How Many Of The Older Sailors Look like This?

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by TacomaSailor

> You are 66 so you probably really don't know how to use a computer. My best computer guys were born in the late 80's early 90's!! They started playing with the darn things as toddlers........

45 years ago I was writing code for NASA to process images

40 years ago I was writing code to process EEG and EKG data on an Interdata mini (32 kb memory and paper tape) and send it across a bunch of copper wires to an oil cooled IBM 7094 interconnected via a round tape 3803 controller interface to a IBM 360/40 (the only such interconnection in the world at that time - the 360/40 thought the 7094 was a tape drive)

35 years ago I was writing code to connect IBM mainframes to a weird thing called the DarpaNet

26 years ago I was writing code to try to keep web data flows from overwhelming my poor old mainframe dinosaurs.

I retired as a professional systems programmer on IBM and PCM mainframes in 1999 because OOL and other object related stuff just confused the hell out of me. And, change was coming at an accelerating rate and sailing was not changing so fast.

Some of us old farts still remember a couple of things - but probably not where I left my Medicare Card or which Rx I need to take this afternoon.

The big problem with us old programmers is we want to do it all ourselves and cannot figure out how to get the "helpful" tools available online to do what we want. I can bake a cake from scratch but have trouble opening the fancy box of a baked cake from a high end confectionery.

One of those "Best Computer Guys" built & sold to me my first PC. It had 16 KB of storage, "More than you will ever need; this thing is a screamer" (Windows 3.0)

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by TacomaSailor

> You are 66 so you probably really don't know how to use a computer. My best computer guys were born in the late 80's early 90's!! They started playing with the darn things as toddlers........

45 years ago I was writing code for NASA to process images

40 years ago I was writing code to process EEG and EKG data on an Interdata mini (32 kb memory and paper tape) and send it across a bunch of copper wires to an oil cooled IBM 7094 interconnected via a round tape 3803 controller interface to a IBM 360/40 (the only such interconnection in the world at that time - the 360/40 thought the 7094 was a tape drive)

35 years ago I was writing code to connect IBM mainframes to a weird thing called the DarpaNet

26 years ago I was writing code to try to keep web data flows from overwhelming my poor old mainframe dinosaurs.

I retired as a professional systems programmer on IBM and PCM mainframes in 1999 because OOL and other object related stuff just confused the hell out of me. And, change was coming at an accelerating rate and sailing was not changing so fast.

Some of us old farts still remember a couple of things - but probably not where I left my Medicare Card or which Rx I need to take this afternoon.

The big problem with us old programmers is we want to do it all ourselves and cannot figure out how to get the "helpful" tools available online to do what we want. I can bake a cake from scratch but have trouble opening the fancy box of a baked cake from a high end confectionery.

My point was consider how good you would be on computers if you started with them at almost birth like these guys today..............

it's actually kinda hard for some old guys to grasp...............

[Coops]

Me for one. Apart from the basics I have little or no interest in trying to learn to do all the stuff that you apparently can do on them. Same with those bloody ipod/pad/phone highly fangled trendy accessories. My basic mobile phone, pre paid, lasts me a year on $20 and is rarely switched on even.

Coops.

[TacomaSailor]

Originally Posted by thomm225

My point was consider how good you would be on computers if you started with them at almost birth like these guys today..............

it's actually kinda hard for some old guys to grasp...............

Not to highjack a thread but:

It is funny how the definition of "good" changes over time!

When I started in the computer business (1968) goodness meant I understood the flow of electrons, circuit design, how to read a resister color code, how to program from the toggle switches on the front panel. Being really good meant I could code in machine language and program my own boot system from paper tape.

15 years later while working as a systems programmer on mainframes goodness was defined as the ability to read a dump and trace calls to system routines. At that time I spent many, many unhappy hours trying to each COBOL and 3G language coders how to write application code that did not use all the system resources for ten seconds just to find a VSAM record that met their criteria. That is where I probably developed a dislike for OOL and other "time saving" application development tools. They might save coding time but they over use expensive resources every second they run for the next 15 years. Penny wise-Pound foolish

Now - it appears that being good with a computer means the ability to select the correct icon on a screen and drag it over on top of the correct icon for an object to be processed.

Maybe that is why my iPhone starts the music player everytime I plug in the earbuds just to answer the phone. It is sloppy applications that no one seems to care about. Close enough seems to be good enough these days.

I guess things change.

It also appears some folks keep up for a while, others keep up for longer still, but eventually everyone reaches a level at which keeping up with the new goodness is more than it is worth 'cause their current state of goodness is more than they can stand.

I'm waiting for delivery or our new mainsail that was supposed to be here in early January and which will not now be delivered until late February - so I have nothing better to do than write about "the good old days" and try to justify my inability to keep up with technology.

[thomm225]

Who is you?

I'm speaking of guys I have recently hired. One was born in like 1989.

We can all say we love the good ole days but I have found that after being anchored for a day or so fishing, hiking, etc I about ready for some technology.

So I bought a 4G Jetpack and now have the internet on my boat if I'm not too far off shore.

[SaltyMonkey]

Originally Posted by virginia boy

Nah..there are plenty of old black guys that are heavily muscled at age 70...even without lifting weights. It's the HGH.


Greater secretion of growth hormone ... [J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1995] - PubMed - NCBI

bs. this study had a sample of men between 17-40.

testosterone and or steroids here.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by TacomaSailor

Not to highjack a thread but:

It is funny how the definition of "good" changes over time!

When I started in the computer business (1968) goodness meant I understood the flow of electrons, circuit design, how to read a resister color code, how to program from the toggle switches on the front panel. Being really good meant I could code in machine language and program my own boot system from paper tape.

15 years later while working as a systems programmer on mainframes goodness was defined as the ability to read a dump and trace calls to system routines. At that time I spent many, many unhappy hours trying to each COBOL and 3G language coders how to write application code that did not use all the system resources for ten seconds just to find a VSAM record that met their criteria. That is where I probably developed a dislike for OOL and other "time saving" application development tools. They might save coding time but they over use expensive resources every second they run for the next 15 years. Penny wise-Pound foolish

Now - it appears that being good with a computer means the ability to select the correct icon on a screen and drag it over on top of the correct icon for an object to be processed.

Maybe that is why my iPhone starts the music player everytime I plug in the earbuds just to answer the phone. It is sloppy applications that no one seems to care about. Close enough seems to be good enough these days.

I guess things change.

It also appears some folks keep up for a while, others keep up for longer still, but eventually everyone reaches a level at which keeping up with the new goodness is more than it is worth 'cause their current state of goodness is more than they can stand.

I'm waiting for delivery or our new mainsail that was supposed to be here in early January and which will not now be delivered until late February - so I have nothing better to do than write about "the good old days" and try to justify my inability to keep up with technology.

Yeah, glad you wrote that last paragraph because you know better than I that these new machines are awesome and it can get waaaay complicated trying to keep the bad guys out of your system. Plus these new systems will do tons.................of stuff

I have Windows 8.1 and still select the old desktop icon...............but it's all good I'm thinking.

[Coops]

Highjack away, I started it and do not care where it goes now.

Coops.

[thomm225]

As far as the weight lifter guy, that's his thing. If you apply yourself like he has done, you will get there also.

I ran 3.5 miles on Saturday but I understand many folks near 60 cannot do that. I ran at 3/4 speed maybe the last 500 yards which for an old guy is pretty good I think. Also, it makes you feel great!

Btw, I finish my run at a cal-de-sac. Once the old-er guy that lives in a house there saw me bent over with my hands on my knees breathing very hard and he says" are you ok?" I said no, I'm old!

[OutOfControl]

Originally Posted by bethflkys

Well, I sure don't look like that!

…my chest is better-developed.

Originally Posted by Coops

Now then, who's going to say it?

Coops.

Let me give it a shot, Coops..

Pics or it didn't happen

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by OutOfControl

Let me give it a shot, Coops..

Pics or it didn't happen

I'm blind (2 Pirate eye patches) so pics don't help. I'm happy to resort to 'braille'

[Canibul]

Originally Posted by OutOfControl

Let me give it a shot, Coops..

Pics or it didn't happen

or in this case......Pecs.

[bobconnie]

Folks say Im three years older then God! Thats wrong but I was a mess cook at the Last Supper!! LOL And I can still walk and set the main on a 51 ft ketch! No way in the world do I look like that gentelman !! Just how really fit do you need to be to sail long distances with at least one other crew aboard ?? Heck Connie and I still sail with just us two! and hardly ever really feel tired!! Maybe a little sleepy but not really tired! Just my 2 cents

[jongleur]

TacomaSailor said:
It also appears some folks keep up for a while, others keep up for longer still, but eventually everyone reaches a level at which keeping up with the new goodness is more than it is worth 'cause their current state of goodness is more than they can stand.

That is a wonderful insight.

My contention is computers do too many things, but not enough things well.

At work, we have done the same thing on one 2 year old
computer over and over (downloading our faxes)
then all of a sudden, pushing the same buttons, it changed what it does.
Now it is a tedious operation to download and save
faxes where earlier, it was a simple few clicks.

What? Did the computer get bored?

[DRussell]

Yup, no one sends faxes these days, even a PDF in email is becoming old technology, it's kind of like complaining the milkman stopped picking up your glass jugs everyday. All in jest of course because faxes still have their use but they are a fading sun.