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Re: wearable computers from the sixties - who knew?

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"Michael Black" wrote:

> On Tue, 19 Jan 2016, Peter Flass wrote:
>
>> Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> wrote:
>>> On Mon, 18 Jan 2016, Lewis wrote:
>>>
>>>> In message <alpine.LNX.2.02.1601172311120.26926@darkstar.example.org>
>>>> Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> 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.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> <http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/18/edward-thorp-father-of-wearable-computing/>
>>>>>>
>>>>> 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.
>>>
>>
>> Build a radio with  three.
>>
> Yes, but we were talking about "wearable computer".
>
> With five transistors, someone says it was 12 which is still really low,
> you could build 2.5 flip flops.

Oddly enough, you don't *have* to use flip-flops to be digital.  There were 
"counting" circuits, which were "stepwise". Just for fun I toyed with these 
for a while and had one working.  See p.607 of Frederick Terman's _Radio 
Engineering_ ©1947.  That schematic is for vacuum tubes and uses a gas 
triode, which I don't recall as being part of the deal, but it's been a 
while.

I believe these circuits were actually used in the Eniac, perhaps mixed in 
with some flip-flops.  Google for <"counting circuits" eniac>.  Eniac was 
still digital, it was just not binary. To me, the "stepwise" qualifies it as 
digital.  The referenced page shows a convincing waveform drawing, which I 
don't have the patience to try to replicate. And I saw the waveform on a 
'scope in my palatial apartment.

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wearable computers from the sixties - who knew? "M. John Matlaw" <nouser@invalid.com> - 2016-01-17 05:23 -0500
  Re: wearable computers from the sixties - who knew? Andrew Swallow <am.swallow@btinternet.com> - 2016-01-17 14:20 +0000
    Re: wearable computers from the sixties - who knew? Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> - 2016-01-17 15:14 +0000
      Re: wearable computers from the sixties - who knew? Andrew Swallow <am.swallow@btinternet.com> - 2016-01-17 19:24 +0000
        Re: wearable computers from the sixties - who knew? Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> - 2016-01-17 20:15 +0000
  Re: wearable computers from the sixties - who knew? isw <isw@witzend.com> - 2016-01-17 10:25 -0800
  Re: wearable computers from the sixties - who knew? Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2016-01-17 23:12 -0500
    Re: wearable computers from the sixties - who knew? Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2016-01-18 10:01 +0000
      Re: wearable computers from the sixties - who knew? Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2016-01-18 15:28 -0500
        Re: wearable computers from the sixties - who knew? Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2016-01-19 03:58 +0000
          Re: wearable computers from the sixties - who knew? "J. Clarke" <j.clarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2016-01-18 23:16 -0500
        Re: wearable computers from the sixties - who knew? "Osmium" <r124c4u102@comcast.net> - 2016-01-19 00:22 -0600
          Re: wearable computers from the sixties - who knew? "J. Clarke" <j.clarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2016-01-19 06:58 -0500
            Re: wearable computers from the sixties - who knew? "Osmium" <r124c4u102@comcast.net> - 2016-01-19 08:32 -0600
              Re: wearable computers from the sixties - who knew? Ahem A Rivet's Shot <steveo@eircom.net> - 2016-01-19 15:48 +0000
          Re: wearable computers from the sixties - who knew? Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2016-01-19 15:44 -0500
        Re: wearable computers from the sixties - who knew? Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2016-01-19 07:36 -0500
          Re: wearable computers from the sixties - who knew? Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2016-01-19 15:46 -0500
            Re: wearable computers from the sixties - who knew? "Osmium" <r124c4u102@comcast.net> - 2016-01-19 16:37 -0600
  Re: wearable computers from the sixties - who knew? Sbez <Sbez742@gmail.com> - 2016-03-04 07:19 -0600
    Re: wearable computers from the sixties - who knew? Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2016-03-04 16:24 +0000

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