Basic Mechanisms In Fire Control Computers (1953) [video] (opens in new tab)

I've only watched the first half but that's possibly the most interesting thing that will be posted on HN today.

Just wanted to write a quick note to try to persuade others to watch it (I almost didn't as I avoid videos).

This video series is much more interesting than I anticipated. Of particular interest was how the pacing, concept introduction, and simplification was handled. This video is approachable and affords a high-level overview of a very complex system, enough that I'm sure I could operate such system given some practice.

Between the demonstrations, the visuals, and the matter-of-fact narration, this is a masterpiece of informative video.

The Computing Mechanisms chapter of the following book illustrates many mechanical computing elements: "Mechanisms and Dynamics of Machinery", Mabie and Okvirk, Wiley 1963 ISBN 10: 0471559377 / 0-471-55937-7

I bought this book for $1 at a library book sale 25 years ago to teach myself cam design. I've kept it because of the chapter on the computing mechanisms.

These were hard to construct back in the day. Now with 3d printers and computer aided design, you could create really nice and complicated mechanical computers relatively easily.

Useful for cases where you don't have electricity.

I've had a business idea or a few...

Interesting! I never really thought about cams as computational devices -- that can compute any "nice enough" function on the circle!