The Memex (and more)

Herman Hollerith's Tabulator, first used in the 1890 U.S. Census

A few miscellaneous items related to this past week's readings and other things we discussed in class:

A few years back, an article appeared in the NY Times about a new national ID system in India that will use iris scans and fingerprints to build the world's largest biometric database; it serves as an interesting point of comparison between the Hollerith Tabulator and today's technology. A fascinating subject, even if the article provides little support for its assertions that the new system alone can address the nation's bureaucratic inefficiencies; you can read about it here.

Here are some images of Vannevar Bush's Memex:

Drawing of Vannevar Bush's Memex (Life, September 1945)

Memex microfilm screens (Life, September 1945)

The camera as prosthesis: not quite Google Glass, though its ugliness is perhaps better justified:

Memex camera (Life, September 1945)



And here's a typical example of the ads that appeared in post-war issues of Popular Mechanics; it gives nicely illustrates the ready availability and apparent demand for electronics parts (and other materials) produced during WWII and the Korean War.  These diodes, transistors, and other sundry components  could be had for pennies, supplying hobbyists and small business startups:

Ad from Popular Mechanics magazine, circa 1954