Quiz Time - update

From: James Willing <jimw_at_agora.rdrop.com>
Date: Tue Oct 26 22:47:39 1999

Okay... Before this degrades into a major thread of how badly AMF fubar'd
Harley Davidson, I'm going to declare a winner as seen in the following:

---
At 10:28 AM 10/26/1999 -0700, ss_at_allegro.com wrote:
>
>My guess:
>
>   The "how to bowl this time" computer...the thing that determined
>   where to light up the "arrow" that suggested the best way to
>   make the spare.
>
>Stan
---
The actual name of the unit is the "Sparemaker" computer, but I won't hold
that against him.  (that being a somewhat industry specific bit of trivia).
The smaller chassis latched the information from the pinsetter as to which
pins remained standing following the first ball and relayed this
information to the larger (computer) chassis which used the information to
determine which one of eleven possible colored indicator arrows should be
illuminated on the pin display (called the "pindicator" by AMF) to suggest
the shot with the best possibility of converting the spare.  Once the
computation was complete, the solution was relayed back to the smaller
chassis (called the "ball path indicator") where it was latched for
display, thus freeing up the main computer to service requests from other
pinsetters.
I thought I had a picture of one in operation, but I can't put my hands on
it right at the moment, and it would take sometime to wire the computer up
just for this occasion...  So, perhaps later...
One obvious (to some) shortcoming of the unit is that it always displayed
suggestions evaluated for right handed bowlers.  There was no left handed
option...
In the installation/service manual for the unit, the calculation (logic)
sequence is detailed in a series of boolean equations.  If anyone is
curious, I'll either scan the page or scribble them into a future message.
---
And now...  the identity of this outings infamous 'no prize' (if indeed the
lucky winner wishes to claim it!)  A slightly (ok, very) used, actual, for
real, AMF Bowling Pin!  To claim it, drop me a note (off list) with your
address.
If not claimed, the pin will go back into the random prize pot possibly to
reappear in some future quiz.
Thanks to all who played - you never know when the next one will pop up!
-jim
---
jimw_at_computergarage.org
The Computer Garage - http://www.computergarage.org
Computer Garage Fax - (503) 646-0174

Received on Tue Oct 26 1999 - 22:47:39 BST