Category:
Computers

How to become a computer programmer—in 1969

The ad below ran in Esquire (and many other publications) in 1969. The pitch seems reasonable enough until you consider that home computers weren't introduced until the late 1970s. So how were people going to learn programming without a computer to practice on? According to the ad copy, students were expected to "train by mail."

I wonder if anyone ever actually learned programming in this way?

Esquire - Jan 1969

Posted By: Alex - Thu May 30, 2019 - Comments (9)
Category: Advertising, Computers, 1960s

“It will never become obsolete”

Atari ad from 1980.

Technology companies should probably never claim that their products will never become obsolete.



via Book of Joe

Posted By: Alex - Wed May 01, 2019 - Comments (1)
Category: Technology, Computers, Advertising, 1980s

The Moniac

Created by William Phillips in the 1940s, the Moniac was a device that used water flowing through pipes to simulate how money moves around within the economy. From the NY Times:

Water flows through a series of clear pipes, mimicking the way that money flows through the economy. It lets you see (literally) what would happen if you lower tax rates or increase the money supply or whatever; just open a valve here or pull a lever there and the machine sloshes away, showing in real time how the water levels rise and fall in various tanks representing the growth in personal savings, tax revenue, and so on. This device was state of the art in the 1950s, but it looks hilarious now, with all its plumbing and noisy pumps.

More info: wikipedia



The Sedalia Democrat - Dec 23, 1951

Posted By: Alex - Tue Nov 20, 2018 - Comments (0)
Category: Technology, Computers, 1940s

Blake Reynolds, Early Overdubber

The studio processes of multitracking and overdubbing are commonplace now, a cinch with home digital tech. But in 1952, the notion that a single musician could create a recording where they played every single instrument--a la Prince--was rare and weird.

Here's an early pioneer. Listen to his version of "Waiting for the Robert E. Lee" here.

Posted By: Paul - Fri Jul 13, 2018 - Comments (1)
Category: Music, Technology, Computers, 1950s

The CGI of 1985



1985 Clio Award winning Television commercial done for Canned Foods Information Council by San Francisco ad agency of Ketchum Communications. [This] spot, "Brilliance," won in Computer Animation category and featured a voice-over by motion picture star, Kathleen Turner.


Posted By: Paul - Fri Jul 06, 2018 - Comments (2)
Category: Anthropomorphism, Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Business, Advertising, Food, Robots, Computers, Special Effects, 1980s

Redactron Word Processor

image

Apparently, if you can believe the ad, this early feminist word-processor had the side-effect of liberating women.

Original ad here.

History here.

Posted By: Paul - Fri Nov 06, 2015 - Comments (14)
Category: Business, Computers, 1970s, Women

The Z-Man, or Brain, Toy

image

What was so distinctive about this toy? Early pre-silicon programability.

image
image

Original article here.

Even more pix and info at this blog.

Posted By: Paul - Wed Nov 04, 2015 - Comments (4)
Category: Toys, AI, Robots and Other Automatons, Computers, 1950s

Geek Orgasm Day

image


Windows 10 is now officially released. I've been up since midnight updating PC's.
My hand is getting tired :roll:
It's nice being off work after being in the hospital to enjoy this day.

Posted By: BrokeDad - Wed Jul 29, 2015 - Comments (22)
Category: Computers

Way Out

Posted By: Paul - Wed Jul 15, 2015 - Comments (3)
Category: Technology, Computers, Surrealism

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Alex Boese
Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes.

Paul Di Filippo
Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1.

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