Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Header Competition Season 3 # 2 - Technology

The theme this week is by Gail's Man which is "Technology". Mac, Gail's ManLanny, Dave and I have a little contest to show a new theme header each week. We now post anytime before 4 PM EDT and voting begins after that.

Talk about a theme right in my comfort zone. It was 50 years ago that I started my Mechanical Engineering college education. Has the technology changed in that time. Why yes!!!!!! 

The first years of college I used a slide rule to do my calculation. I had a Post bamboo slide rule which I have kept. It still works and I have it set to 2*2 which equals four. A slide rules accuracy was based on where you calculated the answer on the slide rule. The left side was much more accurate then the right. Here is a photo of the slide rule.
After I started working I was able to purchase a calculator which you could work on your mathematical problems. I no longer used a slide rule. I paid $150 for a calculator which would could buy today for $10. I bought a TI30 and it was similar one to this one.
The work was done by hand on a drafting board and I had drafters to make the final drawings. When I left the Engineering profession I did the design on the computer and did all the drawings myself with the help of Autocad. My Dell laptop is much more powerful then anything I ever used to design. This is what I used for my header. I don't do designs any longer but do a lot of other things on my computer.
See what the others have to show at the above links.

8 comments:

imac said...

I just knew you were a techno lad Tom.lol.
I love the way you tell your life in work too, with the many tools of Technology. Well done.

Unknown said...

I too still have a Texas TI-30 Stat calculator in blue. I've had it since 1991. It still works, especially if the battery still has a charge.

I've never got the hang of slide rules though. A bit like abacuses!

George said...

Thanks for your photo essay on technological progress over the years. I've used a slide rule, had (and still have) a Texas Instruments TI-30, and now use computers. My how things have changed.

Darla said...

I can only imagine the changes you have witnessed over 50 years of technology. Love your story.

Dave Cawkwell said...

Not a clue what to do with a slide rule but give me a computer and I'm away great blog post Tom and I love your mouse mat it certainly is you.

Anonymous said...

Great pics. I love technology and the improvements it brings!

myonlyphoto said...

You said: 'I don't do designs any longer but do a lot of other things on my computer.' Me too, I do more blogging lol. Anna :)

Corner Gardener Sue said...

Technology really has changed over the years, hasn't it. I work in a high school, and on the rare occasion I talk to students who are not the low functioning special education students I work with, they are amazed, and I think, skeptical when I say there were no computers, cell phones, or other devises they are now dependent on. Well, I guess I am a bit dependent on my computer these days, but I wasn't in high school.

I enjoyed your take on how things have changed.

Are you Fishing Guy on Facebook? I sent him a friend request, assuming it was you. If not, then we'll see if he accepts it or not. I don't do games there or get into linked in networks. I don't even post every day, but when I do, it's either garden or family related.