[OFF-TOPIC] It is true that is impossible write in binary code, the lowest level of programming that you can write is in hex code?

[Clayton Kirkwood]

Yeah, the 11 was mesmerizing. You didn't need no stinkin' program to see how
busy the system was, you just checked the lights. You could really tell when
somebody was compiling or link/loading. As I've done many times since those
days, I am amazed how many users could be using the system simultaneously
(yes, general editing, but still...) and it wasn't a quick machine by any
stretch. We had a whopping 384K memory and big multi-platter disks with a
whopping 65MB. Still think in terms of PIP sometimes...

Clayton

>-----Original Message-----
>From: Python-list [mailto:python-list-
>bounces+crk=godblessthe.us at python.org] On Behalf Of Cameron Simpson
>Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2014 2:28 PM
>To: python-list at python.org
>Subject: Re: [OFF-TOPIC] It is true that is impossible write in binary
>code, the lowest level of programming that you can write is in hex code?
>
>On 05Nov2014 15:38, Denis McMahon <denismfmcmahon at gmail.com> wrote:
>>On Tue, 04 Nov 2014 21:30:06 -0500, Dennis Lee Bieber wrote:
>>>       If you have an old system with front-panel toggle switches, you
>>set the
>>> switches for binary values, and then push the "enter" switch.
>>
>>You've booted a PDP-8 then ;)
>
>Not me, but I have booted a PDP-11. Same deal:-)
>
>Our kernels had a patch in the idle loop that updated a specific memory
>address with a regularly changing bit pattern (therefore the change rate
>slowed down when the machine was busy). Post boot we'd set the memory
>view toggle swithces to that address and be treated to a beautiful
>Cylon-like shuttling pattern of red lights indiciating business.
>
>Cheers,
>Cameron Simpson <cs at zip.com.au>
>
>The most likely way for the world to be destroyed, most experts agree,
>is by accident. That's where we come in; we're computer professionals.
>We cause
>accidents.      - Nathaniel Borenstein
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