It looks like the Mars Rover Briefing is scheduled for 11am MT today on NASA. I haven't seen anything on the list for about it for a while so I thought I would mention it. Dave
David Dunn wrote:
It looks like the Mars Rover Briefing is scheduled for 11am MT today on NASA. With my schedule, 11 was too early to get up so I taped it and am watching the tape as I enter this. Neat stuff, especially the 360 degree panorama Spirit shot from the top of Husband Hill.
One comment that caught my attention, though, was that the computers onboard the rovers are similar to home computers from about 15 years ago. I knew the shuttle's computers use old technology but was surprised to hear the rovers suffer from the same problem.
I haven't seen anything on the list for about it for a while... I put it in News last week and included a reminder in this morning's issue so hopefully most everyone got a heads up.
Ok, back to the briefing. Patrick
Quoting Patrick Wiggins <paw@trilobyte.net>:
One comment that caught my attention, though, was that the computers onboard the rovers are similar to home computers from about 15 years ago.
Yup, right below the American flag was a foot shaped sticker that said 'Powered by Commadore 64 - re-boot here'... A little computer trivia here. You do know that the term "boot" and "re-boot" was coined by owners of Commadore computers. Seems like the only way you could get these to work right was to "boot" them across the room. If that didn't work, you would simply "re-boot" it. Sometimes at the risk of damaging furniture or the case. ;) Also on the subject of computers and I.D., Eve, Adams partner, was the world's first computer expert. One day she was seen in the garden with an "Apple" in one hand, and a "Wang" in the other... Please tell me I didn't just hit the send button.
participants (3)
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David Dunn -
diveboss＠xmission.com -
Patrick Wiggins