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The definition for “on-line” sure changed a lot, that’s the only term in #5 that doesn’t mean the same thing anymore. I got my merit badge in the late 80s afte
by dahart 5y ago
The definition for “on-line” sure changed a lot, that’s the only term in #5 that doesn’t mean the same thing anymore.
I got my merit badge in the late 80s after visiting Evans & Sutherland with the troop. They made flight simulators for the government, among other things. At the time, it seemed like the coolest place ever to work, and I’m sure had a major impact on my deciding to study & work in computer graphics. They were still using huge “hard drive” platters like the one the guy is holding in the picture on page 37.
- dmurray 5y ago> The definition for “on-line” sure changed a lot, that’s the only term in #5 that doesn’t mean the same thing anymore. On-line as in online processing? I still hear this term from time to time (usually the longer versions, OLTP or OLAP, though).
- dahart 4y agoI think the book’s definition of on-line is even older than that, though I’m not 100% certain it’s different than what you mean. OLTP is usually referring to databases, right? The book defines “on-line” to be when devices are directly connected to the CPU, and uses punch cards as the example of keyboard inputs that are not “on-line”. “Where devices are told what to do by the central processing unit, they are on-line. If a computer system produced the answer on a set of punched cards (card deck), the programmer or user would have to take them to another machine to get a printing of the meaning of the holes in the cards. That second machine - not being under the control of the central processing unit - is off-line.” (p. 49)