alt.folklore.computers Google Group

APL

2008-08-30T02:59:26Z

I noticed the bitsavers site added some APL manuals. That brought
back memories. Bad ones.
I had a college course in which APL was part of it. I duly bought the
textbook, I believe authored by Ken Iverson. I duly sat down at an
APL equipped Selectric and logged on using my new account.
That's as far as I got.

Re: Baudot code direct to computers?

2008-08-30T02:49:13Z

I gather than I/O routines from such computers had to convert numerics
into a shift+char+shift as appropriate? Obviously not to hard for a
program to do, but seems tedious just the same.
I think the deaf TTY interface machines still in use to this day is
Baudot based.

Re: Baudot code direct to computers?

2008-08-30T02:41:49Z

On Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:22:47 -0400, Anne & Lynn Wheeler
IIRC, the only thing that I know of for the ascii mode bit was that
you got different nibbles for the sign with packed decimal
instructions.

Re: Baudot code direct to computers?<137c32bb-cf51-4bab-b1cb-787d7ad10b9c@x41g2

2008-08-30T02:40:21Z

The IBM PC used non-IBM components by intent. The PC was developed by
a small separate unit in the hopes it would not be weighed down by
IBM's bloated bureaucracy (that had developed by that time, a far cry
from the lean company of the early 1950s).
Unfortunately, as I understand it, IBM snatched defeat from the jaws

Re: IBM--disposition of clock business

2008-08-30T02:32:51Z

The Peter Principle posits that people are promoted from
jobs they can do until they reach jobs they can't. Shall we
formulate a Paul Principle saying that when the institution
recognizes that someone has Petered out and transfers him from
the job he can't do to a new assignment, the new assignment is

Re: IBM--disposition of clock business

2008-08-30T02:27:43Z

The spirits were largely unbuoyed: morale was terrible.
The company disintegrated into turf-protecting factions, all
busily digging trenches and constructing machine gun nests
to fight each other off. Progress, of course, came to a total
standstill, and the company -- which had once been dominant and

Re: IBM--disposition of clock business

2008-08-30T00:11:47Z

there was an analogous scenario in the late 70s about people who took
(new) full-time "security" positions ... i.e. all the people that were
productively contributing to products couldn't be spared ... it was
only those that weren't really needed, that were available to fill those
new "security" positions.

Re: Taxes

2008-08-29T23:57:26Z

In article <VqGdnfh6L5AqVCrVnZ2dnUVZ_qXin ...@rcn.net>, jmfbahciv@aol
says...
AFAIK, it has to do with the deductions, as well. I don't have
abnormal deductions.
Why? It's a great way to bury money.
You don't do IRAs yet trust the state with your money?

Re: Baudot code direct to computers?

2008-08-29T23:22:47Z

note that 360s had an ascii mode bit in the PSW ... it did disappear
with transition to 370 (i don't know any use of 360).
360 PSW format (bit 12 ascii/ebcdic mode bit):
[link]
also 360 principle of operations:
[link]
I was never really clear how it really changed the operations of the

Re: IBM--disposition of clock business

2008-08-29T22:54:09Z

In article <b094b1dc-2511-4379-8a97-
3d35fbf6f...@m3g2000hsc.google groups.com>, mensana...@aol.com
says...
You were.
Wish them the best of luck.

Re: Baudot code direct to computers? <137c32bb-cf51-4bab-b1cb-787d7ad10b9c@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com>

2008-08-29T21:44:44Z

Yes, and those required high voltages, like 120 volts DC and a
corresponding series resistance to overcome the inductance of the
selector coil or relay winding. But the later Teletype machines,
the 32, 33 and 35 had electronic low-voltage selector magnet
drivers. It's a mystery to me why they were current-loop operated,

Re: Baudot code direct to computers? <137c32bb-cf51-4bab-b1cb-787d7ad10b9c@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com>

2008-08-29T21:42:03Z

The IBM PC era was a long time after the time I was referring to when I
said IBM did everything possible to sink ASCII. I'm talking about the
1962-1970 time frame when IBM brought out EBCDIC and hoped that by the
force of their market dominance it would prevail over ASCII.

Re: IBM--disposition of clock business

2008-08-29T20:19:14Z

While the post-merger spirits may be buoyed by teasing the unloved
bosses, the failure of the division is all but assured in this
(not uncommon) scenario. Been there, done that.
/ Lars Poulsen

Re: Baudot code direct to computers?

2008-08-29T19:44:33Z

(in article <g97seb$d9...@aioe.org>):
Fundamental fact: I've been retired for 13 years and even before that
was out of touch with developments in the field. So all I know about
the Atlanta incident is what I read in the newspapers.
Neither am I current on the current modernization project. One thing I

Re: Baudot code direct to computers?

2008-08-29T18:51:59Z

(in article <g976e4$f9...@registered.motza rella.org>):

Yes, I believe that's correct.