[vcf-midatlantic] Semi-OT: what tech gifts did you get/give?

[Corey Cohen]

Gave my Nephew a Famicom Mini.  Guess he will have to learn Japanese.  

corey cohen
uǝɥoɔ ʎǝɹoɔ

> On Dec 27, 2016, at 12:11 PM, Chris Fala via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic at lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
> 
> Herb, sometimes, really good engineering IS poetry! :-)
> 
> On Mon, Dec 26, 2016 at 5:38 PM, Herb Johnson via vcf-midatlantic <
> vcf-midatlantic at lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
> 
>> Ethan asks:
>> 
>>> 
>>> It might be possible to hook it to a computer and automate it!
>>> 
>> 
>> ...and how might you think that would be done? and *why*? ;)
>> 
>> Evan asks:
>> 
>> "which perform mechanical computations" - How do you figure?
>>> 
>> 
>> The cams and levers of the sewing mechanism to move the needle. The sweep
>> of the bobbin under the needle and through the "loop" of thread to lock the
>> stitch. Feed dogs which advance the cloth. These are repetitive mechanical
>> actions which are carefully timed in sequence. They better be, or it jams
>> up. This is not poetry; this is technical design.
>> 
>> Evan, you asked for "tech gifts". It's even vintage. ;)
>> 
>> We aren't used to thinking of mechanical devices of this sort as
>> "computational". But, they perform a fixed calculation, programmed by the
>> designer of the mechanism. Size, length, angle, belts, gears - the
>> programming parameters and sequencers. Some of these operations can be
>> adjusted by the user; for cloth thickness, stitch length, slack in the
>> thread. The user controls the speed and torque. Later sewing machines have
>> more, or less, adjustments and options.
>> 
>> Car engines did more complicated things, responded to operating
>> conditions. They also did them mechanically a few decades ago. Same sort of
>> argument, maybe a more familiar one to some.
>> 
>> [deleted: three paragraphs on analog mechanical computers, analog
>> electrical computers, mechanical digital computers....]
>> 
>> If that's hard to understand, well, most people don't understand their
>> cell phones either. But those devices undoubtedly perform calculations. The
>> notion of "computers" as programmable digital devices, is simply familiar
>> to us late-20th century people, who grew up with "computers" as actual
>> devices we programmed ourselves. There are other kinds of "computing" which
>> are alien to many of us.
>> 
>> But people born in the 21st century, will be as ignorant of "computers"
>> and "programming" as were the original operators of my wife's hand-crank
>> sewing machine. Many others, already are. At least with a sewing machine, I
>> can point at the gears, levers, needle - they do stuff you can see and hear
>> and feel. Can you point inside a smartphone, show me how the "programming"
>> works?
>> 
>> Happy holidays,
>> 
>> Herb
>> 
>> --
>> Herbert R. Johnson,  New Jersey USA
>> http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net
>> 
>>