# Do you know what it is?



## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Hint - the picture was taken in 1956


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*what is it*

It is a Computer Hard Drive.

5MB - Weighed 1 Ton

TM 8)


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

http://thenextweb.com/shareables/20...rive-looked-like-is-1956-required-a-forklift/

In those days a computer filled rooms they were so big. now they fit in your pocket as a phone ---we have come a long way since then


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

It's the latest (1956) version of a pocket calculator able to do adding, subtraction, multiplication AND division in a really fast time....

it only took 3 minutes to calculate 2 x 2 = ? :lol: 

It's amazing to recall that the lunar excursions of the Apollo missions were done with onboard computers roughly equivalent to a modern calculatr.......

Progress is amazing in this field - when they moved the Met Office from Bracknell to Exeter they put the two computers in FIRST and built the building around it....

so if it goes wrong and needs replacing :roll: ?????

Dave


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

Hi.

During the seventies I worked for a firm in Morley near Leeds, the main work we did was make computer rooms for IBM Mainframe computers..
It entailed putting in a false floor to run Air con through and a Burgess metal perforated tile ceiling to suck out the hot air to stabilize the computer room to the optimum temperature for the computers which were programmed with punched cards written by some very skilled girl comptometer operators, which then went on familiar the big spinning tapes.

One of the jobs was at Leeds university, the existing computer room was extended by Laing's, the building work was done and a big timber screen clad with visqueen to keep the cold and dirt out of the existing computer room which had been running all the time the building work was being done..

I poled up with my mate to start the work forming the new computer room, my instructions were to see the Site Agent from Laing's who will show me what goes where.
I asked him is there anywhere I can plug my extension cable in to get some power for the tools, he said poke a hole in the visqueen and pass it through and I will plug it in for you, which I did.

Next morning when I turned up at work Stan my boss was waiting for me with a face like thunder, I said what's up?, he screamed back at me something about ruining him, Huh!.. Get in the car and we will go to The University, we went into the job and there were loads of suits all looking like Stan with faces like thunder.. 
The main big hitter said to Stan your workman has turned off all the computers for 24 hours when he pulled the plug out to the GPO unit which is the hub for all the computers in all the universities through out the land which uses Leeds University computer to do all the wages and just about everything to do with Universities at thousands of pounds a hour when he took out the plug in the wall to get power for his drill.. Before I could say a word the Site Agent from Laing's piped up.. What is this lad doing here, all the suits as one turned round to blame me, saying he turned off the GPO Hub..

The Site Agent said, no he didn't I did, he asked for some power and I plugged it in for him, I thought Stan was going to faint with the relief..

I have tried to live my life the same as that Site Agent.. He could carry his balls around in a wheel barrow, or he was getting his own back for something :wink: .

ray.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

rayrecrok said:


> Hi.
> 
> During the seventies I worked for a firm in Morley near Leeds, the main work we did was make computer rooms for IBM Mainframe computers..
> It entailed putting in a false floor to run Air con through and a Burgess metal perforated tile ceiling to suck out the hot air to stabilize the computer room to the optimum temperature for the computers which were programmed with punched cards written by some very skilled girl comptometer operators, which then went on familiar the big spinning tapes.
> ...


I've heard that before and it always makes me think that someone should be asking why something as critical as that was "just plugged in" to a socket without any form of switch off protection.

My fridge freezer is better protected against accidental disconnection than that.


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## Nethernut (Jun 4, 2008)

First computer I used in the Navy during the 60's had info input via a 9 hole binary tape, we used to spend hours amending the tape by cutting out unwanted data and splicing the tape plus had to at times manually punch the tape for missing data! The computer filled a very large room, think it had a capacity of about 20 mb!!!!


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*prizes*

no prises then?

tm


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

Stanner said:


> rayrecrok said:
> 
> 
> > Hi.
> ...


Hi.

There is a caveat to the story.. After much discussion they decided to Hard Wire all this type of equipment so it can't be accidentally turned off.

Another time Stan got a bit excited. My first job for him was to go to British Gas Headquarters in Leeds, at the time one of the tallest properties in the City.
My job was to put as we called, rabbit hutch over the external Air conditioning unit which sat on the roof, my predecessor had made the rabbit hutch but had left after a falling out with Stan.
Up in the lift with the louvered shed, assembled it and fastened it down with 6 inch nails nailed directly into the thick asphalt covering the roof, the roofer was coming later to flash the structure and make everything water tight..

Next day at the start of work there was Stan jumping up and down with his angry red neck raving about how the last plonker joiner had nailed down the rabbit hutch and the asphalt had split and water had poured into the offices underneath.. Whoops sorry Stan..

A few weeks later another rabbit hutch to fit on the Gas Headquarters this time in Sheffield.. Stan full of authority remember Ray don't nail or fasten it down,, Me Ok but are you sure, Stan definitely..

Next day there is Stan shuffling about in the yard looking right sheepish,, After a bit he said Ray that rabbit hutch you put on the Gas headquarters go through and collect it and we will have to do another, I said why, err it blew off and landed on two parked cars, and the next one nail it down..

Priceless.. He sounds like he was a right tyrant but he was the best boss I have ever had, he ended up being like a dad to me, even paying my wages while I was in hospital for a year after I was knocked off my motorbike.

Ok one more.

Stan gave me the job for Bata Shoes Bellshill Glasgow fitting out their computer room, the van was loaded up with loads of 8 x 4 sheets of decorative wall boards, loads of 2 x 1 for grounds to fix on the wall plus the 2 x 2 metal ceiling and components.

Stan decided I am starting a new regime you will now be doing jobs on a price rather than day rate, Ok how much? he said it should take you 9 or 10 days so it so much plus digs money.. Ok then see you.

Drove to Bellshill and was shown the room, it was a big empty wooden shed, I got my tape measure out and couldn't believe it everything would take a 2ft module so there was no cutting involved in anything except one pillar in the center of the building, I tapped the wall and it was studs underneath the hardboard that covered it, everything looked sound so I though, stuff the 2x1 grounds, a couple of gallon cans of evo stick and I will stick them on, I took me about two hours to stick the panels on with my mate gluing the boards and me gluing the walls, the same with the 2 x 2 metal tiles and grid it took me about 8 hrs to put that up and with the other bits and pieces we were finished for about midnight..

The owner was working late in the other room so came in to check the job over, he said it was brilliant and could not believe we had finished so quick, gave us 20 quid each, so we packed up and thought well we might as well go back to Morley, we arrived with Stan as he opened up the gates.. Bloody hell what have you left I suppose it's going to cost me double petrol money, Nah it's done what! impossible, get in the car we are going back up, so he made me get back in the car, I fell asleep in the back and the next thing I was back in Bellshill.

Stan jumped out of the car to be met by the owner singing our praises, he looked everywhere on the job trying to find fault but he couldn't find anything, he just pushed the neb of his trade mark flat cap back shook his head and said, why can't you work like that when I am paying you and it's not on a price..

I just looked at him with a I can't believe you just said that look.

The upshot we never had any more price work and he docked 3 days wages off the price.. Which cost him a months wages as everybody on the payroll tossed it off on other jobs as punishment.

ray


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