From: cereal1218@aol.com (Cereal1218) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Underwear and computers! Lines: 6 NNTP-Posting-Host: ladder02.news.aol.com X-Admin: news@aol.com Date: 19 Feb 1999 01:08:42 GMT Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com Message-ID: <19990218200842.05469.00002852@ng-ce1.aol.com> Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!news-peer.gip.net!news.gsl.net!gip.net!portc01.blue.aol.com!audrey03.news.aol.com!not-for-mail Hello, For all computer historians: Does anyone know how underwear led to or helped in the invention of the computer? Please email me at Cereal1218 if you know. P.S. I need this for a school report. ###### Message-ID: <36CD0580.785ED47F@jps.net> Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 22:32:42 -0800 From: Larry Anderson Reply-To: foxnhare@jps.net X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.06 (Macintosh; I; PPC) MIME-Version: 1.0 Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Underwear and computers! References: <19990218200842.05469.00002852@ng-ce1.aol.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit NNTP-Posting-Host: 209.142.58.165 X-NNTP-Posting-Host: 209.142.58.165 X-Trace: 19 Feb 1999 06:48:51 -0800, 209.142.58.165 Lines: 40 X-NNTP-Posting-Host: 209.63.224.240 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed.cwix.com!209.210.46.218!news-west.eli.net!news1.jps.net!209.142.58.165 Cereal1218 wrote: > > Hello, > > For all computer historians: > Does anyone know how underwear led to or helped in the invention of the > computer? Please email me at Cereal1218 if you know. > P.S. I need this for a school report. What you need to research is about weaving looms in the 1800s, Jacquard made a loom that was designed to reproduce designs by way of punched cards, before that the designs were done kinda like playing an organ (with pedals and stuff). The Jacquard loom also lead to a revolt by the textile workers of that time fearing that the faster card loom would put all of them out of a job. (which sounds like the 60s and 70s when people feared the big computers), Punched cards were also a part of the design in Babbage's (uncompleted) Analytical Engine (late 1800s) and also were the key to making the 1890 U.S. census faster by using Hollerith's electric tabulator (Hollerith later founded International Business Machines, IBM). The big deal with punched cards in early computing is that back then they were WAY CHEAPER then switches or relays or whatever else could be used to store data and programs, and were pretty fast to read (by the standards back then) === If you want to go even farther back you could do stuff on the abacus (china) or the japanese variant, the soroban, which were partly derived from the greeks who used stones (called calx, I think) in grooves to do math, which is where the word calculus comes from. There are other hand-calculators such as 'Napiers Bones' (the slide Rule). etc. Dig into it, it's really interesting reading! -- 01000011 01001111 01001101 01001101 01000100 01001111 01010010 01000101 Larry Anderson - Sysop of Silicon Realms BBS (209) 754-1363 - 2400 baud Commodore 8-bit page at: http://www.jps.net/foxnhare/commodore.html 01000011 01001111 01001101 01010000 01010101 01010100 01000101 01010011 ###### From: huge@nospam.demon.co.uk (Hugh Davies) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Underwear and computers! Date: 19 Feb 1999 07:21:46 GMT Organization: Piglet's Pickles and Preserves Message-ID: <7aj3ea$2ts@axalotl.demon.co.uk> References: <19990218200842.05469.00002852@ng-ce1.aol.com> Reply-To: huge@nospam.demon.co.uk NNTP-Posting-Host: axalotl.demon.co.uk X-NNTP-Posting-Host: axalotl.demon.co.uk:158.152.24.143 X-Trace: news.demon.co.uk 919411962 nnrp-13:8845 NO-IDENT axalotl.demon.co.uk:158.152.24.143 X-Complaints-To: abuse@demon.net x-no-archive: yes Lines: 20 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!feed2.news.luth.se!luth.se!news-peer-europe.sprintlink.net!news.sprintlink.net!Sprint!newsfeed1.swip.net!swipnet!newsfeed.tli.de!newsfeed.nacamar.de!dispose.news.demon.net!demon!news.demon.co.uk!demon!axalotl.demon.co.uk!axalotl!usenet In article <19990218200842.05469.00002852@ng-ce1.aol.com>, cereal1218@aol.com (Cereal1218) writes: >Hello, > > For all computer historians: >Does anyone know how underwear led to or helped in the invention of the >computer? Please email me at Cereal1218 if you know. >P.S. I need this for a school report. Do you have the same form master I did? He had favourite punishment essays like "The use of the garden fork in the kitchen" and "The inside of the ping-pong ball". "How underwear led to or helped in the invention of the computer" sounds like one of his..... -- "The road to Paradise is through Intercourse." The uk.transport FAQ; http://www.axalotl.demon.co.uk/transport/FAQ.html [Substitute "axalotl" for "nospam" to email me] ###### From: "Dave" Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: RE:Underwear and computers! Lines: 3 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.0810.800 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.0810.800 Message-ID: Date: Fri, 19 Feb 1999 13:15:27 -0800 NNTP-Posting-Host: 209.53.19.108 X-Complaints-To: news@bctel.net X-Trace: news.bctel.net 919458950 209.53.19.108 (Fri, 19 Feb 1999 13:15:50 PDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Fri, 19 Feb 1999 13:15:50 PDT Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!isdnet!howland.erols.net!newsfeed.direct.ca!newsfeed.bctel.net!news.bctel.net!not-for-mail Well geeeeeees who would of guessed:) ###### From: alexios@yang.dai.ed.ac.uk (Alexios Chouchoulas) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Underwear and computers! Date: 19 Feb 1999 15:57:12 GMT Organization: Edinburgh University Lines: 24 Message-ID: <7ak1ko$lsj$1@scotsman.ed.ac.uk> References: <19990218200842.05469.00002852@ng-ce1.aol.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: yang.dai.ed.ac.uk Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii X-Trace: scotsman.ed.ac.uk 919439832 22419 129.215.41.179 (19 Feb 1999 15:57:12 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@scotsman.ed.ac.uk NNTP-Posting-Date: 19 Feb 1999 15:57:12 GMT X-Newsreader: knews 0.9.8 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!isdnet!news-raspail.gip.net!news-lond.gip.net!news.gsl.net!gip.net!nntp.news.xara.net!xara.net!server6.netnews.ja.net!newsfeed.ed.ac.uk!not-for-mail In article <19990218200842.05469.00002852@ng-ce1.aol.com>, cereal1218@aol.com (Cereal1218) writes: [snippage] > Does anyone know how underwear led to or helped in the invention of the > computer? Please email me at Cereal1218 if you know. Charles Babbage and Ada Byron. Konrad Zuse and Alan Turing. Atanasoff and Berry. Leading figures in the invention of the computer. They had one thing in common: All wore underwear. Alexios Yow! Argh! Ouch! -- o88 o888o o888o -------------------------------------------------------------- 88o8' `88' `88 Alexios Chouchoulas alexios@dai.ed.ac.uk 88' ,88' ,88' (aka The Unpronounceable One) University of Edinburgh o8888888888888888 "Eimai mia micri soupiera" Artificial Intelligence ###### From: deaconb@generous.net (deke) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Underwear and computers! Date: Fri, 19 Feb 1999 19:34:57 GMT X-ELN-Insert-Date: Fri Feb 19 11:35:06 1999 References: <19990218200842.05469.00002852@ng-ce1.aol.com> X-Newsreader: Forte Free Agent 1.11/32.235 Organization: EarthLink Network, Inc. X-Posted-Path-Was: not-for-mail Lines: 18 NNTP-Posting-Host: ip62.lancaster3.pa.pub-ip.psi.net X-ELN-Date: 19 Feb 1999 19:33:11 GMT Message-ID: <36cdbc22.15957299@news.earthlink.net> Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!newsfeed-zh.ip-plus.net!news.ip-plus.net!News.Amsterdam.UnisourceCS!skynet.be!newscore.univie.ac.at!uninett.no!news.maxwell.syr.edu!news-feed.fnsi.net!news.idt.net!newsfeed1.earthlink.net!nntp.earthlink.net!posted-from-earthlink!not-for-mail On 19 Feb 1999 01:08:42 GMT, cereal1218@aol.com (Cereal1218) wrote: > For all computer historians: >Does anyone know how underwear led to or helped in the invention of the >computer? Please email me at Cereal1218 if you know. >P.S. I need this for a school report. Do a search on AltaVista for a biography of Ada Lovelace. As well as being the world's first programmer, she was the mistress of an early computer scientist. If she hadn't worn underwear, would they have ever talked at all? deke ###### From: gamma@clark.net (Gamma) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Underwear and computers! Date: 19 Feb 1999 20:46:43 GMT Organization: Clark Internet Services, Inc., Ellicott City, MD USA Lines: 20 Message-ID: <7akijj$k88$1@clarknet.clark.net> References: <19990218200842.05469.00002852@ng-ce1.aol.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: shell.clark.net Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!newscore.univie.ac.at!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsxfer.visi.net!news.clark.net!gamma In article <19990218200842.05469.00002852@ng-ce1.aol.com>, Cereal1218 wrote: >Hello, > > For all computer historians: >Does anyone know how underwear led to or helped in the invention of the >computer? Please email me at Cereal1218 if you know. >P.S. I need this for a school report. See the book Connections, by James Burke. Chapter 4 (Faith in Numbers) is the most relevant. Available at amazon.com or your local Borders, et al. -- Paul Brinkley gamma@clark.net ###### From: lisard@zetnet.co.uk Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Underwear and computers! Date: 20 Feb 1999 01:08:33 GMT Lines: 12 Message-ID: <7al1uh$l10$2@roch.zetnet.co.uk> References: <7ak1ko$lsj$1@scotsman.ed.ac.uk> NNTP-Posting-Host: man-055.dialup.zetnet.co.uk X-Trace: roch.zetnet.co.uk 919472913 21536 194.247.41.68 (20 Feb 1999 01:08:33 GMT) NNTP-Posting-Date: 20 Feb 1999 01:08:33 GMT X-Everything: Net-Tamer V 1.08X Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!ayres.ftech.net!news.ftech.net!peer.news.zetnet.net!zetnet.co.uk!not-for-mail On 1999-02-19 alexios@yang.dai.ed.ac.uk(AlexiosChouchoulas) said: : Charles Babbage and Ada :Byron. Konrad Zuse and Alan Turing. Atanasoff and Berry. Leading :figures in the invention of the computer. They had one thing in :common: :All wore underwear. Hmm - given Ada Lovelace's reputation, I wonder... ;> -- Communa (lisard@zetnet.co.uk) -- you know soft spoken changes nothing ###### From: Eric Chomko Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Underwear and computers! Date: 20 Feb 1999 02:54:38 GMT Organization: IDT Internet Services Lines: 19 Message-ID: <7al85e$rhc@nnrp4.farm.idt.net> References: <19990218200842.05469.00002852@ng-ce1.aol.com> <7ak1ko$lsj$1@scotsman.ed.ac.uk> <7al1uh$l10$2@roch.zetnet.co.uk> NNTP-Posting-Host: u3.farm.idt.net X-Newsreader: TIN [UNIX 1.3 unoff BETA release 961025] Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!news.idt.net!nntp.farm.idt.net!u3.farm.idt.net!not-for-mail lisard@zetnet.co.uk wrote: : On 1999-02-19 alexios@yang.dai.ed.ac.uk(AlexiosChouchoulas) said: : : Charles Babbage and Ada : :Byron. Konrad Zuse and Alan Turing. Atanasoff and Berry. Leading : :figures in the invention of the computer. They had one thing in : :common: : :All wore underwear. : Hmm - given Ada Lovelace's reputation, I wonder... ;> Well, certainly the graphic of her on this topic versus the others is more, uh, intriguing. Eric : -- : Communa (lisard@zetnet.co.uk) -- you know soft spoken changes nothing ###### From: cereal1218@aol.com (Cereal1218) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Underwear and computers! Lines: 4 NNTP-Posting-Host: ladder01.news.aol.com X-Admin: news@aol.com Date: 21 Feb 1999 03:17:57 GMT Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com Message-ID: <19990220221757.00780.00000066@ng-fu1.aol.com> Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!news-peer.gip.net!news.gsl.net!gip.net!portc01.blue.aol.com!audrey01.news.aol.com!not-for-mail Listen, thanks to all who gave information that really helped. You know who you are. And to the others, the jokes were funny! Thanks everyone! ###### From: jmason@aol.com (JMason) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Underwear and computers! Lines: 2 NNTP-Posting-Host: ladder03.news.aol.com X-Admin: news@aol.com Date: 24 Feb 1999 04:20:10 GMT Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com References: <7akijj$k88$1@clarknet.clark.net> Message-ID: <19990223232010.01127.00002590@ng-fq1.aol.com> Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!newscore.univie.ac.at!howland.erols.net!portc02.blue.aol.com!audrey03.news.aol.com!not-for-mail Early computer rooms were kept so miserably cold you had to wear long underwear to survive in them. ###### From: "Ambrose, Joseph" Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Underwear and computers! Date: 25 Feb 1999 05:12:43 GMT Organization: JJA & Associates Lines: 21 Message-ID: <7b2m4b$gfq@bgtnsc02.worldnet.att.net> References: <19990220221757.00780.00000066@ng-fu1.aol.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: 12.79.15.202 X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.3110.5 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.3110.3 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!wn4feed!worldnet.att.net!135.173.83.225!attworldnet!newsadm Cereal1218 wrote in message <19990220221757.00780.00000066@ng-fu1.aol.com>... >Listen, thanks to all who gave information that really helped. You know who >you are. And to the others, the jokes were funny! Thanks everyone! > > Boy am I sorry I missed this thread. ......... sounded like a good one! Can anyone send it to me? Joseph Ambrose NT Network Administrator / Open VMS System Manager The Conference Board ambrose@conference-board.org ICQ# 13652219