Tell me a story about computers ...

These pictures are part of an awesome book Core Memory: A Visual Survey of Vintage Computers by by John Alderman.

Today with my three fellows from the media lab - Nan Wei, Amit and Seth - I just passed my final physics 123 exam at Harvard University.
I am now qualified to connect the world of analog electronics to the digital one using... a beautifully vintage 8051!!! If you want an easiest way to make things talk, Tom Igoe's book might be the way to go!

Don't forget to check the computer history museum and the post by 37signals showing outstanding computer pictures. We never get enough of seeing all their buttons and the magic of their mechanics.


Posted by Cati Vaucelle
♥ Architectradure
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Making Things Talk

I cannot wait to read Making Things Talk, Tom Igoe's new book on Practical Methods for Connecting Physical Objects. It seems a lovely source of cute projects with ready-to-use technical resources. NearField opened a few pages of the book for us.

After taking classes in sensors and electronics at MIT, this semester I take Physics 123 at Harvard University. I recommend this class for any mechanical/electrical/software engineer, designer and researcher who wants to get a deeper understanding of physics related to electronics and to develop an intuitive relationship to electronics. It is the equivalent of 3 full time classes, because two days of the week and the week end are devoted to the class laboratories and assignments. Intensive but productive! This is one of the most valuable class I took in a long time. I hope after that class that all my things will talk!

"A lab-intensive introduction to electronic circuit design. Develops circuit intuition and debugging skills through daily hands-on lab exercises, each preceded by class discussion, with minimal use of mathematics and physics. Moves quickly from passive circuits, to discrete transistors, then concentrates on operational amplifiers, used to make a variety of circuits including integrators, oscillators, regulators, and filters. The digital half of the course treats analog-digital interfacing, emphasizes the use of microcontrollers and programmable logic devices (PLDs)."