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NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2025 01:11:58 +0000
Subject: Re: VMS
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From: c186282 <c186282@nnada.net>
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2025 21:12:04 -0400
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On 6/15/25 3:26 AM, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> On 15/06/2025 04:32, c186282 wrote:
>> I don't think the Old People were very aware of
>>    zinc. Bronze came early, but brass didn't really
>>    show up until much later.
>>
> Mm. Iron came and hordes of bronze bars became worthless.
> Talk about disruptive technology.
> The history of technology is fascinating

   Bronze is STILL valuable ... but not in the major
   military sense as back in the old days. Of course
   bronze cannons were still made into the 1800s, but
   usually for small mobile applications.

   Iron was indeed a 'disruptive technology', I'll
   agree with that !  Even fairly crappy steel swords
   and spears were still better than bronze.

>>    Probably because they didn't have any VMS units
>>    to help with analysis  🙂
> 
> Very likely true

   Babbage was making his computers using BRASS gears
   and cogs - not bronze or steel. Lovelace didn't
   live long enough to invent VMS alas.

   Hmm, how WOULD you network Babbage AEs using the
   tech of the time ? The telegraph was demonstrated
   just a few years after he proposed the AE ... maybe
   a two baud connection ?  :-)

   Steel micro-factoid - the famous Damascus steel that
   allowed the arabics to make light thin fast ultra-
   sharp swords was not actually MADE in Damascus or
   anywhere near. It came as ingots from outfits in
   eastern INDIA ... where the 'magic contaminate',
   vanadium, was introduced by accident because they
   lined their steel kilns with the plentiful seashells.
   The particular species tended to absorb and concentrate
   vanadium and it'd get into the steel.