COMPUTER MEMORIES, Chapter 66

HONEYWELL
Somewhere about here I worked for Honeywell’s Computer Division for a very short time, until they laid off most of the staff. That happened to me so many times, was it coincidence or contagious, maybe I was a “Typhoid Mary.” I often wondered about that.

HARRIS
I then sold Computer Terminals for Harris Computer. The terminals were huge things, filled a room, and cost about a half million dollars. These were not a “screen and keyboard,” they included a large printer, an IBM card reader, perhaps a card punch, communication equipment, and other gadgets that would fill a small room. One of these terminals was installed at JPL, and when they were adding an addition UNIVAC computer (a 1107 I believe), the Harris company had major portions of a 1107 system available, that I sold and installed at JPL. That system was used to control satellites that are still way, way out there in space.

While attending a sales school at a the Harris company headquarters in 1975, I was notified that my first Grandchild had been born. When I announced to the class that I was now a Grandfather, the lady in charge of the sales seminar was furious. She could not imagine that someone old enough to be a Grandfather would be in her class, and could be expected to understand something as complicated as a computer system. Well, maybe she was right, a little. (My Daughter-in-law wanted to name her daughter some version of the name Joan or Joann. I suggested that since my mother was named Anna Marie, the Great-Granddaughter should be named Joanna Marie, and that was that!)

THE CAT-SCAN COMPUTER
One of my terminals was installed at a company in Van Nuys, California. I never could understand what they were talking about, but they said they were going to replace the X-ray machine, and take better pictures, but without the radiation. Later I found they were one of the developers of the Cat Scan. Still don’t know how that one works.

THE BICYCLE RIDING SALESMAN
I had a little two-piece, take-apart bicycle that would easily fit in the trunk of my car. I had computer systems installed at California Institute of Technology, and at the University of California, among other places. The parking on these campuses was far from the offices I needed to visit, so I brought the bike with me, put it together and rode across the campus, carrying my briefcase. Everyone got a big kick out of that, and it sure made it easier to call on the customers, and check on the computer systems.

“SWEET OLD BOB”
I remember one installation that I inherited somewhere, was headed by a man named Bob. He was absolutely a pain in the butt (to be polite), as everyone who needed to work with him, would agree. When I was introduced to Bob, I mentioned that people in my office referred to him as “Sweet old Bob.” But I quickly added, “They usually abbreviate that phrase.” His secretary almost fainted, but Bob laughed, and we got along just fine after that.