That does not compute

From: Andrew Davie <adavie_at_mad.scientist.com>
Date: Thu Dec 31 20:37:09 1998

SOmething I don't miss.
Back in the late 70s / early 80s, whenever somebody found out I was "into"
computers, they thought it quite hilarious to put in their conversation,
somewhere, the words "that does not compute" in a silly monotonic
computer-like voice. Annoyed the hell out of me! Was it just me this
happened to?! ;)
This custom seemed to disappear in the mid 80s. Sometimes I get to thinking
of the things that have changed, and when and why. Another example that
comes to mind - I quite clearly remember about 10 years ago thinking how
useless the tilde (~) was on a keyboard. Of course, now we are all
net-bound it's used all the time. I wonder if there are other examples of
ins/outs that you oldies remember and would care to share. Things that were
ubiquitous and no longer with us.
A
Received on Thu Dec 31 1998 - 20:37:09 GMT