Firsts

From: Joe <rigdonj_at_intellistar.net>
Date: Thu Jan 15 10:21:46 1998

At 09:17 PM 1/14/98 -0500, you wrote:
>> I don't know if you'd consider it a computer, but the HP 41 was used
>on
>> a number of shuttle flights. A friend of mine from HP went to Houston to
>> teach the astronauts how to use the 41. I've heard that the HP 65 or 67
>> was used on some space flights even earlier, but I have not confirmed
>that.
>
>EDUCalc used to advertise that the '41 went on shuttle flights. I always
>wondered if theirs was more reliable than mine, which was dreadfully prone
>to static crashes.
>
>Why don't laptops suffer from that -- more massive? Better circuitry?

   The circuitry in the 41 is VERY low power CMOS instead of TTL. That
makes it much more prone to static. Also some 41s were more prone to
static than others. Some 41 users found that putting a sheet of the
anti-static material made to throw into clothes dryers in the case with the
41 made it less sensative to static. I live in hot & humid Florida. No
static crashes here!

  Joe
Received on Thu Jan 15 1998 - 10:21:46 GMT