Chris
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Open to constructive criticism of photos: Yes
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Post by Chris on Nov 29, 2022 18:47:31 GMT
An interesting video showing how computer classes were conducted in the UK in 1969. We have come a long way since then! How School Computer Classes Looked in 1969: www.yout-ube.com/watch?v=iHlEIcMHsGsKind Regards Chris |
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Post by whippet on Nov 29, 2022 21:07:06 GMT
 I am speechless! And so glad I wasn't at school then. |
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Post by hmca on Nov 29, 2022 21:58:30 GMT
Very impressive teaching methods. Wondering if this was a private school.
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Chris
Established Forum Member
Posts: 435
Open to constructive criticism of photos: Yes
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Post by Chris on Nov 30, 2022 16:35:43 GMT
Yes I agree, impressive teaching methods. It was very unusual for a school to have a large computer like that in those days. According to the YouTube description, this was the Forest Grammar School in Berkshire, UK. It has since changed status to a "Secondary" school. Evidently, the computer was donated by the Nestlé company. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Forest_School,_Winnersh#:~:text=11%20External%20links-,History,first%20headmaster%20of%20the%20school. Kind regards Chris |
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Post by kdcintx on Dec 1, 2022 3:00:04 GMT
It's great they were actually learning how a computer works. I wonder if such classes existed in the U.S. in 1969.
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Post by pontiac1940 on Dec 1, 2022 5:39:21 GMT
Fun video Chris. Thanks. My first encounter with real computers was in 1966, when I was a summer student working at a research station. I was responsible for doing analysis of variance (ANOVA) on some research project results. The "old" way with a Monroe calculator would take 3 or 4 hours to enter all of the data by hand (complete with data-entry errors). It was painful. A nerdy researcher in the soil science department (name was Chris) offered to help. I was some impressed. It still took time to enter the data but as I recall it could be verified and the ANOVAs only took a few seconds. I vaguely recall we did all the AVOVAs in one day vs a week or more. Was cool. In 1976, I collected a mass of data for my masters. It had to be entered manually by an expert ... not me or I'd still be there! And then the stored data was used to print data punch cards. The stack of cards were then fed into a mainframe which stored the data. Then all I had to do was write code on more punch cards that gave analyses instructions to the mainframe. I'd feed the instruction punch cards at 10 PM or so (in the dada center) and go back the next day. If the large printout sheets were just a thin pile then I had made an instruction error. If the stack was 2 inches thick then the data-analysis run had been a success. Oh yeah, my wife typed my 180-page theses on a Smith-Corona manual typewriter.  The good old days. No .. wait. Thanks again. Clive |
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Post by Tpgettys on Dec 1, 2022 6:42:51 GMT
Hey, how did we get into the Wayback Machine??
Dropping a deck of cards was a catastrophic event!
What were those printout pages, 14 inches wide, by what? Back in 1980 my Computer Science Masters thesis was the very first to be accepted by my university that was printed, not typed out on a typewriter (7-pin of course!) Byte Magazine had a glowing review of the printer (I wish I could remember the name), so I went for it at $600, way lower than the competition. Each pin had a separate fuse, which kept blowing, and they were soldered into the motherboard! Needless to say it was a fraught endeavor to get it finished, but we were all skilled in the use of a soldering iron and solder wick in those days!
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