I knew the Culler-Fried system long before I knew any Cullers. And when I first met a Culler it was Susan, on an Aspen tennis court with her brother Frank (of the pernicious drop-shots). But in the early 1970's I got to know the on-line system pretty well. I had observed my friends trundling over to the Computer Center several times a day with their decks of cards, and I trembled with fear at the thought that I might have to do the same, sooner or later. But then I found Doug Scalapino sitting at this keyboard in his office, going plonk-plonk-plonkity-plonk, with two fingers, at an enormous rate. In no time a curve plotted itself out on the screen, and Doug turned on a wheezing machine that after some hesitation produced a crude print. I thought, this is for me. So in due time I was sitting at my desk, going plonk ......plonk... ... at a painfully slow rate, but enjoying myself thoroughly.
From the present distance of time, some of the functions would now seem as ineffable as they did when I first opened the manual. But using them gave me a better feeling for the logic of a computation than I have had from other systems before or since. Of course the keyboard was pretty big, but since none of us typed in those days that was just fine too. It was like being seated at the console of the Mighty Wurlitzer. In the present era people are quite reticent to reveal their expectations as to life in the next world. So I don't know what computer system other persons expect will be provided. But I personally won't be surprised if it turns out to be the Culler-Fried system. Of course we will also be given sixteen fingers on each hand.
| Previous Tribute |
Tribute Contents |
Next Tribute |
 Back to Glen Culler Honorary Lecture Home Page |
 Back to College of Engineering |