WOW - I would, but can't get it. The Selectric III is an amazing piece of machinery. My dad was an engineer with IBM, and one of the best Selectric men in a large radius. Nothing made him happier than changing a rotate-tape when it was closing in on 5pm Haha. Odd factoid. The FDEP Printer (Flight Data Entry Printout) was a selectric-based piece of equipment installed in towers and centers, until it was made obsolete. As a kid of an IBM Engineer, I got to tag-along on his trips, and have really fond memories of Scott AFB. While dad was helping keep their equipment humming, the tracon guys kept a young kid entertained very well. The Selectric was also the foundation of the IBM 360 mainframe, as its console. If the console died, sometimes that caused the mainframe to halt. (Depends on HOW the console died). Many an urgent call came in to IBM from just that issue. The smart customers had manual (unplug, plug-in) redundant consoles.
Back in the day (about 1962, iirc) I remember buying Sunoco gas for 17.9 cents per gallon. Fill it up for under $4!
I have never talked to anyone familiar with a card punch system. I operated an IBM System 3 computer in 1979. One of the key punch ladies had a 1959 Chevy (with the fines) she drove to work. During the job interview the manager told me I was the only applicate to NOT finish the math test. But, also the only applicate to correctly answer all the questions I attempted. I wouldn't want to take that test today!
that rolls right in there with a thought that has spun around in my head for some time... when I think back to the stories my parents tell about when they were kids that seems like ancient history. Even seemed that way to me back when I was a kid. My youngest now is 11. (yeah, I started late) I had kids much later than my parents did when I was 11, my parent's stories from when they were around about 11 were roughly 25 and 29 years prior...and that was ancient history! black and white photos and movies, out houses, party phone lines if they even had a phone....and all that.... ancient! when I tell my kid about when I was 11...that was now almost 45 years ago! aint that the truth.... I have been using an HP 35s calculator at work for a few years....took me a long time to find a calculator with rpn logic....This one aint too bad, but it's sure not on par with my 11c. Not even close. Prior to this 35s, I tried a few other HP calculators (HP 33s and a few others)....pure garbage!
When gas went over 99.9 cents per gallon, but the pumps only went up to 99.9. The price on the pump was half the real price and you had to double the total.
When you make more frequent stops and overnights on cross country flights. And stepping back to a two seat trainer makes you happy. Talking about gas when I got my first car I found gas for .12 cents a gallon,when stations had gas wars.
When you can remember a no calculators rule in Physics and Math. I still have my slip-stick. If you have to ask, you’re not old.
Gee, most of you guys bragging about how long ago you graduated. Both of my sons graduated by 1988, BS, EE. I have had Little Tavern hamburgers when they were 5 cents each, "Buy Them By The Bag", bought by my Dad Later, I bought them for 10 cents for the small ones, or 25 cents for the large. 25 was the better value. Our first phone was screwed to the wall, had a crank on the right side, and earpiece on the hook, left side.
I have noted the members who seemed to be older than I: JohnWF, SNOWMASS, plus maybe kgruber. If you are older than 88, claim your place here! Bobmrg, was on my list, but he went west.........
I bought an HP-15C shortly after starting my career back in 1984. It's still sitting here in my desk drawer, still works great. I'm amazed to think how many engineering designs that little thing cranked out over the years, and I'm still using it. Modern HP stuff? Complete crap, including the laptop I'm using that has a bouncy jjjj key.
I’d been feeling old since turning 40 last fall (‘00 grad) but reading this thread makes me feel young again. I’ve been told by a guy at work that you’re not truly old until you’ve sat on your…not sure how to delicately put it… so it’s in the spoiler. Any old heads able to confirm? Spoiler You’re not old until you’ve sat on your balls
To Nebraska and back from Florida? No thanks. But your post reminded me.... Back when I was starting out at Martin Marietta, we were writing documents like specifications and test requirements on a word processor running on a mainframe. For classified stuff, the classified numbers or words would be omitted, and a reference number used in their place. Then we'd have to go to one of the Selectrics in the office and type up a key sheet that had the classified data. After it was typed, the sheet and the typewriter ribbon cartridge would go into the safe. When we had to do another sheet, the classified ribbon would come out of the safe for the typing, then back it would go. Ah, those were the days....
I forget how we got on the topic, but on a recent trip my brother and I tried explaining S&H green stamps to my 50 y.o. nephew.
I remember my dad pulling into a filling station where the gas was marked at .199 cents, and he saw the price across the street was .189 cents per gallon, so he fired up that old Dodge truck, drove across the street and got a dollars worth. I would bet that old Dodge burned more gas than he saved on the price per gallon.... When I started driving the price of gas rose to an unheard of price of .36 cents per gallon. And a banana split cost a quarter.
I actually learned my Selectric service skills on the 1052, which was the 360 console. The print mechanism and keyboard were divorced; the keyboard sent a 5 or 6 bit code via reed switches, if I remember right, and the print mechanism was driven by solenoids. My first assignment after 360 school was Korea (HHC DISCOM 2ID); fixing the Selectrics in the battalion offices up on the hill for me a favor or two. We actually had a 3272 and 3277 tube that was the console for normal ops, but of course the 1052 had to be there, and working, to get the OS loaded. Fun times.
I worked on 80 column readers and punches for years. I had some training on 129 keypunch machines, but never really worked on them. I did the high-speed stuff attached to the main frames. Later on, I did get some experience with the S/3 and did some work on the 96 column stuff. Worked for Sorbus in Cleveland, we had quite a bit of S/3 equipment under maintenance. I still kick myself in the *** regularly for not liberating a 360 or 370 front panel as a wall hanger. Back then they were going as scrap metal. If you can find one now it’ll probably cost more than your car.
As a youngster the church used a mimeograph machine to print their monthly newsletters. I recall the smell of the ink used in the drum and the sound it made as you turned the crank handle ... "lickety whop, lickety whop!"
There is a scene in the movie “Ferris Bueler’s Day Off” where all the students picked up their test papers and smelled them. I remember those days.
My dad and I both got our PPLs in late 1968. Then he bought a used C-150E that we both used for our instrument training. It had a Narco Mark 12 navcom, and I remember taking the tubes from that radio down to the tube tester at the local Thrifty Drug Store. My first job was as a checker in an Alpha Beta supermarket. We had the old mechanical NCR cash registers. If power in the store went out, one need only pull out the hand crank kept in a drawer under the cash register. Put the hand crank into the hole in the side of the register, and keep on going.
I remember when In 'n Out hamburgers were the size of a Whataburger, not the tasteless hockey pucks they are now...
The mission computer in the bird I flew in was a commodore 64. On the first sub I was attached to, there was an 8-bit computer whose only function was to count to 8(7) and if reached 8(7) it was supposed to SCRAM the reactor. That was the only computer in the engineering spaces. I'm not as old as I look/feel.
stolen from Garfield (6/16): when your (you're?) first watch was a sundial when you were young the Dead Sea was only sick.
Remember peeling the aluminum foil off the dessert before putting the TV dinner into the oven.?? Remember when folks talked out their problems over a cup of coffee and a cigarette.?? Now coffee and cigarettes are the problem....
