Educause Security Discussion mailing list archives
Re: University credentials used by third parties
From: "David L. Wasley" <dlwasley () EARTHLINK NET>
Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:59:00 -0700
Ahh - memory lane (and not necessarily 8 bit/byte). I built my first "digital machine" in 1959 with discrete transistors - those things in a small metal "can" with 3 leads. 2 transistors + a few resistors & capacitors created a "flip flop" (who remembers THAT term). Connect a bunch in series, apply a reasonably accurate clock, and voila - a digital stop watch! Then I learned Fortran on an IBM 704 and punched cards (rectangular holes, 12 bits per character) and wrote a sort program that brought the "mainframe" to its knees. Given an original Data General "mini computer" with 4K "words" of core memory and a multipass, paper tape, assembly language "compiler", I wrote a data acquisition system, including drivers for the A/D converter and a 7 track mag tape drive. I also wrote a very efficient punched card driver that converted 12 bit Hollerith to ASCII before the next column showed up. (No, not a 4096 entry lookup table - we didn't have that much memory.) This was "remote job entry" in its hayday. Along the way I repaired several "4K word core memory cards" that were about 16" square. Usually it was one of the driver transistors. Wire wrap? - I'm was an expert! Now my wristwatch has more computing power than any of those computers. And I love my Mac!!! David
Current thread:
- Re: University credentials used by third parties, (continued)
- Re: University credentials used by third parties Cal Frye (Aug 18)
- Re: University credentials used by third parties Ullman, Catherine (Aug 18)
- Re: University credentials used by third parties Nate johnson (Aug 18)
- Re: University credentials used by third parties Brad Miller (Aug 19)
- Re: University credentials used by third parties Jeff Kell (Aug 19)
- Re: University credentials used by third parties David Gillett (Aug 18)
- Re: University credentials used by third parties Ozzie Paez (Aug 21)
- Re: University credentials used by third parties David Gillett (Aug 18)
- Re: University credentials used by third parties Paul Kendall (Aug 18)