Our friends at Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories recently made a high quality reproduction of the Digi-Comp II, a binary digital rolling-ball mechanical computer from the 1960s. (Cory wrote about it here.) Today on their blog, the Evil Mad Scientists posted about Dr. Nim, a game from the creator of the original Digi-Comp II.
Dr. NIM was designed by the same engineer, John Godfrey, who designed the Digi-Comp II, and it was manufactured in the mid-1960′s by the same company, E.S.R. Inc. It is even described in the same patent as the Digi-Comp II and works in the same manner, using mechanical flip-flops triggered by marbles. Only, to play the ancient game of Nim instead of doing binary calculations.
“How can pieces of plastic be a computer?”
See also: A Do-It-Yourself Paper Digital Computer, 1959
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No Starch Press just released two nice books. Arduino Project Handbook by Mark Geddes has 25 beginner-friendly projects that use Arduino (a low cost electronic prototyping platform), including a Simon-like memory game, a weather station, and a wireless ID card entry system. Electronics for Kids, by Øyvind Nydal Dahl, starts with an easy-to-grok explanation of […]
….from 1997. On your mark, get set Now we’re riding on the Internet Cyberspace, sets us free Hello virtual reality Interactive appetite Searching for a Web site… (Thanks, UPSO!)
This video shows how to turn hard boiled eggs into cute animals with plastic molds, and what I’m guess is soy sauce. Amazon sells the pair for $2, including shipping.
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Everybody knows that if you want to earn the big bucks these days, you need to learn how to code. Luckily, you don’t even need to spend thousands on grad school to make coding your career. The Entry-Level Python & JavaScript Programming Bundle is the easiest way to get started in programming in two of […]
Everything short of a ticket to Canada is here. Read on for the top 3 things you need to do to survive if ‘President Trump’ becomes real life.Start Your Own Business—Not Brought to You By Trump University This legitimate course bundle (they’ll even show you their tax returns) will teach you to make major cash without answering to […]
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