[ale] Engineering Archaeology

Mon Jan 19 16:00:43 EST 2026

I'm guessing the statue of limitations has been exceeded his crimes.

>>> lollipopman691 via Ale <ale at ale.org> 01/19/2026, 03:51 PM >>>
Whoa! IIRC, launching model rockets against ground targets was
explicitly verboten.
And in fact still is (
https://us-west-2.protection.sophos.com?d=nar.org&u=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmFyLm9yZy9jb250ZW50LmFzcHg_cGFnZV9pZD0yMiZjbHViX2lkPTExNDEyNyZtb2R1bGVfaWQ9NjY5MjM0&i=NjNjODRjNjNlNGJiYjI0YTFlODE3NGI4&t=dVRWcnlEQXo4SnQyUE1WM1ZITFhpUXA0M0puemloWTNTQ1dMY25maUZwcz0=&h=e4eaceae79c84a5c9816f97941cea988&s=AVNPUEhUT0NFTkNSWVBUSVYdBQ9j-wR-KkxEPPIPFbQnjFT3tdStWDhWBd8Fyu51Wg
), NAR Rule 8.

GFY!

- CHS

On Monday, January 19th, 2026 at 3:26 PM, Jim Kinney
<jim.kinney at gmail.com> wrote:

> I kicked down the door barring the use of calculators in the classroom
in high school.
>
> Sorry. My bad.
>
> I had a TI-99-4a that supported the magnetic cards to hold up to 100
steps. So I demonstrated that I had to know the math to code the math.
Then I got the plug in modules. I think I had trig and physics/mechanics
modules and maybe another. It was 1979 and those brain cells are long
dead.
>
> I do recall using the cards and the physics pack plus the Estes model
rocket engine thrust curve data set to lock in my launch rod angle to
put my evil scientist model rocket baby ballistic missiles where I
wanted them to hit. Heavy rocket, light engine. Not trying for apogee
but for repeatability of low-flight launch.
>
> Muahahaha!!
>
> Still looking for minions.....
>
> --
> James P. Kinney III
>
> Every time you stop a school, you will have to build a jail. What you
gain at one end you lose at the other. It's like feeding a dog on his
own tail. It won't fatten the dog.
> - Speech 11/23/1900 Mark Twain
>
>
https://us-west-2.protection.sophos.com?d=heretothereideas.blogspot.com&u=aHR0cDovL2hlcmV0b3RoZXJlaWRlYXMuYmxvZ3Nwb3QuY29tLw==&i=NjNjODRjNjNlNGJiYjI0YTFlODE3NGI4&t=dklQeGVjbWR0YXI0RFB4cE10S1NlOHlUMUxVemY3Uyt6OWxYVXp5eVIzRT0=&h=e4eaceae79c84a5c9816f97941cea988&s=AVNPUEhUT0NFTkNSWVBUSVYdBQ9j-wR-KkxEPPIPFbQnjFT3tdStWDhWBd8Fyu51Wg
>
> On Mon, Jan 19, 2026, 12:25 PM lollipopman691 via Ale <ale at ale.org>
wrote:
>
>> I believe I am the last generation to actually use a slide rule in
class. College class of 1980.
>>
>> BTW all numbers in OpenSCAD
(https://us-west-2.protection.sophos.com?d=openscad.org&u=aHR0cHM6Ly9vcGVuc2NhZC5vcmc=&i=NjNjODRjNjNlNGJiYjI0YTFlODE3NGI4&t=WXFWTnd0NXVocGhmY3NjRzBjSUFNNUlNc1RTRWpsUVd2QmRiZmtjR0Ztdz0=&h=e4eaceae79c84a5c9816f97941cea988&s=AVNPUEhUT0NFTkNSWVBUSVYdBQ9j-wR-KkxEPPIPFbQnjFT3tdStWDhWBd8Fyu51Wg)
are 64 bit IEEE floating point. I just gave an OpenSCAD talk to DC404 (
https://us-west-2.protection.sophos.com?d=dc404.org&u=aHR0cHM6Ly9kYzQwNC5vcmc=&i=NjNjODRjNjNlNGJiYjI0YTFlODE3NGI4&t=QWJBUVV5b09PdTFqN0FUWGRwekxLVE93WCsvVy9FSmVRajV0cnBSdis3Yz0=&h=e4eaceae79c84a5c9816f97941cea988&s=AVNPUEhUT0NFTkNSWVBUSVYdBQ9j-wR-KkxEPPIPFbQnjFT3tdStWDhWBd8Fyu51Wg
). Pretty Fun.
>>
>> -- CHS
>>
>> On Sunday, January 18th, 2026 at 11:51 AM, Jeff Lightner via Ale
<ale at ale.org> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I owned a slide rule in high school but electronic calculators were
around by the time I was a senior so I was never terribly proficient
with it.
>>>
>>> The well to do kids were buying the high end TI calculators but I
could only afford a model with basic functionality. It weighed a lot and
the battery didn't last long. That was back in the days they would blank
the display after a few seconds of inactivity, trying to preserve
battery.
>>>
>>> It was just as well though. In my math and science classes we
weren't allowed to use devices when doing calculations on tests so it
forced me to do things by hand.
>>>
>>> Later in my hospitality/accounting career they initially didn't have
electronic or computerized systems early on. Many of the financial books
and reporting I did were done by hand. As time went by electronic
systems appeared and quickly evolved to computerized systems. I always
had to laugh when the computer went down as co-worcouldn't check people in or out. I explained that hotels actually
existed long before such systems so it was in fact possible.
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Ale ale-bounces at ale.org On Behalf Of jon.maddog.hall--- via
Ale
>>>
>>> Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2026 1:44 PM
>>> To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts ale at ale.org
>>>
>>> Cc: jon.maddog.hall at gmail.com jonhall80 at comcast.net
>>>
>>> Subject: Re: [ale] Engineering Archaeology
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "If we applied such logic to when we were starting out - "slide
rules work just fine, don't need no electricity, storage, keyboards,
monitors, etc."
>>>
>>> Slide rules are an interesting example. Stop and think about the
incredible application of logarithms being painted on two sticks, then
slide those sticks back and forth to be able to multiply two numbers via
adding two logarithms of them.
>>>
>>> Genius.
>>>
>>> And a fine example of analog mathematics being able to solve
engineering issues.
>>>
>>> Usually only used to calculate to three levels of precision, they
were "good enough" to do the calculations in an age where three levels
of precision was about all we could do in any type of
manufacturing....so why calculate to any greater precision, whether you
are manufacturing a door knob or a bridge?
>>>
>>> Fast forward to floating point arithmetic in a computer. How many of
us have fallen into the trap of trying to "equate" two floating point
numbers, only to realize that "two" really has a value of
"1.999999..something-mumble"
>>>
>>> When I was teaching at Hartford State Technical College in 1975 the
school store was cleaning out their inventory and found about ten
beautiful "Aristo-Multilog Slide Rules", still in their box, complete
with leather carrying case and instructions.
>>>
>>> The store was selling them for five dollars each, down from their
original price that was probably close to 100 dollars. I bought all ten,
then gave them out as prizes to good students, showing them how to use
them and explaining the significance in computer science. I have two
left.
>>>
>>> I did not expect the students to become as expert at using the slide
rule as I was, but I was happy to see that they understood the
significance of the lesson
>>>
>>> md
>>>
>>> > On 01/10/2026 8:36 PM EST Ron via Ale ale at ale.org wrote:
>>> >
>>> > Jeff Lightner via Ale wrote on 2026-01-10 14:50:
>>> >
>>> > > In my later years when I would speak to people about “the old
days”
>>> > > and things such as RS232-C and/or Hayes modem commands I
realized
>>> > > that while it was likely true I’d forget much of the detail it
>>> > > didn’t mean younger folks would never know more than I’d
forgotten.
>>> > > They would instead have no need for what I’d forgotten (for the
most
>>> > > part) and eventually would learn things I’d never learn.
>>> >
>>> > Insightful comment.
>>> >
>>> > Of course, usual disclaimers of "not everyone, not always, not
>>> > everything" apply:
>>> >
>>> > The "kids today" are learning lots of great new things and pushing
>>> > boundaries in new directions. They're exploring new ways to do
stuff
>>> > and aren't sold on "we've always done it this way, so we should
>>> > continue to do it this way".
>>> >
>>> > Too often I see that attitude by other, fellow tech old-timers.
>>> >
>>> > If we applied such logic to when we were starting out - "slide
rules
>>> > work just fine, don't need no electricity, storage, keyboards,
>>> > monitors, etc." - I'm sure most of us would've found it
unconvincing.
>>> >
>>> > Let them have their chance, some ideas will work, some won't, and
it's
>>> > their world now.
>>> >
>>> > Anyway, appreciate the thought provoking post.
>>> >
>>> > _______________________________________________
>>> > Ale mailing list
>>> > Ale at ale.org
>>> >
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>>>
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