Amazon exiles discussion

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Trackless wastes > The complete bo**ocks, talk tripe, no music allowed thread

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message 951: by Craig White (new)

Craig White | 6727 comments who's he calling a hefty punt? :)


message 952: by Brass Neck (new)

Brass Neck | 3979 comments Tech wrote: "who's he calling a hefty punt? :)"

Well if you must keep posting selfies?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hefty-Fine-B...


message 953: by nocheese (new)

nocheese | 6824 comments Just clicked on that - it said 'Roll over image to zoom in'.
Um, naw, yer awright.


Gingerlily - The Full Wild | 600 comments That could get you a hefty fine!


message 955: by Craig White (new)

Craig White | 6727 comments c'mon, c'mon! you know that's not me - i would die before growing a moustache! (which in itself would be quite a feat!)

note; in no way do i wish to be viewed as a moustachist, i just haven't the face for one! :)


message 956: by TwoddleBungler (last edited Jun 15, 2018 05:08AM) (new)


message 957: by Craig White (new)

Craig White | 6727 comments yes, i do believe the 3rd one would fit snugly on my top lip! :)


message 958: by Gordon (new)

Gordon (skiiltan) | 2940 comments Tech wrote: "i would die before growing a moustache! (which in itself would be quite a feat!) "

You've obviously never read/seen Rosencrantz & Guildernstern are Dead.


message 959: by nocheese (new)

nocheese | 6824 comments Raising the tone, eh, Gordon?

"Rosencrantz: Another curious scientific phenomenon is the fact that the fingernails grow after death, as does the beard.

Guildenstern: What?

Rosencrantz: Beard.

Guildenstern: But you're not dead.

Rosencrantz: I didn't say they only started to grow after death. The fingernails also grow before birth - though not the beard."


message 960: by Craig White (last edited Jun 15, 2018 10:18AM) (new)

Craig White | 6727 comments ah! beardwax for the busy corpse about town - i never leave tomb without it!


Gingerlily - The Full Wild | 600 comments You're not dead, you're differently alive!


message 962: by Craig White (new)

Craig White | 6727 comments the return of the shaving dead!


message 963: by suzysunshine7 (new)

suzysunshine7 | 16038 comments Just found this online and it made me laugh and also feel sad at the same time ...




message 964: by Craig White (new)

Craig White | 6727 comments it's already too late!


message 965: by suzysunshine7 (new)

suzysunshine7 | 16038 comments If only we could go back in time and un-invent the Mobile Phone!


message 966: by Craig White (new)

Craig White | 6727 comments it's not the phone, it's the users! the upcoming generation already don't need to write anything, can't spell anything, and in a few years won't need to talk at all! or move!


message 967: by suzysunshine7 (new)

suzysunshine7 | 16038 comments We'll all probably be on Life Support Machines while permanently plugged into Cyberspace? - I hope I won't be around to see it! ;oO


message 968: by Craig White (new)

Craig White | 6727 comments have you seen 'wall-e'?

https://youtu.be/s-kdRdzxdZQ


message 969: by suzysunshine7 (new)

suzysunshine7 | 16038 comments WoW?!! - it would be so funny if it wasn't also quite disturbingly close to the reality of what is already starting to happen ;oO

It makes me feel so very sad for future generations - and yet I guess that what they have no idea of anymore or any interest in probably won't bother them much at all?


message 970: by suzysunshine7 (new)

suzysunshine7 | 16038 comments Then again? - some people clearly have far TOO much time on their Hands?!! ;o> ...




message 971: by Martin (new)

Martin O' | 2196 comments On the radio the other day somebody passed comment on how Brexit is becoming like the Eagles song 'Hotel California' ........

I also saw a recent news article about a school that was giving a class of seven year oods a warning of the dangers of being on the Internet, one precocious girl announced to her group that she would kill herself without it. There's no hope!


message 972: by Craig White (new)

Craig White | 6727 comments ..........and by the same token, will need the internet in order to kill herself! extreme? of course it is, but that's where we're going.
every potential good thing that is invented with a view to improving humanity will be turned into a weapon of mass destruction by the humans who don't understand it!


message 973: by Martin (new)

Martin O' | 2196 comments I'm reminded somewhat of the old fable with the horse, the man and the wolf. The horse says to the man that if they join forces they could eliminate the threat of the wolf to them both. The man agrees and leaps onto the horse's back armed with a spear. After a long chase they finally corner the wolf and kill it. "Well done!" says the horse, "You can get off now". To which the man replies, "The hell you say Dobbin. Gee up!"


message 974: by Brass Neck (last edited Jun 19, 2018 12:24PM) (new)

Brass Neck | 3979 comments Which in turn reminds me of the old story about the Lone Ranger and Tonto out riding one day when they encounter a murderous party of Apache braves. A desperate chase on horseback ensues but the plucky pair make a fatal error and turn into a blind gully. Realising their likely fate, Lone Ranger turns to Tonto and says, 'Well old friend, it's been a pleasure to ride with you but it looks like the end for us ……..'
Tonto looks into the Lone Ranger's teary eyes and says, 'What do you mean, 'us', you paleface twat!'


message 975: by Martin (new)

Martin O' | 2196 comments The Lone Ranger actually shot Tonto after he found out what kemo sabe meant!


message 976: by Gordon (new)

Gordon (skiiltan) | 2940 comments The elder Little Miss D & I are in Sheffield for a university open day. Fabulous library, Lez.


message 977: by Lez (new)

Lez | 7490 comments Gordon wrote: "The elder Little Miss D & I are in Sheffield for a university open day. Fabulous library, Lez."

I never went to the Uni library. One year they were offering a six-month secondment there from public libraries. I applied but there were dozens of applications for just 2 placements and I didn’t get in.
I don’t know if it’s still the case but Sheffield used to have the highest number of students staying in the city where they graduated.
If Miss D. gets in she might never come home again!


message 978: by Val (new)

Val H. | 22143 comments When I was doing my library training at Leeds Polytech we went on an excursion to Sheffield Uni library. From memory, it was quite new then ('71/72). The crucial information I took away from the day was, if you were planning a library, be sure to install a sink in the workroom! I never forgot that and when we built a new library at the primary school I was working at in 2003, I made sure we had a sink!


message 979: by Gordon (new)

Gordon (skiiltan) | 2940 comments Given that she's going to study Japanese I don't think she has much intention of coming home.


Gingerlily - The Full Wild | 600 comments Gordon wrote: "Given that she's going to study Japanese I don't think she has much intention of coming home."

So she's Turning Japanese is she?

(sorry, I know, no music allowed)


message 981: by Derek (new)

Derek W | 1365 comments I was at Leeds Poly in 1969-70, failed first year, but was a fixture in the Poly bar for the next 4-5 years while working in the Leeds University computer centre.

Su would have been at Leeds Poly 1971-73 or thereabouts.


message 982: by TwoddleBungler (new)

TwoddleBungler | 4920 comments Derek wrote: "... working in the Leeds University computer centre."
Who was there when you were? My stint was later than yours. I can't actually think of the names except Mike ? was the Centre head.
I remember that one of the computer operators was known for running his private business from the mainframe!! I've still got a perspex panel from the old computer when they changed over to IBM.


message 983: by Lez (new)

Lez | 7490 comments Another coincidence - my husband was working for Addressograph around that time, their head office was in Leeds and he sold office equipment to the university, the Poly and the council offices!


message 984: by Val (new)

Val H. | 22143 comments The School of Librarianship was located in rather dingy premises in Park Place and St Paul's St, down near the central station. There wasn't much going on in the area - it was mostly derelict old buildings. We spent a lot of time in working men's cafs eating huge plates of fried eggs and baked beans. I won a prize (for cataloguing I think?) - a cheque for one whole pound drawn on the Yorkshire Penny Bank. I still have the letter from the Head of the School of Librarianship apologising for the paltry amount and advising me not to spend it all at once.


message 985: by Derek (new)

Derek W | 1365 comments Derek wrote: "I was at Leeds Poly in 1969-70, failed first year, but was a fixture in the Poly bar for the next 4-5 years while working in the Leeds University computer centre.

Su would have been at Leeds Poly ..."


Twoddlebungler - I was in the computer centre used by the students in support of their coursework, and by lecturers for research work. When I joined it was led by a guy called Harry Eastwood and his deputy John Easton (I think). Apart from Harry and John who were both normal, we had some pretty strange guys working there when I joined. On night and evening shifts a couple of the shift teams were a serious source of illegal substances for the students.

By the time I left in 1980 everything was much more professional and we'd progressed from the EE KDF9 that I first worked on through an ICL 1906A and finally Amdahl mainframe. For a large part of that period they still had the original Elliot 803 computer down in the basement as a museum piece.

If you were in the Admin computer centre they only person we might have in common would be a guy called Peter Jowett who was my original shift supervisor and transferred over to the admin computer centre later. He was a keen NALGO union man.


message 986: by TwoddleBungler (last edited Jun 24, 2018 10:57AM) (new)

TwoddleBungler | 4920 comments It's the KDF9 I've got a bit of. I'm wondering now if there ever was an IBM360 at Leeds. I also worked at Bradford Uni (punched cards would you believe!) and other places. Maybe my memory is playing tricks. I don't remember Peter Jowett. I was a computer operator at Bradford and taught myself to program while working the night shifts. On the strength of that I became a systems programmer at Leeds. I had to wing it at first and got through by working late, sleeping at work and then being woken by the cleaners in the morning and starting again. In those days it wasn't an imposition because I found programming as addictive as people find computer games these days.


message 987: by Derek (new)

Derek W | 1365 comments TwoddleBungler wrote: "It's the KDF9 I've got a bit of. I'm wondering now if there ever was an IBM360 at Leeds. I also worked at Bradford Uni (punched cards would you believe!) and other places. Maybe my memory is playin..."

The Amdahl was an 'IBM clone' running IBM's VM/CMS operating system. That's the only IBM link that I know of. They also had some Prime minicomputers in some of the bigger departments.

The big cheese on the systems programming side while I was there was a guy called David Holdsworth.


message 988: by TwoddleBungler (last edited Jun 24, 2018 12:45PM) (new)

TwoddleBungler | 4920 comments Oh, I remember him. Didn't have much anything to do with him though - we spoke about two words once.
Don't suppose you knew Lesia (?)


message 989: by Derek (new)

Derek W | 1365 comments Derek wrote: "TwoddleBungler wrote: "It's the KDF9 I've got a bit of. I'm wondering now if there ever was an IBM360 at Leeds. I also worked at Bradford Uni (punched cards would you believe!) and other places. Ma..."

You were lucky then, David was a very bright guy but he could be a prize pain in the backside. Lesia, nope, that's not a name I remember and I wouldn't have forgotten an unusual name like that.


message 990: by TwoddleBungler (new)

TwoddleBungler | 4920 comments Remarkably he still seems to be a KDF9 enthusiast - why, I can't imagine. Apparently there's a simulator. http://sw.ccs.bcs.org/KDF9/index.html


message 991: by Derek (new)

Derek W | 1365 comments TwoddleBungler wrote: "Remarkably he still seems to be a KDF9 enthusiast - why, I can't imagine. Apparently there's a simulator. http://sw.ccs.bcs.org/KDF9/index.html"

Crikey, that takes me back, we spent many a happy hour in The Eldon pub that the Eldon system was named after. Also saw the mention of Tony McCann on there. He was a nice guy, main claim to fame being his work on a SNOBOL implementation (SPITBOL), which also seems to be still alive:


https://daveshields.wordpress.com/201...


message 992: by Derek (new)

Derek W | 1365 comments …. I also remember Mike Wells, the third person mentioned on there.


message 993: by TwoddleBungler (last edited Jun 24, 2018 02:18PM) (new)

TwoddleBungler | 4920 comments Ah yes, that was the Mike I mentioned in message 1003 above. He was a nice guy. When I was there the whole centre used to troop over to the maths department for coffee breaks with him presiding.


message 994: by TwoddleBungler (last edited Jun 24, 2018 02:20PM) (new)

TwoddleBungler | 4920 comments The talk of SNOBOL reminds me of all the different computer languages I tried and wrote at least one working program in, These were Basic (Microsoft, BBC, ZX Spectrum), Algol60, Algol68, Fortran, Lisp, Prolog, SNOBOL, Z80 machine code (implemented a Turing machine on a Nascom), there was even a functional language called A if I remember rightly. Also of course Visual Basic, Pascal, Delphi, C, C++.
Never, ever however did I try to write even a line of COBOL. I don't know why - it was anathema to me. Looking back, I don't know when I found the time to all of that whilst also working. I even had a Spectrum educational game published.
I haven't done any coding for some time now, just a bit of VB for accessing web pages a year or two back.

P.S. and of course B with its dreaded co-routines.


message 995: by Lez (new)

Lez | 7490 comments Computer programming books were one of the top 3 categories to be nicked. The other 2 being football and dogs.


message 996: by Val (new)

Val H. | 22143 comments I know nothing of programming but my eyes latched on to the mention of the Sinclair ZX Spectrum - my very first computer bought in 1982 I think. I've still got it, in perfect condition, still in the polystyrene foam packaging it arrived in with the receipt and all paperwork. Not to mention half a dozen cassettes. It was quite a business connecting it to both the television and a cassette recorder. I did try my hand at writing some basic indexing programs but didn't persevere. Is there a museum out there looking for a donation??


message 997: by Lez (new)

Lez | 7490 comments Sheffield’s first attempt at computerisation consisted of area libraries (mine was one) having 2 big machines - one was a Data Capture Unit, can’t remember the other one, and 2 enormous tapes which had to be set up to wind through each morning. A terrifying procedure which fell to me on the days I was in charge. I then had to phone the other 5 libraries in the area and give them the codeword for the day.
I remember that anyone with a digital watch had to either remove it or put their arm behind their back when anywhere near the equipment. No, I don’t know why.


message 998: by Gordon (new)

Gordon (skiiltan) | 2940 comments Lez wrote: "I then had to phone the other 5 libraries in the area and give them the codeword for the day...."

You were a spy, Lez. Why don't you just admit it?


Gingerlily - The Full Wild | 600 comments *The book flies high over Ben Nevis in the springtime*


message 1000: by Lez (new)

Lez | 7490 comments Yup. No-one ever suspected our cartel of standard Ealing comedy female librarians.


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