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Vintage Computers Any vintage computer systems, calculators, video games etc., but with an emphasis on 1980s and earlier equipment. |
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16th Dec 2008, 1:17 pm | #1 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Ramsbottom (Nr Bury) Lancs or Bexhill (Nr Hastings) Sussex.
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The Ladybird book of Computers
I think I'm in the right section here and that this item has been mentioned
previously [in the context of the LB transistor radio volume]. The death of the LB founder in November has created correspondence in the Guardian re University Departments using the book at one point, as it was seen as a good basic guide. There are further claims [by letter and on the web] that the MOD had it as a training manual [printed with plain covers, so the squaddies wouldn't know]. Possible urban myth-possibly not. Perhaps Forum members may have something to add? If you do have a copy somewhere, look after it. Apparently this is the rarest one! Dave W |
16th Dec 2008, 1:45 pm | #2 |
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Re: The Ladybird book of Computers
I was given a copy of this as a Secret Santa present at work in 1987 or 88 (I was in charge of all the company's in-house computers at the time). It's actually quite good though the edition I have is firmly grounded in the mainframe / very early mini era. The PC and Mac were just madmen's dreams, and the photo of a minicomputer shows a huge DEC-20
I didn't realise these were valuable - I must take care of my copy. Paul Last edited by paulsherwin; 16th Dec 2008 at 3:05 pm. Reason: Memory playing tricks about the PDP-8 |
16th Dec 2008, 4:41 pm | #3 |
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Re: The Ladybird book of Computers
Paul Stenning has a scan of the 1971 edition here.
The correct title of the 1971 and 1979 editions is "How It Works... The Computer". I don't know if there were other editions with different titles. Paul |
16th Dec 2008, 7:37 pm | #4 |
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Location: Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, UK.
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Re: The Ladybird book of Computers
I have one somewhere too, although of course it will turn out to be the least valuable version...............
ISTR pictures of vast punch card reading machines, and terminals that looked like Commodore PETs
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