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From: hakkinen@eosp1.UUCP (Markku Hakkinen)
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Re: Nearly Prehistoric Computers
Message-ID: <569@eosp1.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 6-Feb-84 18:02:01 EST
Article-I.D.: eosp1.569
Posted: Mon Feb  6 18:02:01 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 9-Feb-84 09:04:11 EST
References: <588@seismo.UUCP>, <803@elsie.UUCP>
Organization: Exxon Office Systems, Princeton, NJ
Lines: 25

"Snap lead" wired programs are still being used by many
animal learning psychologists to run experiments with
pigeons and other animals.  These set ups often resemble
electronic Rube Goldberg contraptions and are frequently
quite unpredictable, as the many relays and timers are 
sensitive to humidity, dust, and true bugs (ie., cockroaches 
and spiders.... animal labs are often dirty).  My wife did
her dissertation using this equipment and interfaced some
more modern TTL integrated circuits to handle some sophisticated
timing intervals (which would have taken several additional 
racks of relays and timers to implement).  Unfortunately, the
opening and closing of the hundred or so relays involved 
caused considerable interference and resulted in her having
to shield the more modern technology from the old.

As for other prehistoric computing devices, I cast my vote
for the first personal/mini computer... the LINC.  This
system had, in addition to the keyboard, a set of potentiometers
for input.  I know of one that was still in daily use as of about
a year ago.

--Mark Hakkinen eosp!hakkinen
  Ergonomics  Department
  Exxon Office Systems - Princeton