Re: VMS

On 6/18/25 12:14 AM, rbowman wrote:

On Tue, 17 Jun 2025 23:20:24 -0400, c186282 wrote:
 

    Old telegraphs were interesting - because the data was essentially
    'binary' - ones and zeros, contact or not. This made it possible to
    use simple relays as repeater/amplifiers. Easy 1800s tech.

 Sort of. The first attempts were complex.
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Needle_telegraph
 Morse and the refiners of his system introduced a time element, with a dot
being three dits.

   Yea, required a few tweaks - but what doesn't ?
   In any case, using telegraph to network Babbage
   machines WAS possible by about 1850.
   Alas the machines WEREN'T THERE YET. The theory
   was perfect, the physical MEANS had not been
   realized. THAT had to wait for valves to replace
   brass gears.
   As best I've been able to tell, Lovelace never
   described any intercommunication scheme between
   Babbage computers. Her health went bad ...
   basically crushing the last half of her career
   alas.