[HN Gopher] The Olivetti Programma 101
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       The Olivetti Programma 101
        
       Author : michaelpinto
       Score  : 67 points
       Date   : 2022-03-01 01:35 UTC (21 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (www.curtamania.com)
 (TXT) w3m dump (www.curtamania.com)
        
       | aj7 wrote:
       | I loved this machine. Stuyvesant HS in NYC had one in the late
       | 60's, and you had to be strategic to get use it. (In the same
       | room was an IBM 1130. Stuyvesant had two programming classes in
       | 1967-68, Fortran IV, and more advanced Fortran IV.)
       | 
       | Later, in 1969, I used the HP9100A desktop calculator. This was a
       | 30kg HP35 with 196 steps of memory, a CRT which showed either 3
       | steps of the program, or the three rpn registers. It was the
       | successor to the Programma, and was replaced by a series of desk
       | calculators with more memory, LED displays, the ability to
       | control analog plotters, and ultimately BASIC programming.
       | 
       | But the value of the early calculators like the Programma was in
       | teaching efficient algorithm design with limited memory. While
       | this was completely obviated in scientific programming by the
       | late 70's, I'm sure it served as a first introduction to software
       | engineers writing in assembly language.
        
       | Koshkin wrote:
       | I think the most interesting feature of old desktop calculators
       | was the use of the 'magnetostrictive metal wire acoustic delay
       | line' for memory.
        
         | Johnny555 wrote:
         | That is super cool, I've never heard of acoustic memory before.
         | 
         |  _Using a transducer a series of acoustic pulses (bits) are
         | inserted into one end of the wire. The pulse travels along the
         | wire at the sound speed and reach the other end where the
         | signal is "read"_
         | 
         | 2000 bits with 6.5m of wire. You could make a 128GB flash card
         | equivalent with only 416,000 km of wire (a bit over the
         | distance from the Earth to the Moon)
        
           | jonsen wrote:
           | In fact the pulse travelled slower than the speed of sound.
           | Thereby fitting more bits on the same length of wire. The
           | transducer twisted the wire, so a rotational pulse spiraled
           | down the wire. This takes longer time than a purely axial
           | sound pulse.
        
       | tonyedgecombe wrote:
       | We had one of these in my school in the seventies. I remember
       | using it although I can't recall the technical details now other
       | than it being extremely limited.
        
       | vocram wrote:
       | What were typical applications of these computers? And who
       | programmed it?
        
         | Koshkin wrote:
         | The only thing they say is, _The Programma 101 was used in
         | important projects of that time like the Apollo project at
         | NASA..._ Also: _Usually this machine is called "programmable
         | calculator"..._ As I remember, these were popular (in a much
         | more compact form) through the 70s - 90s.
        
       | 2dvisio wrote:
       | My dad was a civil engineer who loved computing so had the luck
       | to be exposed to all his purchases. Memorable for me this
       | Programma 101, an HP-67 (could be programmed with magnetic
       | strips! And had Polish notation :), a couple of Olivetti M24 with
       | GWBasic as OS...
        
         | jonsen wrote:
         | ( _Reverse_ Polish Notation; RPN)
        
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       (page generated 2022-03-01 23:02 UTC)