badtom
Bad Tom
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2014
- Messages
- 411
- Location
- Boston, Massachusetts
We come from all sorts of backgrounds.
My dad helped develop nuclear reactors at the National Reactor Test Station outside of Idaho Falls, Idaho in the late 50s. I was born in Idaho Falls.
When that got too hot*, he transferred to working on Apollo. I grew up 1 1/2 miles outside of Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL. When they tested the Saturn stages, the house shook.
So, it is not too surprising that I love rockets. And other things that roar, bang, burn, or explode.
I began doing self bondage and self hanging with belts around the age of 8, apparently by instinct. Over the years I have developed quite the elaboration on the subject. I have more leather stuff in my closet than clothes. It's a problem.
I got my first book on computers in the 4th grade, along with another prized possession, my record of Christmas with the Chipmunks. I taught myself to program computers at age 16 at Hiram College in 1974 during a summer program for high school students. One year later, I had my first programming job. I am a professional programmer to this day. As far as I can tell, I have been perverted the whole time.
I am married to a man. He knows I am very weird. He even knows about the nooses, and we remain. This is only one reason why I love him.
Weird coincidence: I taught myself to program on an IBM 1620, which was designed in 1958, the year I was born. When I was at MIT, I did work-study with Nat Rochester from IBM, who I later found out designed the IBM 1620. Nat also invented magnetic tape for IBM.
Many folks have seen the movie "Brazil" by Terry Gilliam. Terrific film.
When I worked with Nat in 1977, we were trying to build a briefcase computer, using a special condensed keyboard Nat had invented.
But we didn't have a good screen (LCDs weren't cooked yet), so we used a 1 inch TV, with a magnifying glass, just exactly like in "Brazil".
The movie version was so close, I wondered if someone from the production crew had seen our prototype.
IBM wisely decided not to make that one into a product.
Second weird coincidence: the old sci-fi movie "Colossus: The Forbin Project" used about a score of IBM 1620s during the early scene showing the Colossus control room.
The 1620 control panels were all scavenged to make the set decorations for the shot. You can tell because of the huge arrow like selector dials and all the blinking lights.**
Minor coincidence: While I was at MIT, there was a CS grad student named Charles Forbin, the same as the scientist in the movie. Naturally, we dressed this guy up just like in the movie, with the little Colossus logo and everything, for his student ID photo.
Who says nerds don't have a sense of humor? God sure seems to.
-------
* Look up "Idaho Falls: The Untold Story of America's First Nuclear Accident" if you are interested. Available on Amazon. My dad had to help clean SL-1 up.
** Nerd Note: When Colossus responds in the film, it appears to be programmed in BASIC. At MIT, the audience broke into laughter. But then, we would.
My dad helped develop nuclear reactors at the National Reactor Test Station outside of Idaho Falls, Idaho in the late 50s. I was born in Idaho Falls.
When that got too hot*, he transferred to working on Apollo. I grew up 1 1/2 miles outside of Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL. When they tested the Saturn stages, the house shook.
So, it is not too surprising that I love rockets. And other things that roar, bang, burn, or explode.
I began doing self bondage and self hanging with belts around the age of 8, apparently by instinct. Over the years I have developed quite the elaboration on the subject. I have more leather stuff in my closet than clothes. It's a problem.
I got my first book on computers in the 4th grade, along with another prized possession, my record of Christmas with the Chipmunks. I taught myself to program computers at age 16 at Hiram College in 1974 during a summer program for high school students. One year later, I had my first programming job. I am a professional programmer to this day. As far as I can tell, I have been perverted the whole time.
I am married to a man. He knows I am very weird. He even knows about the nooses, and we remain. This is only one reason why I love him.
Weird coincidence: I taught myself to program on an IBM 1620, which was designed in 1958, the year I was born. When I was at MIT, I did work-study with Nat Rochester from IBM, who I later found out designed the IBM 1620. Nat also invented magnetic tape for IBM.
Many folks have seen the movie "Brazil" by Terry Gilliam. Terrific film.
When I worked with Nat in 1977, we were trying to build a briefcase computer, using a special condensed keyboard Nat had invented.
But we didn't have a good screen (LCDs weren't cooked yet), so we used a 1 inch TV, with a magnifying glass, just exactly like in "Brazil".
The movie version was so close, I wondered if someone from the production crew had seen our prototype.
IBM wisely decided not to make that one into a product.
Second weird coincidence: the old sci-fi movie "Colossus: The Forbin Project" used about a score of IBM 1620s during the early scene showing the Colossus control room.
The 1620 control panels were all scavenged to make the set decorations for the shot. You can tell because of the huge arrow like selector dials and all the blinking lights.**
Minor coincidence: While I was at MIT, there was a CS grad student named Charles Forbin, the same as the scientist in the movie. Naturally, we dressed this guy up just like in the movie, with the little Colossus logo and everything, for his student ID photo.
Who says nerds don't have a sense of humor? God sure seems to.
-------
* Look up "Idaho Falls: The Untold Story of America's First Nuclear Accident" if you are interested. Available on Amazon. My dad had to help clean SL-1 up.
** Nerd Note: When Colossus responds in the film, it appears to be programmed in BASIC. At MIT, the audience broke into laughter. But then, we would.
