Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!kitty!larry
From: larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman)
Newsgroups: net.jokes,comp.terminals
Subject: Re: Brain-damaged Terminal Contest
Message-ID: <1442@kitty.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 19-Nov-86 21:45:09 EST
Article-I.D.: kitty.1442
Posted: Wed Nov 19 21:45:09 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 20-Nov-86 02:23:37 EST
References: <1438@kitty.UUCP> <3078@cbosgd.ATT.COM>
Organization: Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, NY
Lines: 53
Keywords: brain-damage, video display terminals, all-time worst
Summary: Extolling the virtues of the 33-ASR ...
Xref: mnetor net.jokes:10902 comp.terminals:6

In article <3078@cbosgd.ATT.COM>, fohl@cbosgd.ATT.COM (Mark Fohl) writes:
> > 	I was doing some housecleaning in a storeroom the other day, and
> > came across a Hazeltine 1400 video display terminal - complete with manual.
> > I looked in the manual, and came to the conclusion that this has to be
> > the most brain-damaged terminal I have ever seen!
> > 	Can any terminal be dumber than this one???
> 
> How old are you, Sonny?  You been spoon fed all your life?  Used to be this
> was a dandy relief from the ASR-33.  Guess some people are just plain spoiled.
> 					Fohlski the Oldie

	Wellll, Grampa, I am old enough that once upon a time I interfaced
a Cubic Corp. _electromechanical_ digital voltmeter to a 28-RO page printer
by using an arrangement of 22-position stepping relays to actually generate
the necessary Baudot codes for the 28-RO.  The Cubic Corp. voltmeter didn't
even have a BCD output - it had contact-closure Gray Code.  It worked as an
effective data logger with a _truly_ impressive amount of sound effects every
ten seconds when it printed a value!

	I don't consider the 33-ASR to be brain-damaged, and there will
always be a fond place for it in my heart.  Consider these 33-ASR features:

1.	It had a _real_ bell!

2.	It could tell its name (^E) as stored in a 22-byte DROM (that's
	Drum Read Only Memory :-).

3.	It had _unlimited_ sequential-access read/write memory (paper tape);
	this memory was also non-volatile!

4.	It could run in character mode or "block mode".

5.	It supported x-on/x-off protocol.

6.	It could perform combinatorial logic and control external devices
	(using a stunt box).

7.	It sounded impressive when operating.

	Furthermore, I used to use the 33-ASR as a _standalone_ WORD PROCESSOR
back in the days before the term "word processor" even existed!  It was quite
handy for generating personalized form letters. In a lab I had a sprocket-feed
33-ASR with form-feed option; I would make a paper tape in an endless loop
with the body of a letter that had embedded control characters to stop the
tape reader for manual entry of personalized data.
	In fact, about 20 years ago when I was in college I used this very
technique to generate "personal telegrams from Santa Claus" which I sold
for 50 cents each...

<>  Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, New York
<>  UUCP:  {allegra|bbncca|decvax|nike|rocksanne|watmath}!sunybcs!kitty!larry
<>  VOICE: 716/688-1231        {hplabs|ihnp4|mtune|seismo|utzoo}!/
<>  FAX:   716/741-9635 {G1,G2,G3 modes}    "Have you hugged your cat today?"