[Leica] The anatomy of model numbers

[Jim Nichols]

Hi Herb,

It's interesting you should bring up the ERA 1101.  The original data 
reduction computers in the three main facilities at Arnold Engineering 
Development Center were these machines, or a variation. I seem to recall 
them a 1102s, but, after 60 years, my memory could be faulty.  They did 
an excellent job with calibrations and test programs in the 1950s, but 
did require an operator at the console to make inputs from time to time.

Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA

On 3/14/2015 8:33 PM, Herbert Kanner wrote:
> I’ve been bemused by the description of Leica’s flagship camera as M (type 240) Could it mean that 239 previous designs were considered and found wanting?
>
> This reminds me of a funny way of picking the model number of a computer. In 1952, I saw a computer at George Washington University called the ERA 1101. Over a half-century later, working at the Computer History Museum, I learned that Engineering Research Associates (ERA) had been a group of guys working for the Navy during WWII on hardware to aid in cracking codes and ciphers. incorporate as a company. They were initially given thirteen tasks, the last of which was to build a general-purpose computer with a secret instruction that aided in cryptography. The computer was so successful that they got permission to sell it publicly with the secret instruction removed. Remember, the computer was their thirteenth task. Well, 1101 just thirteen expressed in binary!
>
> Cheers,
>
> Herb
>
> Herbert Kanner
> kanner at acm.org
> 650-326-8204
>
> Question authority and the authorities will question you.
>
>
>
>
>
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