September 2017 - vcf-midatlantic

Fully working Apple Lisa 2 for sale in North Jersey
by Adam Michlin 03 Sep '17

03 Sep '17

Hi Everyone, I am helping a friend sell his working Lisa 2. He would prefer not to ship (for obvious reasons) and would like to avoid Ebay (for obvious reasons, as well). He is asking $2,700 and I may be in a position to facilitate the deal and, for example, perhaps bring it to the museum. Unfortunately, donation is not an option (and was the first thing I asked). Pictures are available at: http://ceos.io/lisa/ Please contact me directly off list if interested. -Adam

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W.J Eckert Punched Cards Method is Scientific Computation Thomas J Watson / IBM
by Stephen 01 Sep '17

01 Sep '17

Speaking of little bits of computer history up for sale, just seen this:- W.J Eckert Punched Cards Method is Scientific Computation Thomas J Watson / IBM Copied from the listing:- A very rare early computing book and FAR rarer than the 1984 reprint. PUBLISHED IN 1940 BY Thomas J Watson / IBM, includes solving astronomical problems with punched card readers and sorters AND SOME PHOTOS Solution of differential equations for astronomy Around 1933 Eckert proposed interconnecting punched card tabulating machines from IBM located in Columbia's Rutherford Laboratory to perform more than simple statistical calculations. Eckert arranged with IBM president Thomas J. Watson for a donation of newly developed IBM 601 calculating punch, which could multiply instead of just adding and subtracting.[4] In 1937 the facility was named the Thomas J. Watson Astronomical Computing Bureau. IBM support included customer service and hardware circuit modifications needed to tabulate numbers, create mathematical tables, add, subtract, multiply, reproduce, verify, create tables of differences, create tables of logarithms and perform Lagrangian interpolation, all to solve differential equations for astronomical applications. In January 1940, Eckert published Punched Card Methods in Scientific Computation, which solved the problem of predicting the orbits of the planets, using the IBM electric tabulating machines, based on the punched card. This slim book is only 136 pages, including the index. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/401379672686 Stephen Walters Professional Celebrity Photographer / G7VFY www.facebook.com/mister35mm Tel 07956-544202

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OT: WarGames: The Dead Code
by Joseph Oprysko 01 Sep '17

01 Sep '17

It's 2017, and I just found out about the sequel to the Original WarGames movie. Apparently it came out in 2008. I found it a bit humorous, that up in Canada running part of the power grid was Joshua (WOPR), it looked a bit different than the first movie. Plus everything was cellphones and WiFi... but no IMSAI 8080 or acoustic couplers, but they did do a pringles can WiFi directional antenna booster. The other kind of interesting thing, was that Philadelphia was the initial target. -- Normal Person: Hey, it seems that you know a lot. Geek: To be honest, it's due to all the surfing I do. Normal Person: So you go surfing? Normal Person: But I don't think that has anything to do with knowing a lot... Geek: I think that's wrong on a fundamental level. Normal Person: Huh? Huh? What?

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Anyone want to bid on J.P Eckert's letters
by Christian Liendo 01 Sep '17

01 Sep '17

They talk about the ENIAC Patent, starting bid $750 https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/55302575_jp-eckert-receives-patent-on-…

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