X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Tue, 08 Jan 2008 15:23:25 -0500 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from smtp115.sbc.mail.sp1.yahoo.com ([69.147.64.88] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.2c4) with SMTP id 2635284 for lml@lancaironline.net; Mon, 07 Jan 2008 19:32:59 -0500 Received-SPF: none receiver=logan.com; client-ip=69.147.64.88; envelope-from=elippse@sbcglobal.net Received: (qmail 12825 invoked from network); 8 Jan 2008 00:32:20 -0000 DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; q=dns; c=nofws; s=s1024; d=sbcglobal.net; h=Received:X-YMail-OSG:Message-ID:From:To:Subject:Date:MIME-Version:Content-Type:X-Priority:X-MSMail-Priority:X-Mailer:X-MimeOLE; b=NrFQu+Coq4zQZ+7jFUyoeOXKrHfRhLOpyZIBr6aGwAjdFyg4W9bkJOj4lddLzleNE5+qou61c/jIRQtlcKG/rEHC55kmieMdZhWwk4VdjPOAddbexZ0d0EorbA32P/LwY+LXbfgCiw69PaBGm3nmp8LSKb9f/zWSF9FebKLnnAs= ; Received: from unknown (HELO Computerroom) (elippse@sbcglobal.net@75.15.159.163 with login) by smtp115.sbc.mail.sp1.yahoo.com with SMTP; 8 Jan 2008 00:32:20 -0000 X-YMail-OSG: GgAjqfMVM1lqFnzqcRsgBDRMTAJ4kCJBIIXUXICmpj8KfxPlhNOKGyV4Qv.nITVb5UznZqfUQA-- X-Original-Message-ID: <003a01c8518d$f4345c90$a39f0f4b@Computerroom> From: "Paul Lipps" X-Original-To: "Marv Kaye" Subject: Computer reflections X-Original-Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2008 16:32:30 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0037_01C8514A.E58E09E0" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.3138 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3198 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0037_01C8514A.E58E09E0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable The Burroughs J3 computer used on the WS107A weapons system, the Atlas = ICBM, was a 24 bit, sign+23 bit fixed-magnitude machine, running at = 420kHz, with 400 24 bit words of core memory. With such meager = resources, I was able to receive radar R,A,E digital data at a 10 pps = rate and convert it to metrics every half second, calculate the 3d = position of an aircraft, and steer it to the start point of one-of-seven = switch-selectable test courses, keep it in a circular orbit until the = start of the run, give a 10 second warning until the start of the run, = then guide it along the desired track. This also required a sine = computing routine, and a square-root routine. All of this was done in = machine language. Consider now the micro-processor with its canned = routines that are user selectable, and if the programmer doesn't know = these routines inside out, they can give him some real heartburn in = real-time applications. How many real-time programmers are out there who = will write the total software and all of the necessary routines to = operate an ignition or fuel injection system so that he knows the = software intimately. ------=_NextPart_000_0037_01C8514A.E58E09E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

The Burroughs J3 computer used on the WS107A = weapons=20 system, the Atlas ICBM, was a 24 bit, sign+23 bit fixed-magnitude = machine,=20 running at 420kHz, with 400 24 bit words of core memory. With such = meager=20 resources, I was able to receive radar R,A,E digital data at a 10 pps = rate and=20 convert it to metrics every half second, calculate the 3d position of an = aircraft, and steer it to the start point of one-of-seven = switch-selectable test=20 courses, keep it in a circular orbit until the start of the run, give = a 10=20 second warning until the start of the run, then guide it along the = desired=20 track. This also required a sine computing routine, and a=20 square-root routine. All of this was done in machine language. = Consider now=20 the micro-processor with its canned routines that are user selectable, = and=20 if the programmer doesn't know these routines inside out, they = can=20 give him some real heartburn in real-time applications. How many = real-time=20 programmers are out there who will write the total software and all of = the=20 necessary routines to operate an ignition or fuel injection system so = that he=20 knows the software intimately.

------=_NextPart_000_0037_01C8514A.E58E09E0--