Oldies but goodies. (Letters).What is reported in "Loony Tunes: Bugs blare in software set to music" (SN: 11/30/02, p. 339) is a new application of an old idea. In the 1950s and early 1960s, engineers would check a computer by setting a radio beside the central processing unit See CPU. to pick up the electromagnetic signals put out by switching vacuum tubes Early Vacuum Tube Early vacuum tubes were used to amplify signals for radio and other audio devices. This one was made in 1915. Tubes were not used as switches in calculating machines until 1939. (Image courtesy of AT&T.)  Tubes in the 21st Century Vacuum tubes are still used and not just for CRTs. and, later, transistors. By programming so that the switching played a familiar tune, the engineer could detect instantly where bugs were. Some of us from those years can recall standing around a $6 million computer listening to it play "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer" for a Christmas party at Cape Canaveral. WAYNE MCCOY, POOLESVILLE, MD. I worked for Control Data William C. Norris Norris founded and headed one of the most advanced computer companies in the industry. (Image courtesy of Control Data Corporation.)  The 7600 Control Data's 7600 was open in the middle, and its sides were like walls. You could walk into it from the rear, which is visible in this picture. (Image courtesy of Control Data Corporation.) Corp. from 1962 to 1964. I distinctly remember being impressed by a snappy Snappy - Snappy Video Snapshot version of a polka (language) Polka - An object-oriented parallel logic programming language, built on top of Parlog. ["Polka: A Parlog Object-Oriented Language", Andrew Davison, TR, Parlog Group, Imperial College, London 1988]. that the programmers used to quickly isolate defective cards plugged into the first mainframe computers. This was done by tuning a portable radio near the frame. JOHN D. SHOTZBARGER, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. |
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