OT, entertainment
Jody F. Kerr
plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
Tue, 1 Oct 2002 10:25:19 -0700
Now that was a blast.. haven't seen that in years. It's now taped to the top
of my monitor and three microsofties at the office have asked me what the
heck it's about.
heh.
Jody
> -----Original Message-----
> From: plug-discuss-admin@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
> [mailto:plug-discuss-admin@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us]On Behalf Of Victor
> Odhner
> Sent: Tuesday, October 01, 2002 12:57 AM
> To: plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
> Subject: Re: OT, entertainment
>
>
> Fred Wright wrote:
> > As I recall, this was a poster/sign hung by a computer
> > (mainframe) room window in the (now) Johnson Spaceflight
> > Center many years ago. ...
>
> If you search Google for "gefingerpoken blinkenlights"
> you'll get lots of hits. This version is supposed to
> be the original:
>
> http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/jargon/html/entry/blinkenlights.html
>
> ACHTUNG! ALLES LOOKENSPEEPERS!
>
> Das computermachine ist nicht fuer gefingerpoken
> und mittengrabben. Ist easy schnappen der springenwerk,
> blowenfusen und poppencorken mit spitzensparken. Ist
> nicht fuer gewerken bei das dumpkopfen. Das rubbernecken
> sichtseeren keepen das cotten-pickenen hans in das
> pockets muss; relaxen und watchen das blinkenlichten.
>
> This version uses "blinkenlights":
> http://zork.net/1997/blinken.html
>
> I first saw a sign like this at the (interior) window
> to a lab in the business school at Penn State where the
> "IBM Machines" resided, with their many blinkenlights.
> This was in 1963. In fact, this was really my first
> exposure to these impressive machines, looking so cool
> and scientific in their clean, glass-walled enclosures.
> And just think, some of these beasts were even more
> powerful than a TRX-80!
>
> I was a journalism student at the time, not yet having
> seen the light -- nor the small paychecks I would get as
> a reporter! Not that I'm making a lot more than that
> now, but that's not important right now . . .
>
> The business school also had powerful machines that could,
> in a whirlwind of activity, sort a thick deck of punched
> cards on any column you chose, and with multiple passes
> you could sort on multiple columns. Remarkable.
>
> The computer wizards even had a computer dating party,
> and at least I was matched with someone compatible enough
> for an hour's enjoyable conversation ... ;-)
>
> Vic
>
>
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