Path: csiph.com!weretis.net!feeder6.news.weretis.net!news.glorb.com!usenet.stanford.edu!usenet-its.stanford.edu!news.xcski.com!ncf.ca!not-for-mail From: Michael Black Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware.misc,alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: wearable computers from the sixties - who knew? Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2016 15:44:35 -0500 Organization: National Capital Freenet, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Lines: 58 Sender: et472@mtrlpq4362w-lp130-03-1177918391.dsl.bell.ca Message-ID: References: NNTP-Posting-Host: mtrlpq4362w-lp130-03-1177918391.dsl.bell.ca Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed X-Trace: theodyn.ncf.ca 1453236014 10185 70.53.155.183 (19 Jan 2016 20:40:14 GMT) X-Complaints-To: complaints@ncf.ca NNTP-Posting-Date: 19 Jan 2016 20:40:14 GMT In-Reply-To: User-Agent: Alpine 2.02 (LNX 1266 2009-07-14) Xref: csiph.com comp.sys.mac.hardware.misc:1907 alt.folklore.computers:157037 On Tue, 19 Jan 2016, Osmium wrote: > "Michael Black" wrote: > > news:alpine.LNX.2.02.1601181528070.28287@darkstar.example.org... >> On Mon, 18 Jan 2016, Lewis wrote: >> >>> In message >>> Michael Black wrote: >>>> On Sun, 17 Jan 2016, M. John Matlaw wrote: >>> >>>>> The thing that piqued my interest was someone figuring out a way to >>>>> increase >>>>> their chances in roulette. Wouldn't have thought that possible. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> That wasn't really a computer, just a timer of some sort. >>> >>> It was certainly more than a simple stopwatch. It computed. So... >>> >> The article mentioned a specific number of transistors, I think five. >> >> You really can't do much with 5 transistors. > > I read that book when it came out and I have been bothered by the factual > basis of this thread from the get go, it doesn't match my memory. The system > included various bits and pieces, parts were in the shoe, parts were strapped > around the chest and there may have been even more.Here is a bit from the > book: > There's two stories here, I thought initially it was one and they got the date wrong. The story that started this thread seems to be about 1961, and they talked about a small number of transistors. Starting in the mid-seventies, there was that project written about in "The Eudaemonic Pie", and they were actually using a microprocessor, things having changed enough that they existed by then. Not an easy task getting what was needed into a small space, but an actual wearable computer, while the earlier project doesn't seem to be really a "computer". Michael > "[The unit] would hold the microprocessor, EPROM and > RAMS needed for operating the roulette algorithm. > The other unit would hold a clock, five logic chips, > and the transistors and amplifier by which the > compiler talked ... " > > > https://books.google.com/books?id=Q9aOedEfOMMC&pg=PA221&lpg=PA221&dq=Eudaemonic+five+transistors&source=bl&ots=ln_iGedyVU&sig=84MmvecsQs_PgHqtnJw1SsZ4MkE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj-ha6imbXKAhUM5CYKHfbdCUEQ6AEIHDAA#v=onepage&q=Eudaemonic%20five%20transistors&f=false > >