Re: Low-level vs. High-level programming (was My First Computer)

["Randy McLaughlin" <randy@nospam.com>]

"Paul Schlyter" <pausch@saaf.se> wrote in message
news:bdoosu$1mhb$1@merope.saaf.se...
> In article <4JLLa.16295$Ei4.6679@nwrddc02.gnilink.net>,
> Sam Gillett <samgillett@msn.com> wrote:
<snip>
>
> > The original purpose of ENIAC was the calculation of trajectories.  A
> > lot of people would be very bored if the only computer game available
> > were Artillery!
>
> :-) ....today people are so spoiled by the vast amount of entertainment
> currently available....
>
> Back in the days of the ENIAC, trajectories wasn't a game, it was a
> serious job.  If no electronic computer could compute them, human
> computers were hired to do the job - by hand computation!!!  The
> electronic computer relieved them from this drudging and boring task
> .... I _don't_ think the people of those times were bored by THAT!!!

Actually computers were used for trajection calculations long before ENIAC.
In the 70's & 80's when some navy destroyers were being refitted it was
decided to keep their original analog computers for aiming their 16" guns.
Of course they are both not "Turing complete" and non-Von Neumann.

>
> Ahhh, hand computation .... today's computer kids are probably
> unaware of what that is.  Lock them up in a chamber for a few weeks,
> and tell them they'll have to compute an artillery trajectory table
> until they can get out of there.  Also give them instructions on how
> to computer this table, with all necessary formulas, and also an
> instruction on how to do arithmetic with pencil and paper.  THAT
> should teach them what boredom is!!!  <grin>
>
> OTOH future generations will probably consider today's computer games
> so .... primitive .... and ..... utterly ..... boring .... how on
> earth could people stand playing those silly things?   <double grin>
>
> -- 
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