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VK2AWZ > PACKET 03.12.11 17:25l 60 Lines 3195 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : B70363VK2AWZ
Read: GUEST
Subj: Re: What programs......
Path: IZ3LSV<IW2OHX<UA6ADV<CX2SA<VK2DOT
Sent: 111203/0408Z @:VK2DOT.CC.NSW.AUS.OC #:2909 [Niagara Park] $:B70363VK2AWZ
From: VK2AWZ@VK2DOT.CC.NSW.AUS.OC
To : PACKET@WW
Re computers and programs, my journey started as I said, when a
culprit gave me a Commodore 64 to put on packet. Also I had never used a
computer and had NO IDEA what a program was!
However in the wee small hours of the morning I would hear Barry
VK2AAB talking to someone about this new thing called Packet and
discussing writing programs. It all sounded like mumbo jumbo to me at the
time.
However as things progressed and I launched into having a computer built
for me by an amateur, that had a thing called a hard drive, onto it went a
program called DOS.
I waded through books in trying to understand this atrocious thing,
and eventually slayed the dragon! Further on I added myself a 2x! (times)
cd player. Was that an innovation at that time!
So I overcame my nervousness of the workings of a computer and it
dawned on me, that this much vaunted thing was in fact, less difficult to
build than a XTL set. Only a few parts mother board, hard disc power
supply, CD drive, ram, floppy etc and all with matching plugs and sockets
etc.
Then one day at my work in my Government Department, my stenographer
was whisked away and a computer put on my desk instead. Instructions were
type your own letters!
However with my self taught training in packet and such programs I
was a step ahead of most in the office!
Then one day a fellow's computer broke down and they were going to
call the supplier to fix it. So to their dismay, I upended it, to reveal
its guts! Shock horror in the office, what is this maniac doing with this
extremely complicated wonder of the modern age. I just re-seated a few
plugs etc and it sprung into life again.
From then I was promoted to care for these new demons and advise
others on their use. Not bad for a mechanical person? Even our Director
came to me one evening and asked me to stay back and do some
superannuation calculations for him, as although he was given a computer,
he just could not get the hang of programs on it.
But oh no, it didn't stop there, as our Department although having
electrical engineers laid on, there were no Electronic engineers. So in
our field of heavy machinery coming on line that were driven by
computerization, who got promoted again to oversee introduction of GE and
Siemens variable speed drives etc. You guessed it, the ham, who then had
to field tested the machinery.
An electrician turned up on one of these occasions and said that he must
megger the new system for safety. He was of course sent packing as he had
no idea that his megger would destroy the solid state devices. So here was
the dawning of a new age! .
But again, it didn't stop there! we needed pagers and a mobile network,
with two way installed in dozens of cars and who oversaw that job?
You guessed it the radio amateur that got hooked on packet and
programs. who is currently loading dozens of programs onto a brand new
laptop that has win7! Yes battling compatibilities etc and YES Winpac goes
great!
Thanks Barry!!!
73 - de Dave, VK2AWZ @ VK2DOT
Message timed: 10:43 on 2011-Sep-16
Message sent using WinPack-Telnet V6.80
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