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I really love the way Petzold builds up the "story of computing".
I think it opens a lot of understanding about why many things are the way they are in computing.
It is also interesting that way down there at the bottom the computer is still the same thing it always was: just a bit machine.
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Interesting. When I saw the title of your post I thought you may be referring to one of his other achievements. In the 70's I wrote a Basic program for a PDP-11[^] taken directly from this paper: An Algorithm for the Machine Calculation of Complex Fourier Series on JSTOR[^]
Peter Wasser
"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell
modified 27-Feb-17 23:36pm.
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That's really cool.
Must've been a serious challenge. We're so lucky today to have so much access to compute time and be able to REPL through code and try things over and over. Seems like it would've been so hard to do things back then. Plus no Internet to look up answers & code on StackOverflow. 
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raddevus wrote: like it would've been so hard to do things back then
It wasn't hard it was fun. No CodeProject or StackOverflow. The main resource was piles of
manuals which usually contained the information one needed and other PDP-11 users of which most campuses had a few.
Peter Wasser
"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell
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You are honestly a part of a an elite few. Really great stuff. Thanks for sharing.
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I've given out 2 copies to friends that were thinking about getting into IT.
It's a great starting point for those that don't go to school for CS.
"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
- Benjamin Disraeli
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Nathan Minier wrote: It's a great starting point for those that don't go to school for CS.
I agree. The build-up of the story of computing is really fantastic.
I actually read the section on relays years ago and my head exploded because it made so much sense. 
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Does writing too much cause authritis?
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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Maybe. But I think you can treat it with penicillin.
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Quote: Does writing too much cause authritis?
Authcourse!
Get me coffee and no one gets hurt!
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I have an inkling you may be write.
... such stuff as dreams are made on
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That one's so bad it makes me want to jump off a glyph!
"the debugger doesn't tell me anything because this code compiles just fine" - random QA comment
"Facebook is where you tell lies to your friends. Twitter is where you tell the truth to strangers." - chriselst
"I don't drink any more... then again, I don't drink any less." - Mike Mullikins uncle
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That's a fontastic idea! Unfortunately I'm not bold enough to try it. At least that's what I think the underline cause is. Also, it might lead me to an early grave. There's prolly no way to circumflex that.
/ravi
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I'll admit, it was one of my more novel ideas, one that I'll ascribe to it being a Monday.
"the debugger doesn't tell me anything because this code compiles just fine" - random QA comment
"Facebook is where you tell lies to your friends. Twitter is where you tell the truth to strangers." - chriselst
"I don't drink any more... then again, I don't drink any less." - Mike Mullikins uncle
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My word! Especially if you read between the lines.
/ravi
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Looks like we're on the same page.
"the debugger doesn't tell me anything because this code compiles just fine" - random QA comment
"Facebook is where you tell lies to your friends. Twitter is where you tell the truth to strangers." - chriselst
"I don't drink any more... then again, I don't drink any less." - Mike Mullikins uncle
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Yessir. Otherwise I'd have to reach for my Prose-ac.
/ravi
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Ravi Bhavnani wrote: Prose-ac.
You had to mention that, what an ugly chapter in my life.
"the debugger doesn't tell me anything because this code compiles just fine" - random QA comment
"Facebook is where you tell lies to your friends. Twitter is where you tell the truth to strangers." - chriselst
"I don't drink any more... then again, I don't drink any less." - Mike Mullikins uncle
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That's all behind you now - look foreword!
/ravi
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Thanks Ravi, yeah it was a tough time, happened right after my appendix burst.
"the debugger doesn't tell me anything because this code compiles just fine" - random QA comment
"Facebook is where you tell lies to your friends. Twitter is where you tell the truth to strangers." - chriselst
"I don't drink any more... then again, I don't drink any less." - Mike Mullikins uncle
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Ouch. Not to be gross, but what were its contents?
/ravi
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Makes sense. Reading too much can definitely bring on critical pains...
If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.
--Winston Churchill
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you also get that from granting too many permissions!
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A bold thought, however, I may just cursive you press this issue - you've just no write to do that.
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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