[Elecraft] OT: Heathkit Catalogs

[Fred Jensen]

On 9/12/2011 10:00 AM, Dave wrote:

> If you get one of those musical birthday
> cards in the mail, open it up, enjoy the message (maybe even a
> personal message added), then toss it in the trash can at some point.
> When you do that, you have thrown away a bunch more computing power
> than that Heath analog computer had!  In fact, I read once that such
> an act effectively tosses away more computing power than what existed
> in the late 40’s!

The computer that adjusts the driver's seat in my Chevy truck [one of 
six in the vehicle] has more "computer power" than we sent to the moon 
on Apollo.  It's had to be re-booted twice when it decided to pin me to 
the steering wheel instead of backing the seat up all the way for easy 
egress.  The Apollo computers did not need to be, and in fact could not 
be, re-booted.  Their programs were hard-wired.  I have no idea what 
"computer power" resides in my Elecraft radios, but its probably a lot 
more than in the seat of my truck.

Some IBM executive was quoted in the late 40's/early 50's that he saw a 
market for perhaps 6 or 7 of "these computers," worldwide.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2011 Cal QSO Party 1-2 Oct 2011
- www.cqp.org