Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!yale!bunker!hcap!hnews!260!204!Ann.Parsons From: Ann.Parsons@f204.n260.z1.fidonet.org (Ann Parsons) Newsgroups: misc.handicap Subject: Re: Japanese Abacus Message-ID: <13735@bunker.UUCP> Date: 28 Aug 90 01:01:14 GMT Sender: wtm@bunker.UUCP Reply-To: Ann.Parsons@f204.n260.z1.fidonet.org Distribution: misc Organization: FidoNet node 1:260/204 - Flower City Central, Chili NY Lines: 22 Approved: wtm@bunker.UUCP Index Number: 10018 Hi Gary, >>anyone else on blinktalk uses the abacus or is this an out dated device >>I wonder? It doesn't need batteries you know. There's a science fiction story by Arthur C. Clarke, can't remember its name, but the story goes that there's a space ship that's gotten off course. It's going to be drawn into the sun unless they can get their computer to work. The computer fails! All is lost until one of the crew, a Chinese American remembers the abacus in his duffle bag. He and the crew start making abacii and they manage to do all the necessary calculations to put the ship back on course. So don't throw the abacus out. you may need it sometime. See you on-line. Ann P. -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!260!204!Ann.Parsons Internet: Ann.Parsons@f204.n260.z1.fidonet.org