Re: University credentials used by third parties

["David L. Wasley" <dlwasley () EARTHLINK NET>]

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