"Jon Jarmon" wrote in message:
> When I first used my own personal computer very few
> people had them back in the middle 1970's(it was pretty
> much a obscure electronic hobbiest oddity except for
> the serious mainframes and minicomputers field).
> I was utilizing my personal computer in a math class to
> the amazement of the math teacher(also in a chemistry,
> physics and astronomy class).At first most of the school
> teachers would not permit them because they falsly
> believed that using a computer was cheating.I explained
> to my teachers that I had to program the mathematical
> algorithms to solve complex problems and knowing
> HOW to solve the problem was essentially knowing how
> to arrive at the correct solution,otherwise an incorrect
> answer would be garbage in-garbage out.
> One teacher would not permit me using a computer
> though because she said that it was important to
> calculate mathematical problems by hand using simple
> addition,subtraction,multiplication and division.
She might of thought, you'd be carting in a Harvard Mark
I! (Well it just happens to be one of my favourite early
machines, even though I've only seen pictures of it).
> I told that teacher that it was silly to use those methods
> in a trigonometry class and that someone who did not
> know basic math should NOT be in a trigonometry class
> in the first place.
> Still most of the teachers permitted the use of a
> computer when I explained why using one was not
> cheating(well at that time you had to program it
> yourself).
> Most of my teachers were AWED at how I finished
> their tests in only around 5 to 10 minutes time.
> Later on I programmed huge differential and
> integral equations weaving them methodically into
> monster algorithmic equations that would take perhaps
> 50 man-years to solve by hand(It still took about a
> month of programming and de-bugging).
> My first computer had no CRT display but it was no
> mere TOY even back then.
> I realized that computing was a better way to solve
> many complicated algorithmic tasks more accurately
> and far more swift-To think differently as the Apple
> computer slogan later went.
> The reason I collect old Personal Computers is to
> remember how they evolved,how we got here to this
> new amazing age of technological marvels and how
> computing has radically altered all of our lives now.
> I'm sure we all are also trying to save digital
> artifacts (hopefully operational)as long as possible,
> so that future generations will want to view how and
> why their life was forever altered by the great ever
> evolving computer revolution.
> Sadly even these artifacts will eventially fail
> electronically leaving only their non-functioning form.
> At least emulators,the internet and digital archives of
> the bold old machines will still occassionally light up to
> educate future young students of computer archeology.
Geez, this reminds me of how lucky I was getting out of
school. When I did Yr12 in 1996, the school were trying
to get everyone doing Maths (unfortunately Maths wasn't
compolsery - but I chose it since I deemed it important)
a Graphical Calculator. They told me that you didn't
need one to do the exam, but they recommended it
(sounds like Microsoft don't they!). Anyway I took my
ol' Scientific Calculator to the Exam & passed it with
flying colours!
I still have my Scientific Calculator
today & I think for what it does, it's essential for
computing particularly because of the Hexidecimal,
Decimal, Binary & Octal it supports.
The following year I did a computer course & just about
everyone there had the ol' scientific calculator (so I
more or less had the advanced version!).
Cheers.
