after unacceptable daylight losses ) , that's certainly to be considered. > >As did the USA with their Norden bombsight that didn't actually deliver > >the goods in practice. > > > >There were of course less pleasant examples but bear in mind what the > >Luftwaffe had done to London ! > > It was precisely the 'less pleasant examples', such as Dresden (but a > whole lot of much smaller towns that were flattened because they had a > bridge or railway nearby), that I was referring to. You are just as > blinkered when UK is criticized as you accuse the Americans of being > about your criticisms of USA. I'm not blinkered at all actually. I'm fully aware that some tricky decisions had to me made and I've have hated to have been in that position myself but would likely have concluded likewise. The issue of Dresden btw continues to be argued *both* ways incidentally. The casualty figures are widely disputed on both sides of the argument for example. Graham
From: John Fields on 8 Aug 2006 07:17 On Mon, 7 Aug 2006 19:21:44 +0100, John Woodgate <jmw(a)jmwa.demon.co.uk> wrote: >In message <7umed296qg2k96rhg962c1cbdfibv65c2l(a)4ax.com>, dated Mon, 7 >Aug 2006, John Fields <jfields(a)austininstruments.com> writes > >>I think that now, however, when we see the handwriting on the wall we >>have fewer compunctions about going after the author in a pre-emptive >>way. > >But it says 'Mene, mene tekal upharsin.' --- I think that would apply more to the kingdoms of Jerry Falwell and his ilk than to the US, but I was referring to events like acquisition of nuclear weaponry by those with no respect for life. -- John Fields Professional Circuit Designer
From: John Fields on 8 Aug 2006 07:19 On Mon, 07 Aug 2006 18:23:05 GMT, Phat Bytestard <phatbytestard(a)getinmahharddrive.org> wrote: >On Mon, 07 Aug 2006 11:00:35 -0500, John Fields ><jfields(a)austininstruments.com> Gave us: > >>On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 18:58:44 +0100, John Woodgate >><jmw(a)jmwa.demon.co.uk> wrote: >> >>>In message <0oacd2t5g2pkiur9iug5p6g991c76mi65r(a)4ax.com>, dated Sun, 6 >>>Aug 2006, John Larkin <jjlarkin(a)highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> >>>writes >>>>Yeah. My company has ignored the RoHS thing entirely, except that we >>>>are concerned about tin whiskers on the leads of compliant parts. >>> >>>You still use parts with LEADS? How quaint. (;-) >> >>--- >>Really. Doesn't RoHS mandate that they be leadless? > > Without Lead (Pb), not without leads. :-] --- Whooosh... -- John Fields Professional Circuit Designer
From: Eeyore on 8 Aug 2006 07:16
John Woodgate wrote: > In message <thngd2lm2cdmrovqre2mfdf71l19ed5vlb(a)4ax.com>, dated Tue, 8 > Aug 2006, xray <notreally(a)hotmail.invalid> writes > > >I don't know the early details, but the first big computer I heard > >about was to compute firing tables for artillery guns in WWII. > > The first examples were mechanical calculators, not electronic > computers. There were also analogue computers in use in those days. He means Eniac. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eniac It trailed Colossus. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossus_computer Both of them ( rewireable programming ) were superseded by the Manchester design which used stored programmes and was the first design we might recognise as being like a modern computer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small-Scale_Experimental_Machine Graham |