As a teenager in the 70’s there was a lot of thing I wanted that I could never have. My family never had much money so while I never wanted for the essentials of life and a few basic pleasures, I spent lusted for things in catalogs that I knew would never be mine.
One of my favorite catalogs to daydream in was from Edmund Scientific. Oh what wondrous items they had. Tonight on a whim I went to their website. To see what sort of things might still inspire and thrill me.
Here’s what I found.
That my friends is the CARDIAC cardboard computer. It as an educational tool for teaching someone the basics of how a computer worked. Seeing this at the website blew my mind because I remember by Brother-In-Law Thom (Pronounced ‘Tom’ he was and remains unique.) putting one of these in my hands. It was a throughly engaging and engrossing device.
Had I been a teenager a decade later that event would have sent me spinning down a life in computers. I am certain of it.
For decades later I would remember this device — never by name — and wonder upon its coolness. Edmund Scientific is selling them for $20 and it’s really tough to resist.
Hello Robert,
We came across your post this morning and thought it was a very inspiring story. It’s great to hear that you still remember the amazement you got by paging through our catalogs when you were young. Thank you for keeping your interest in science alive after all these years!
If you decide to order the CARDIAC or anything else in the next few days, use promo code RME2010 during checkout and you will receive a 15% discount on your subtotal as a “thank you” for your support. It expires on Friday 11/12 at midnight EST and feel free to share it with your friends.
Thanks again and feel free to contact us if you ever have any questions on products that you remember from our old catalogs!
Why resist?
This is a source of happy memories. $20 isn’t too much money (now, anyways) and it takes up little room to store. I don’t see the down side.