mhoye2d ago
A picture of Margaret Hamilton, programmer for the Apollo space program, standing next to not one single microsoft error message or bluetooth problem.
Show threadMrAlanCooper2d ago

@mhoye

In 2017 Margaret Hamilton was inducted into the Computer History Museum's Hall of Fellows. On that occasion I was privileged to accompany her on a private, docent-guided tour of the Museum's public display.

She looked about the same as she does in these pictures from the 1960s, albeit a little grayer; a bright, diminutive grandma.

But she was very humble and human. At one point we rounded a corner into the Apollo section. Prominently in the front of the exhibit was a reproduction of your left-hand photo. Upon seeing it, Margaret stopped and exclaimed, "Oh my gosh! Is that me?"

Show threadDen of Earth1d ago
@mralancooper @mhoye
Might one ask: were you the docent?
Show threadMrAlanCooper1d ago
@DenOfEarth @mhoye
Thanks for asking. No. I was also inducted into the Hall of Fellows that evening.
Show threadDen of Earth6h ago

@mralancooper @mhoye
I incline myself in un-ironic reverence. I too am from the era of tractor feeds, paper terminals and (punch-)card readers, but I was more an assembler of things, whereas you are a maker of things. Respect.

Hey the banner photo on your profile, is that a railroad control panel? Heavy rail or scale model?

For what it's worth, I saw this recently: a behind-the-scenes visit of a Mini-World with their own train controls. Enjoy?
https://youtu.be/0XX2K0YNnDQ

France's Largest Indoor Miniature World (& How They Are Helping To Build London's)

YouTube
Show threadMrAlanCooper

@DenOfEarth That green monster in my profile is the CTC panel for Bruce Chubb's rather well-known Sunset Valley Lines taken--I think--in 2007 in Grand Rapids MI. I was there for the annual NMRA thing and the op session was part of OPSIG.

It's custom designed and built for SVL but it is very true to a prototypical American Switch & Signal CTC control board, many of which still control the flow of trains on American railroads. It controls the track and signals, not the trains, and it is managed by the Dispatcher.

I have run model CTC panels on other model railroads but not on that one. I was just photo-bombing a legendary panel that day.

10:52pmWeb