The Pernicious Impact of Frivolous use of Ancient Computers (JOSS #1)

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JOSS was the RAND Corporation's internally developed timesharing system to permit one computer to be used by many people (researchers) in their work and in a way that was more convivial than punching cards or paper tapes with machine code.   JOSS stands for "Johnniac Open Shop System".  In researching this important early system, I came across this beautiful description of an unexpected and, in the eyes of a key developer, an undesirable effect of making JOSS more available to researchers at RAND.

The researcher wrote:

In the summary and conclusions section of RM-5270-PR

Rejected Opening to an Essay on Policy Regarding Ukraine

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How do you open an essay which one is totally unqualified to write?  Well, one approach is to just go completely and volcanicly over the top.  The following is from an essay in progress on what we should do in Ukraine. 

"At the request of one of my subjects who must remain nameless, We have consented to suggest a policy or approach for the situation in Ukraine to defeat the False Vladimir, the so-called "Vladimir the Bringer of Peace", and encourage him and his degraded Boyars to reenter civilization and turn away from their bloodthirsty celebration of the most hateful of pagan devils: Belobog and Cznerobog with their obscene hand gestures in defiance of the True Way of Our Savior who died on the Cross, the murdered God of Two Natures, indivisible, who opened the Door back to God.  May the Blessed Virgin, Immaculate and Chaste, preserve us!"

 

 

Norton Sales and Equipment from the Apollo Program

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In the far reaches of the San Fernando Valley is a warehouse that contains elements of the now-distant space program of the 1960s.  Remember.  There was a prophecy that going to space would capture the hearts and minds of the world and give our civilization a sense of being great.  When science mattered.  When people and nations could be better than they were.  When racism and poverty could be eliminated and we could "reach for the stars".  Belief in the possibility of peace on earth.  There was such a time.

But projects end and some of them get terminated early and that was the case with the Apollo program.  What happened to all those people and all that equipment and those dreams?   The people were discarded.  The equipment was sold when regulations allowed.  The dreams were postponed.

So in the distant past, someone by the name of Norton was able to navigate the incredibly complicated regulations around buying used government equipment.  Maybe he knew someone and he must have had some money.  So at some point trucks containing equipment of various types was moved to a warehouse in the San Fernando Valley and various people sorted, disassembled, scrapped, and repurposed equipment that once had a lofty purpose.

Today what is left of this equipment is still there, in the back of the warehouse and can be rented as props for movies, tv shows, etc.  Three very nice people and one cat work there.   They let Jill and I wander at will through their warehouse and it made this history seem more real.

 

Norton Sales, inc.

7429 Laurel Canyon Blvd

North Hollywood, CA 91605

Carlos Guzman, President

(818) 765-1087

www.nortonsalesinc.com

company email: nortonsalesm@aol.com

 

Hungarians and Republicans are United on Voting Rights

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The last thing our republicans want are fair elections or majority rule.  No wonder they love Orban, the neo-fascist leader of Hungary.  They want to be just like him when they grow up.