The photo looks high tech compared to what I learned to program on. In 1971, I took a course in BASIC. The hardware was a teletype connection to a time-sharing IBM mainframe (today that would be called "the cloud"). I thought I was quite sophisticated, playing text based Star Trek! There were also some gents who had a station wagon out front of the lab, packed with radio gear. I later learned that they were using the lab to access a bookmaking program they had installed on the mainframe. A confederate at the track would place bets according to their picks. This was before even satellite phones. They must have made some serious cash off the ponies to warrant that much effort.
What is funny is that years later, working on staff at a telecom, I was partnered for many quick projects with a highly skilled contract programmer. He was using his IBM AT on the job to run a bookmaking program, then would call his confederate at the track (who had a satellite phone) to place his bets.
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The photo looks high tech compared to what I learned to program on. In 1971, I took a course in BASIC. The hardware was a teletype connection to a time-sharing IBM mainframe (today that would be called "the cloud"). I thought I was quite sophisticated, playing text based Star Trek! There were also some gents who had a station wagon out front of the lab, packed with radio gear. I later learned that they were using the lab to access a bookmaking program they had installed on the mainframe. A confederate at the track would place bets according to their picks. This was before even satellite phones. They must have made some serious cash off the ponies to warrant that much effort.
What is funny is that years later, working on staff at a telecom, I was partnered for many quick projects with a highly skilled contract programmer. He was using his IBM AT on the job to run a bookmaking program, then would call his confederate at the track (who had a satellite phone) to place his bets.
Where are all the great ideas and visions of the future now?
All they seem to have are globalwarmthink depopulation and deindustrialisation nightmares.
You'll like this one. Germans showing how safe food can be even beyond standard dates. Keep those preps going with confidence:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16852830
PACK YOUR LARD
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