[comp.arch] LEGOs -- and Tinker-Toys

jgd@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (John G Dobnick) (10/01/89)

In article <3300071@m.cs.uiuc.edu> nelson@m.cs.uiuc.edu writes:
   We are interested in building something (possibly a Turing Machine) 
   out of LEGO blocks. 

In article <1801@brazos.Rice.edu>, by preston@titan.rice.edu (Preston Briggs)
answers:
   ... it reminds me that Danny Hillis (as in Connection Machine) once
   mentioned building a tinker-toy machine that played tic-tac-toe. u
   I believe it lives in a museum in Arkansas.
 
From article <218@visix.UUCP>, by jeff@visix.UUCP (Jeff Barr):
   Unless there is more than one, I saw the Tinker-Toy (tm ?) tic-tac-toe
   machine in the Computer Museum in Boston, MA ...


In the October 1989 issue of Scientific American, A.K. Dewdney's "Computer
Recreations" column is titled "A tinkertoy computer that plays tic-tac-toe".   

According to the column there were two of these built -- by M.I.T. students
naturally [:-)].   One (the cube) is currently in the Computer Museum in Boston
but is not fully functional;  the other (a different design) is "in storage"
at the Mid-America Center in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Read the column for the fascinating details.
-- 
John G Dobnick
Computing Services Division @ University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
INTERNET: jgd@csd4.csd.uwm.edu
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"Knowing how things work is the basis for appreciation,
and is thus a source of civilized delight."  -- William Safire

joe@modcomp.UUCP (10/02/89)

> In the October 1989 issue of Scientific American, A.K.  Dewdney's
> "Computer Recreations" column is titled "A tinkertoy computer that
> plays tic-tac-toe".

> According to the column there were two of these built -- by M.I.T.
> students naturally [:-)].

Interesting.  I designed a ttt toy as a high school science fair
project back in '74-75, built out of relay logic.  Not much of it is
left other than the drawings (maybe none, if my parents have cleaned
out the attic).

This article makes me wonder -- could my toy have been museum grade
stuff, or even a first?
--
joe korty			"For every vengence there is an equal and
uunet!modcomp!joe		opposite revengence." (from Cartoon Laws)