[Cialug] I Remember When Computer Specs

[Morris Dovey]

On 7/29/2010 8:17 PM, Nathan C. Smith wrote:

> Boot from paper tape.  That is fantastic!  I wish there was a way to
> experience some of this today.

No you don't - trust me. That machine had no RAM, and only about 2k or 
so storage on a magnetic drum. That is _not_ fantastic unless all you'd 
ever seen was a slide rule. :)

> I think there was a lot more ingenuity at work "back in the day".
> Now people solve problems by replacement and throwing money at them
> to add more RAM or storage people replacing their computer because it
> is struck by a virus.

I think there's at least as much ingenuity at work today, and at least 
the major players have always solved problems by smothering them under 
piles of money.

> Probably why I like Open Source so much, a little more ingenuity is
> involved.

Hmm - I don't think there's more ingenuity involved; there's just more 
opportunity to see it.