[vcf-midatlantic] What we can learn from vintage computing

[Dave McGuire]

On 12/22/22 17:08, Neil Cherry via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
> Grew up in the 80's, so the microcontroller/microcomputer era. I have 
> use the
> 6802 & 6809 Applied Micro Systems hardware emulators and love them. I 
> have a
> Z80B Applied Micro Systems emulator with my Z80 Starter Kit board. Those 
> were
> much simpler times. Now we have plenty of tools to debug. I think we're 
> doing
> much better than the front panel. ;-)

   We are, but "Heisenbugs" can be very nasty, and front panels don't lie.

   Whenever we get hard-core (but young) programmers in at LSSM, I 
always show them how a front panel works, usually on the PDP-11/70. 
Invariably their reaction is incredulous, saying something akin to "OMG 
if we only had those on modern machines!"

   And I have to agree!

           -Dave

-- 
Dave McGuire, AK4HZ
New Kensington, PA