That was a weekend...

[wshaffer]

My parents were in town this weekend. We had some fun, as evidenced by the following statistics:

Bookstores visited: 7 (In Berkeley: Black Oak Books, Other Change of Hobbit, Comic Relief, Half-Price Books, and Pegasus Books. In Mountain View: Book Buyers, Books, Inc.)

Books Purchased: 7 (1 by me: Michael Chabon's Gentlemen of the Road)

Coffee shops visited: 5 (Yali's Cafe, the original Peet's in Berkeley, Berkeley Espresso, Prolific Oven, and a Peet's in Mountain View)

Cups of coffee consumed: I accounted for 5 myself, and I lost track of everyone else's.

Computer history museums visited: 1

Mainframe computers that my father has used in his career viewed: 4 (IBM 7094, IBM 360, SAGE Air Defense computer (possibly the world's only computer with a built-in ash tray), and the PDP-10. Actually, I keep thinking that there was maybe one more in there that I've missed in my count, but those are the ones I can remember.)

Working Difference Engines observed: 1

Miles walked: Uncounted, but I'd say we all got our quota of physical activity this weekend.

Comments

[wshaffer.livejournal.com]

The Computer History Museum in Mountain View has a working Difference Engine No. 2 on display until May 2009, with demonstrations once or twice a day. I recommend checking it out.

[obadiah.livejournal.com]

ool! I must indeed check it out!

I once saw Babbage's difference engine #1 on display at the Science Museum in London, but it was under glass and never turned on.