Re: [vcf-midatlantic] OT: people don't understand computers anymore
I'm working up some responses, but I'm about to "throw a flag". A good part of the discussion has become "why engineers today are no good at the deep stuff". I'm a BSEE myself, I get that. But my question is not so much about "how can we reach the engineers of today or tomorrow?". And certainly not about teaching differential equations, or linked-lists. My question as posed, was how we as vintage computer owners, can reach and inform - at least answer some questions, catch the eye - of ORDINARY 21st century people who see our stuff and show some interest? To the technical point: ordinary people (but including some engineers) lack familiarity with the simple but "deep" operating principles and features of these ancient devices and software. And they lack the notion that stuff like this was repaired, even redesigned, and built - often by semi-technical people of the era? And they can *still* be repaired and operated today? So what demonstrations, explanations, and presentations, will show the context and operation and "meaning" of these 1970's, 80's and even 90's systems and artifacts? To today's mere mortals? ...all in the light of the 21st century circumstances many of you have described, either for the non-techical masses, or our recent engineering colleagues. I'll post some EE-type responses, but my point is not about them, that's the easy lift. herb BSEE 1976 -- Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey USA http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net
So what demonstrations, explanations, and presentations, will show the context and operation and "meaning" of these 1970's, 80's and even 90's systems and artifacts? To today's mere mortals?
Workshops! With projects that mere mortals can do! I'm sort of at the moment trying a few ideas in that space. Planning on seeing how user-friendly I can make the XT-IDE rev 3, that was a big part of why the board got redesigned to be easier to assemble. Thanks, Jonathan
"So what demonstrations, explanations, and presentations, will show the context and operation and "meaning" of these 1970's, 80's and even 90's systems and artifacts? To today's mere mortals?" It's a difficult question. The part of the importance to us as historians is to preserve the knowledge of the systems and show the evolutionary path from past to present. So, how to build interest in those with who may have given no thought to the past? It's a hard question. How do history teachers communicate the importance of knowing what came before? I believe that the key is to relate the subject to what is familiar in the here and now, to put the older systems in context in relation to what they know so that a clear line is drawn from past to present. Would that be a home run with everyone? Probably not, but it may be the best we can do. On Tue, Jun 7, 2016 at 4:11 PM, Herb Johnson via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
I'm working up some responses, but I'm about to "throw a flag". A good part of the discussion has become "why engineers today are no good at the deep stuff". I'm a BSEE myself, I get that. But my question is not so much about "how can we reach the engineers of today or tomorrow?". And certainly not about teaching differential equations, or linked-lists.
My question as posed, was how we as vintage computer owners, can reach and inform - at least answer some questions, catch the eye - of ORDINARY 21st century people who see our stuff and show some interest?
To the technical point: ordinary people (but including some engineers) lack familiarity with the simple but "deep" operating principles and features of these ancient devices and software. And they lack the notion that stuff like this was repaired, even redesigned, and built - often by semi-technical people of the era? And they can *still* be repaired and operated today?
So what demonstrations, explanations, and presentations, will show the context and operation and "meaning" of these 1970's, 80's and even 90's systems and artifacts? To today's mere mortals?
...all in the light of the 21st century circumstances many of you have described, either for the non-techical masses, or our recent engineering colleagues. I'll post some EE-type responses, but my point is not about them, that's the easy lift.
herb BSEE 1976
-- Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey USA http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net
participants (3)
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Dean Notarnicola -
Herb Johnson -
Systems Glitch