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jducoeurGoing through all the books has turned up a lot of interesting reading matter, but it's also turned up the occasional surprise that just happened to be sitting on the bookshelves. Possibly the most surprising is material indicating that Jane's mother Catherine had learned how to use a computer -- in 1959.
She never made the slightest reference to it -- indeed, I never saw her use a modern computer, although I think it likely she knew word-processing -- but the materials seem clear. I found a telegram, inviting her (back in her assistant-professor days) to take a course on programming a Univac the week of August 31st, 1959. And elsewhere on the bookcase, I found a ton of related materials: a Univac manual, notes, and a thing that looks vaguely like a circular slide rule whose use I am entirely unclear on. I assume we inherited it when she died ten years ago, and Jane never got around to filing any of it.
Very neat stuff, although once again I find myself wishing there was *someone* left from the family that I could ask about this...
She never made the slightest reference to it -- indeed, I never saw her use a modern computer, although I think it likely she knew word-processing -- but the materials seem clear. I found a telegram, inviting her (back in her assistant-professor days) to take a course on programming a Univac the week of August 31st, 1959. And elsewhere on the bookcase, I found a ton of related materials: a Univac manual, notes, and a thing that looks vaguely like a circular slide rule whose use I am entirely unclear on. I assume we inherited it when she died ten years ago, and Jane never got around to filing any of it.
Very neat stuff, although once again I find myself wishing there was *someone* left from the family that I could ask about this...
(no subject)
Date: 2012-09-25 05:19 pm (UTC)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slide_rule#Circular_slide_rules
(I really like the idea of having one on a ring!)