1966 Mag: Build NE-2 Neon Bulb Computer - scan available

[Fred Cisin]

> >> I have that problem whenever I go to museums of household
> >> appliances/tools/etc. My genreal though it "I'm still using one of
> >> thsose" '-)
> > "I've been thinking of replacing my old one with one like that"

On Tue, 17 Jul 2007, Jules Richardson wrote:
> "Oh, so *that's* what it's supposed to look like"
> (I'm never too bothered if my tools are a little battered, providing I keep
> the raw function in good shape)

My tools haven't much over the years.
I was thinking a little more of that "household appliances" - blenders,
waffle irons, toasters, etc.

I never had any trouble with toasters with fold down sides, not even the
new-fangled electric ones.  But ever since I replaced mine with ones with
slots that "pop-up", I've never had good control of toasting, nor
reliable operation.  Some of them have a "bagel" option for less toasting
on one side than the other, but they don't give me control of the ratio
unless I eject manually and override the controls.

Yes, I was VERY unimpressed with the early Macintosh credo
of "a computer should be as easy to use as a toaster".
(and the first day that I had one, I put a "panic" button on a piece of
drill stock for disk ejection)


Some years ago, I replaced all of my rotary phones, because of the
prevalence of "voice mazes".  I've got a Uniden cordless that works well
for me, but I've never found a cellphone with comparable sound quality.

I never had a carbureted engine that I didn't convert from automatic to
manual choke.  But, I gave up on that 20 years ago, with electronic fool
injection.  And it has been 30 years since I last used a crank to start a
car engine (2180cc VW with Botch fool injection - too much voltage drop
for the "brain" when using the starter motor)

Sometimes I think that modern product engineering just doesn't have
somebody like me in mind.


--
Grumpy Ol' Fred     		cisin at xenosoft.com