Computers
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Computers from the SMECC collection
Click to  see an awesome IBM logic trainer and also a pull drawer from  A/N FSQ-7 SAGE Computer!
MICROCOMPUTERS
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPUTERS Made in Phoenix Arizona! Information systems & Process Control
UNIVAC
The classic book that  got many of us started!
Tiny Card punch!   (click pictures for larger view)	Wright card punch machine, model #2620. This machine is in excellent condition and was made in Worchester, Ma.
(click pictures for larger view) ca. 1981  by Vis-Ed 1000 cards 1200 terms	Computer Terminology Flash Cards
	810              SNOBOL            ("snow ball") String Orientated Symbolic Language
Remember? They used to  have offices in Phoenix too!
TOM SWIFT AND HIS AMAZING PERSONAL COMPUTER The "Little Idiots" are introduced on pages 54-55 of "Phantom  Satellite, in the chapter 'A Dangerous Double.' Tom's personal computers are "no bigger than an adding machine" and have voice recognition circuitry, so you just have to speak your  problem into a microphone. For many of us the small computers in the Tom Swift books planted the seed....
Full text of the introduction of the "Little Idiots": D. Sample ------ Late that afternoon, Tom was called back to Shopton to pick up a load of small analog computers. These were the electronic brains which he had designed for each scientific field represented in the expedition. In high spirits, he invited Bud and Kent to fly back with him and have dinner at the Swift home. After landing on the Enterprises airstrip, they went to the electronics laboratory to see the new computers. Kent was amazed at their small size. "Why these are portable!" he gasped. "They're no bigger than adding machines!" Tom nodded proudly. "Smallest ever built, I believe. Using transistors helped a lot." "What are the 'mikes' for?" Bud asked. "A new touch," Tom explained. "On most machines you need a specially trained man to set up the problem on coded tape. On these gadgets, you just *talk* the problem into the microphone. The magnetic recording tape then feeds into the machine, where it's translated into the proper electronic impulses." Tom pointed to one of the machines. "For instance, here's the computer I designed for Jim Stevens and Ron Corey. It will handle problems of temperature, moisture, hormones, mineral traces--all the factors involved in plant growth. Suppose Jim wants to figure out the right conditions for growing the biggest, juiciest carrots up there on the satellite." The inventor jotted down a sample equation for carrot growth. Then he switched on the computer, punched several keys, and read the problem into the microphone. A moment later a light flashed on the keyboard and a length of tape came whirring out of the machine. Tom ripped it off. "There are your answers." Kent Rockland whistled in admiration. "It would take weeks to work that out by trial and error!" Bud, too, was impressed. "Too bad I didn't have one of those back in high school." He chuckled. "My homework was a trial and most of it was in error!" "Don't feel too bad, pal." Tom grinned. "Even electronic brains go haywire, if you don't keep them tuned up. They have nervous breakdowns in the form of short circuits, and give wrong results when you feed them a problem." "In that case," Bud said with a chuckle, "I vote we call 'em the Little Idiots!"	I don't have page references for you but these are the volume numbers with the quotes in context which should help you find them: James Keeline TSJR09.txt-1505- didn't have one of those back in high school." TSJR09.txt-1506- He chuckled. "My homework was a trial and TSJR09.txt-1507- most of it was in error!" TSJR09.txt-1508- "Don't feel too bad, pal." Tom grinned. TSJR09.txt-1509- "Even electronic brains go haywire, if you don't TSJR09.txt-1510- keep them tuned up. They have nervous TSJR09.txt-1511- breakdowns in the form of short circuits, and TSJR09.txt-1512- give wrong results when you feed them a TSJR09.txt-1513- problem." TSJR09.txt-1514- "In that case," Bud said with a chuckle, TSJR09.txt:1515: "I vote we call 'em the Little Idiots!" TSJR09.txt-1516- "Sure you haven't got a short circuit?" TSJR09.txt-1517- Tom retorted with a wide grin. TSJR09.txt-1518- The young inventor also showed Kent a TSJR09.txt-1519- new type of space suit which he had designed TSJR09.txt-1520- especially for the satellite expedition. With a TSJR09.txt-1521- zippered hood and goggles, it was much lighter TSJR09.txt-1522- and more comfortable than the suits used by the TSJR09.txt-1523- men who had helped Tom build his Outpost in TSJR09.txt-1524- Space. TSJR09.txt-1525- "Boy!" Bud exclaimed when he tried -- TSJR12.txt-1120- "What can you do, Tom?" Phyl asked. TSJR12.txt-1121- "Not a thing, I guess, except keep on TSJR12.txt-1122- waiting for the rest of the message." TSJR12.txt-1123- "But we can't wait," Sandy protested. TSJR12.txt-1124- "Not if we want to get back for the party!" TSJR12.txt-1125- "How much time do we have?" Bud TSJR12.txt-1126- asked. TSJR12.txt-1127- "Well, we're due at seven," Sandy TSJR12.txt-1128- replied, "and we have to go home and dress." TSJR12.txt-1129- Bud grinned. "We'd better work this TSJR12.txt:1130: out on one of Tom's Little Idiots." TSJR12.txt-1131- These amazing miniature computers were TSJR12.txt-1132- the smallest and most compact ever built. The TSJR12.txt-1133- operator simply "talked" his problem into a TSJR12.txt-1134- microphone, and the computer then reeled off TSJR12.txt-1135- the answer on tape. TSJR12.txt-1136- Tom laughingly produced a computer TSJR12.txt-1137- and Bud began supplying data to the machine. TSJR12.txt-1138- "Now," declared the copilot, "this little gadget TSJR12.txt-1139- will tell us what time we'll have to leave here." TSJR12.txt-1140- Sandy and Phyl giggled at some of his -- TSJR13.txt-2477- work on his second matter maker. Besides being TSJR13.txt-2478- much more powerful and efficient than his first TSJR13.txt-2479- machine, the new model would be able to TSJR13.txt-2480- produce many other elements besides oxygen. TSJR13.txt-2481- "How soon will it be finished?" asked TSJR13.txt-2482- Sandy eagerly, as she watched her brother wire TSJR13.txt-2483- the electronic control panel. TSJR13.txt-2484- Before answering, Tom ran off a quick TSJR13.txt-2485- series of calculations on one of his amazing TSJR13.txt-2486- miniature computers which Bud had dubbed TSJR13.txt:2487: "Little Idiots." Then he jotted down a TSJR13.txt-2488- correction on his blueprints. TSJR13.txt-2489- "The design's complete right now, Sis," TSJR13.txt-2490- he replied. "However, the castings and some of TSJR13.txt-2491- the larger parts will have to be made back at TSJR13.txt-2492- Enterprises. The energy collectors to provide TSJR13.txt-2493- power for the machine are being made there, TSJR13.txt-2494- too." TSJR13.txt-2495- "That means we go back to Shopton?" TSJR13.txt-2496- put in Bud. TSJR13.txt-2497- Tom nodded. "The girls and you and I -- TSJR14.txt-2996- between the two fields. The brain would use TSJR14.txt-2997- only this radiation in making its computations TSJR14.txt-2998- and thus produce a clear picture without TSJR14.txt-2999- interference. " TSJR14.txt-3000- Tom thumped his workbench. "I'm sure TSJR14.txt-3001- it will work!" Then he reflected ruefully, "But it TSJR14.txt-3002- will take some fancy circuit design to do all that TSJR14.txt-3003- without making the camera bigger and clumsier TSJR14.txt-3004- than ever!" TSJR14.txt-3005- Using one of his midget desk computers, TSJR14.txt:3006: which Bud had nicknamed "Little Idiot," Tom TSJR14.txt-3007- quickly worked out the mathematical angles TSJR14.txt-3008- involved and dashed off rough sketches. Then TSJR14.txt-3009- he began building two compact transmitters with TSJR14.txt-3010- dish-shaped radiating antennas. These would be TSJR14.txt-3011- attached at the top and bottom of the camera. TSJR14.txt-3012- Tom barely paused for supper and kept TSJR14.txt-3013- working hour after hour. At midnight Doc TSJR14.txt-3014- Simpson walked into the laboratory. "You TSJR14.txt-3015- promised to get a good sleep tonight, TSJR14.txt-3016- remember? " the medic reproved sternly. -- TSJR17.txt-3438- to San Rosario, including the attack en route by TSJR17.txt-3439- unmarked sky raiders. He also privately told his TSJR17.txt-3440- father about his plan to use Exman as an TSJR17.txt-3441- electronic spy. Mr. Swift was enthusiastic. TSJR17.txt-3442- The two scientists promptly set to work. TSJR17.txt-3443- Mr. Swift built two powerful but miniature radio TSJR17.txt-3444- sets; one for receiving, one for transmitting. TSJR17.txt-3445- Tom, meanwhile, was busy on another device, TSJR17.txt-3446- also highly miniaturized, combining features of TSJR17.txt-3447- both the electronic decoder and Tom's famous TSJR17.txt:3448: midget computers, known as Little Idiots. TSJR17.txt-3449- With this equipment, Tom hoped, Exman TSJR17.txt-3450- would be able to monitor all communications at TSJR17.txt-3451- Brungarian rebel headquarters, then radio the TSJR17.txt-3452- information to Enterprises. TSJR17.txt-3453- Chow brought lunch to the laboratory at TSJR17.txt-3454- noon, and Bud came in later. Both stayed to TSJR17.txt-3455- watch the outcome of the experiment. Hank TSJR17.txt-3456- Sterling and Arv Hanson joined the group. TSJR17.txt-3457- By midafternoon the equipment was TSJR17.txt-3458- ready for a tryout. Tom opened Exman's star -- TSJR20.txt-1460- be needed for the experiment. The idea was so TSJR20.txt-1461- clear in Tom's head that he plunged into the job TSJR20.txt-1462- of constructing the units at once, with only TSJR20.txt-1463- rough preliminary sketches or circuit diagrams TSJR20.txt-1464- which he had already drawn. TSJR20.txt-1465- "The radios can be very small and fairly TSJR20.txt-1466- low powered," Tom reasoned, "since they'll TSJR20.txt-1467- transmit on a very narrow beam of radiation." TSJR20.txt-1468- Each would need a small computer in its TSJR20.txt-1469- base. Tom produced these quickly by converting TSJR20.txt:1470: two of his "Little Idiots"--amazing midget TSJR20.txt-1471- electronic brains which he had invented for his TSJR20.txt-1472- expedition to the phantom satellite. TSJR20.txt-1473- Several hours went by while Tom TSJR20.txt-1474- labored at his workbench. It was soon strewn TSJR20.txt-1475- with electronic paraphernalia. As usual, when on TSJR20.txt-1476- one of his inventive spurts, Tom worked at TSJR20.txt-1477- feverish speed. TSJR20.txt-1478- The new radios, like his space telescope, TSJR20.txt-1479- had extremely sensitive amplifying circuits that TSJR20.txt-1480- would have to be supercooled by liquid helium.

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