And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Years ago I stumbled across a myseum display of the history of computers. It was set up in a conference room of the hotel. Featured were maybe two hundred different computers from over the centuries. (Yes, centuries.)
All were intricate with several being the acme of complex. Made of wood and metal with chains and gears, they performed their operations smoothly and efficiently.
The most complicated computer I ever learned about was the firing director for a 1940s AA setup. They had elliptical gears and other complications to allow predictive firing solutions.
Complex, but also having a great weight/power ratio and not suffering from pre-ignition due to hot exhaust valves. Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney & Wright made their exhaust valves from special steels with a hollow stem and head that were filled with sodium to transfer heat and still had power limitations due to exhaust valve overheating. Al_in_Ottawa
Bristol Centaurus. Sleeve-valve radial. Yup, incredibly complex.
ReplyDeleteComputers as we think of them. Back in the day, computer was the job title of someone who could do math really fast and correctly.
ReplyDeleteSlide rules are calculators.
ReplyDeleteYears ago I stumbled across a myseum display of the history of computers. It was set up in a conference room of the hotel. Featured were maybe two hundred different computers from over the centuries. (Yes, centuries.)
ReplyDeleteAll were intricate with several being the acme of complex. Made of wood and metal with chains and gears, they performed their operations smoothly and efficiently.
The most complicated computer I ever learned about was the firing director for a 1940s AA setup. They had elliptical gears and other complications to allow predictive firing solutions.
DeleteComplex, but also having a great weight/power ratio and not suffering from pre-ignition due to hot exhaust valves. Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney & Wright made their exhaust valves from special steels with a hollow stem and head that were filled with sodium to transfer heat and still had power limitations due to exhaust valve overheating.
ReplyDeleteAl_in_Ottawa