Windows 10 free upgrade offer

[Barman]

When I graduated in 1977 I went to werk for IBM as a trainee PR Manager. I was given the job of setting up an exhibition to introduce the "word processor" to the UK. Golf ball typewriter with a big box attached to it. You try explaining word processing to folks used to carbon paper 

When I left Bog Street Comprehensive in 1976 I went to werk for a company in Slough selling HP kit (see above)...

Apart from the HP 85 we also sold the HP-125...




It ran CP/M so I organised a sales thing with all the secretaries from the Slough trading estate to demonstrte the power of the Word processor (HP-125 running WordStar)...

You try explaining word processing to folks used to carbon paper 

[Nick]

I resigned from IBM after six months and went back to university to study Victorian literature and  become a human being again

corrected for you

Quite so. I threw my compulsory blue tie into the Thames at Chiswick 

[Steve]

. .You try explaining word processing to folks  . . .

I bet you told them it'd make producing documents quicker.  And did it? 

[Uncle Mort]

. .You try explaining word processing to folks  . . .

I bet you told them it'd make producing documents quicker.  And did it? 

It certainly did. I was in charge of bringing word processors into the company back in the dark ages. The secretaries and typing pool (that tells you how long ago it was) took to them immediately. I'd bought two to start with and it was handbags at dawn for access to them.

Boosted my standing with the girls as well 

[Steve]

. .You try explaining word processing to folks  . . .

I bet you told them it'd make producing documents quicker.  And did it? 

It certainly did. I was in charge of bringing word processors into the company back in the dark ages. The secretaries and typing pool (that tells you how long ago it was) took to them immediately. I'd bought two to start with and it was handbags at dawn for access to them.

Boosted my standing with the girls as well 

But the way it's panned out, word processing actually slows down final document production.  When it was typed people would think twice before requesting changes, now a document is iterated so many times as everyone gets their input- because it's easy to make changes.

Arguably we get better final documents but quicker?   

[Barman]

New power supply fitted.... 

[Darwins Selection]

New power supply fitted.... 

Clever boy. 

[Barman]

New power supply fitted.... 

Clever boy. 

 

[tel]

A Windows update nightmare scenario situation.... 

 

I dunno....

It did an update yesterday morning.... this morning it would only boot with the LAN cable unplugged....

Have been out all day so time to investigate now....

 

 

 

 

  both

?

Ah, COBOL. programmed in that from 70,s thru to 2000 ish.
It's still going strong although there are not may programmers left. Loadsa finance/banking system still running on it.

[Grumpmeister]

I remember programming in COBOL when i was in college, made a hell of a lot more sense than Pascal did at the time, 

[Steve]

I remember programming in COBOL when i was in college, made a hell of a lot more sense than Pascal did at the time, 

Still good money to be had in those languages

A nuclear power station I know of had (and for all I know still has) a key part of its back up safety system written in ALGOL.  When I asked why they said they daren't touch it.  They figured it was cheaper to keep the 1970's vintage processing host running than try to get a new write certified.

Coral 66 anyone?

[Barman]

I remember programming in COBOL when i was in college, made a hell of a lot more sense than Pascal did at the time, 

Still good money to be had in those languages

A nuclear power station I know of had (and for all I know still has) a key part of its back up safety system written in ALGOL.  When I asked why they said they daren't touch it.  They figured it was cheaper to keep the 1970's vintage processing host running than try to get a new write certified.

Coral 66 anyone?

The bookmakers...? 

[Grumpmeister]

I remember programming in COBOL when i was in college, made a hell of a lot more sense than Pascal did at the time, 

Still good money to be had in those languages

A nuclear power station I know of had (and for all I know still has) a key part of its back up safety system written in ALGOL.  When I asked why they said they daren't touch it.  They figured it was cheaper to keep the 1970's vintage processing host running than try to get a new write certified.

Coral 66 anyone?

I loved COBOL because it was so close to English in comparison which made the paperwork a hell of a lot easier to put together. (Yes I know you are supposed to do the algorithms and flowcharts first but the college was so hell bent on trying to teach JSP that they just managed to confuse most of us.  It didn't take long before we realised that we got better marks by writing the program then making up all the paperwork to fit.  )

[Steve]

Readable at line level, nigh on incomprehensible at programme level

Bit like my posts? 

[Grumpmeister]

The only real problem I had with using it back in the day was when I had to incorporate octal into programs. That system made no bloody sense whatsoever.