How many computers?

From: dave dameron <ddameron_at_earthlink.net>
Date: Wed Jul 15 02:16:13 1998

Hi Megan and all,
At 09:06 PM 7/14/98 -0400, you wrote:
>
>>Speaking of books,
>>has anyone seen the book "We Built our own Computers" by A.B. Holt,
>>Cambridge Univ. Press, published about 1966.
>
>I remember one from years ago which was how to build (and program)
>a simple computer using paperclips and lights... (and a program
>'drum' made out of a coffee can). I think I still have it... is this
>what you're thinking of?

That sounds like another one I don't have, but read through an interlibrary
loan: "How to build a working Digital Computer", by E. Alcosser, Hayden, 1964.
It used a bunch of ganged switches to make a 4 bit adder. Can you look, anyway?
Thanks,

You also wrote:
>>Way cool. I had access to one in high school, to play with, but I never
>>owned one. I've written to Edmund Scientific. They get the occasional
>>letter inquiring about the DigiComp 1, but so far, not enough interest
>>to resurrect the product.

>I concur... way cool. I remember when I was in fifth grade or so, my
>father ordered one for me. When he received it, he thought it was too
>complex and simply put it away. One day I came across it, and before
>he came home that night I had assembled it and was working on some of
>the programming examples.
>
>I have a set of documentation for it (sent to me by someone a few years
>ago) and I would LOVE to get one for my collection...

Sounds like you had fun!
The picture in the Edmund catalog looked like it was made from various
colored shapes of flat plastic. I know it wouldn't be quite the same, but if
you have the documentation and once had your hands on one, could you
recreate it from mat board and an exacto knife? Or some plastic as required.
That's the kind of thing
I might do...
-Dave
Received on Wed Jul 15 1998 - 02:16:13 BST