The value of assembler language programmers [was RE: Algol vs Fortran was RE: VHDL vs Verilog]

[Chuck Guzis]

On 10 Feb 2010 at 16:59, Ethan Dicks wrote:

> Ken Olsen famously asked who would want a computer at home.  If I
> recall the story correctly, it was in the context of Dave Ahl trying
> to pitch a hobbyist-grade PDP-8/a as a product offering in the
> Altair/MITS (pre-Apple/CBM/Tandy) days.

He wasn't alone.  I remember asking an EE prof who was teaching logic 
circuits what he thought about the possibilities of a computer on a 
chip (ICs were fairly new stuff then).

He looked at me like I'd suggested that everyone should have their 
own personal cyclotron.  "What good would that be?" and he dismissed 
it with a wave of his hand.

Personally, I still want a computer that will paint my house and 
repair the fence in the backyard.

--Chuck