Comments for Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories

Comment on How to Build a Working Digital Computer… out of paperclips by I built it!

I built it! — Tue, 14 May 2013 22:27:53 +0000

I am the person who built this computer, and to the best of my knowledge it is the only one in existence at this time. The build was both fun and educational at the same time. The one shown at my channel on YouTube was built to scale from the book, with only two changes…..1 knife switches are still available but very dear in price, so I substituted slide switches…..2 the contacts for the program drum are ball point pen springs.I found that the paperclips ripped the paper program when the drum was rotated. The springs were flexible and did not tear the paper.
Thanks for including me with a YouTube link in your wonderful article. Also, to those who keep asking for a demo of the computer, you will find a complete demo of a subtraction program on my channel gort59 on YouTube .
Thanks,
Wayne Verish

Comment on The Exploratorium on the Bay by Shab Levy

Shab Levy — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:51:37 +0000

Dear Lenore,
Thank you for publishing your report on the move of the Exploratorium to their new location. I too, spent many days at this wonderful place when I was younger, and I also had the honor and pleasure to know and work briefly with Dr. Oppenheimer, the founder of the Exploratorium.

Shab Levy
Portland, Oregon

Comment on How to Build a Working Digital Computer… out of paperclips by pete.d

pete.d — Tue, 07 May 2013 23:54:14 +0000

Nice link. Thanks!

IMHO, one of the most awesome, interesting aspects of these “primitive” computers is how little computing has really changed since that time. This book has a nice introduction discussing the underlying basics of computing, and it’s all still relevant.

Clearly we’ve made advances. But all in an evolutionary way: computers are faster, with more varied and larger storage types, and of course we have many more ways to program them. But computers still all pretty much operate in the same way: move from state to state, where the states are defined by switches that are combined to represent logical and arithmetic operations.

It makes these types of projects, like Digi-Comp II (and variations thereof) and this paperclip-based technology, still just as relevant today as they were originally.

Comment on Work Safely! by Doxin

Doxin — Tue, 07 May 2013 13:33:32 +0000

I especially like this one: http://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=urn:gvn:NAGO02:IISG-30051001783072&role=image&size=variable

it says “3 men, 2 helmets, 1 injured.”

Comment on Work Safely! by Aleksejs

Aleksejs — Tue, 07 May 2013 09:21:18 +0000

Posters from exUSSR:
http://www.adme.ru/plakaty/surovyj-sovetskij-plakat-455955/

Comment on Work Safely! by Nikolaas

Nikolaas — Tue, 07 May 2013 06:59:12 +0000

oeps, that URL needs a quote at the end to work properly…
http://www.geheugenvannederland.nl/?/nl/zoekresultaten/pagina/1/Bedrijfsveiligheid/subject%20all%20%22Bedrijfsveiligheid%22

Comment on Work Safely! by Nikolaas

Nikolaas — Tue, 07 May 2013 06:55:17 +0000

And a Thousand more of those if you pick the right keyword in the original source (the dutch word for ‘Company Safety’ is ‘Bedrijfsveiligheid’): http://www.geheugenvannederland.nl/?/nl/zoekresultaten/pagina/1/Bedrijfsveiligheid/subject%20all%20%22Bedrijfsveiligheid

Comment on White House Science Fair Roundup by BelçikaHaber

BelçikaHaber — Wed, 01 May 2013 14:21:47 +0000

oooo, obama, I Love You <3

Comment on White House Science Fair Roundup by Kevin Henderson

Kevin Henderson — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 02:38:43 +0000

Sylvia is very impressive, as were a number of the participants at the White House Science Fair. I am told there were three kids from Los Alamos (not surprising, but I suspect most of them have more adult supervision and guidance than Silvia).

Kevin

Comment on RoboGames 2013 Medals by Doctor Popular

Doctor Popular — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:00:47 +0000

Frakkin sweet!

These medals look fantastic.