Re: Suspension losses

On Fri, 10 Jan 2025 23:18:27 +0100, Wolfgang Strobl
<news51@mystrobl.de> wrote:

Am Fri, 10 Jan 2025 07:25:48 -0800 schrieb Jeff Liebermann
<jeffl@cruzio.com>:

Humans tend to prefer whatever technology they learned first. 

>
Not really. I learned programming by creating punched cards using an IBM
26 Printing Card Punch, editing those programs by using the card
duplicating feature of those machines. Followed by pinnig stretches of
pages printed by large chain printers like to a wall, in order to study
complaints from the Fortran IV compiler, or using a pen to mark logical
errors in the source code, for later correction work on said card punch.
>
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_1403>

I started with the IBM 1620 running Gotran (a small version of Fortran
II) and SPS for assembly language.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_1620>
<https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_ibm1620C26nterpretiveProgrammingSystem1961_2419558>
<https://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/ibm/1620/monitor/C26-5793-0_1620_SPS_III_Programming_System_Reference_1964.pdf>
The 1620 was later resurrected in the Forbin Project movie as
Colossus.  I was hooked on computing (hardware) after I discovered the
well hidden secret drawer under the console desk where the admin's hid
all the manuals and paperwork.

My
first calculator was basically a mechanical "adding machine".
<https://www.google.com/search?num=10&q=marchant+adding+machine&udm=2>
I eventually ended up with an HP-35 RPN calculator and loved it.  RPN
is easy, if you think like a computer that stores intermediate results
in a stack. 

>
Of course. If you do.

I do.  The problem was that we didn't really have computers with
stacks until the IBM 360.

There is nothing wrong with RPN, if it works for you. But there isn't
anything "natural" about it.

It was "natural" because it was easier for me to use.

I rarely used calculators, because writing short program snippets is
more natural for me.  Many decades ago I did that using PL/I-80 on my
self-built CP/M computer, nowadays I just fire up a Python REPL, or
start a Jupyter notebook, for so called "back of the envelope"
calculations.

I'm lazy.  For anything complicated or highly repetitive, I use Google
search to find a web app or dedicated calculator for whatever I'm
trying to calculate.  It will probably be written in Javascript.  I
can usually find a suitable online calculator for almost all the
electronic calculations I might need.  If I need something obscure or
can't find anything, I'll scribble something for the occasion.  I'm
currently dabbling with AI code generators.  I'm a rather bad
programmer, so learning will take some time.

My first and only HP calculator is a HP 200LX, still working fine.

I had an HP95, HP 100LX, and a HP200LX.  I still have the HP100-LX,
but the others were sold long ago.  Trying to find PCMCIA cards with
small amounts of memory, is what forced me to stop using them.  They
were really "cool" in their day. 

I
lost one of the tiny case screws, decades ago, replacing the CR2032 now
and then is still awkward. I have no real use for the device anymore,
but I still like it enough for not giving it away. AFAIR, there's still
a copy of the original DeSmet C compiler on the flash card in the PCMCIA
slot. :-)

Ok, you're addicted.  I have a rather disorganized box of HP
calculator parts.  I'll look for a screw and mail it to you.
Otherwise, there seem to be some available online:
<https://www.200lx.net/mtncekit.htm>

I removed one screw from my HP 100LX to check the size.  I would
guess(tm) it's 2-56, but without a gauge or a 2-56 nut, I can't be
sure.  However, I can't find my thread gauges and my microscope
threading graticule is in use.  So this will need to wait.  Please
remind me if I forget.

Getting back to cycling ... :-)

Sorry.  I need to get back to house cleaning and firewood hauling.
I'll read through the rest of your posting and write something,
hopefully in a few days.

--
Jeff Liebermann                 jeffl@cruzio.com
PO Box 272      http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Ben Lomond CA 95005-0272
Skype: JeffLiebermann      AE6KS    831-336-2558