"Two's Company" - September 27, 2019

[FrankH]

Today's Washington Post crossword puzzle is a meta.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/crosswor ... -birnholz/

[Bob cruise director]

Good Sunday noon. Our report is a little early today.

First an apology for missing Barbara K, WBYonder and Stukmn for missing them and to Bird Lives for misinterpreting what he wrote. All are on shore so we now have 116 on the shore and 4 on the ship.

Since yesterday Dennis had decided on getting a couple of drinks from Isaac on the ship.

And making their way to the shore are
Colin
Josdbee
Ann P
Susan G
the aforementioned Barbara K, WBYonder, Bird Lives and Stukmn
a3jay
Olaf
and Orsys

I suspect that some of the ship's contingent will bid Isaac adieu for the week as they have an answer they are not comfortable with but will send it in anyway.

By the way, our muggle family is now up to 475 who have commented at least once either on the WSJ site or here on the blog.

Good luck to your favorite teams today

[Ffrohbose]

On shore...

[LLinNC]

I am sending an answer suggested by my 16-year-old not-at-all-interested-in-crossword-puzzles daughter because it seems to fit, although I can't really justify it from the puzzle itself. So I guess I've slogged to shore, although it doesn't feel right.

[Meg]

I am sending an answer suggested by my 16-year-old not-at-all-interested-in-crossword-puzzles daughter because it seems to fit, although I can't really justify it from the puzzle itself. So I guess I've slogged to shore, although it doesn't feel right.

There’s an upside-down shore in the twilight zone. It looks like the right beach, but the alcohol just doesn’t taste right.

[SewYoung]

But is he 64?

Ah. While most muggles are solving at the speed of Ruby on Rails, I am but an Assembler.

Yikes. Commodore 64 assembler. That brings back memories.

Indeed it does. That was our first. Next came a Kaypro. Nice compact, portable machine with WordStar for word processing, which I really liked better than whatever came next. The keyboard commands were faster and more efficient than using a mouse. I would have to learn it all over again if I had to go back to it, though.

[PHOFER]

On another crowded beach. The brain is an amazing thing. I stay up to finish the grid and immediately go to work on the meta--and get nothing. The brain is just not working any longer. Then I look at at it again after sleeping on it, and the AHA immediately hits me. I should just wait until the morning every time.

[DBMiller]

Ah. While most muggles are solving at the speed of Ruby on Rails, I am but an Assembler.

Yikes. Commodore 64 assembler. That brings back memories.

Indeed it does. That was our first. Next came a Kaypro. Nice compact, portable machine with WordStar for word processing, which I really liked better than whatever came next. The keyboard commands were faster and more efficient than using a mouse. I would have to learn it all over again if I had to go back to it, though.

I don't remember my first any more, there were so many around the same time. TRS-80, Apple II, Timex-Sinclair, Atari, Texas-Instruments. And at college there were real mainframe computers.

[Bob cruise director]

Ah. While most muggles are solving at the speed of Ruby on Rails, I am but an Assembler.

Yikes. Commodore 64 assembler. That brings back memories.

Indeed it does. That was our first. Next came a Kaypro. Nice compact, portable machine with WordStar for word processing, which I really liked better than whatever came next. The keyboard commands were faster and more efficient than using a mouse. I would have to learn it all over again if I had to go back to it, though.

Sew Lisa - are you on shore. I missed your post if you are.

[SewYoung]

Yikes. Commodore 64 assembler. That brings back memories.

Indeed it does. That was our first. Next came a Kaypro. Nice compact, portable machine with WordStar for word processing, which I really liked better than whatever came next. The keyboard commands were faster and more efficient than using a mouse. I would have to learn it all over again if I had to go back to it, though.

Sew Lisa - are you on shore. I missed your post if you are.

Sadly, no. I will go get it and look at it again and hope for post-enlightenment. I saw the relevant entries, but did not get the answer. Hopefully in the next 4 1/2 hours, I will see the shore.

[billkatz]

Was on a bike ride so I got a late start. I slogged through the grid, but quickly solved the meta.

My bike is stationary. I solved a meta on it this week!

My bike can be made stationary by attaching it to a Wahoo Kicker, but I only do that when it's raining outside. And Zwift makes it so that when I'm riding in the basement, I can't do anything but try to keep up with those other virtual riders.

[JimmyJam]

I’m on A shore—won’t know whether it’s the RIGHT shore for a few more hours.

[MaineMarge]

Well, it’s not time for Isaac’s last call yet, but I’m outta here, headed for shore. Pretty sure my first answer is the correct one. See you all on Thursday for another fun round of Stump the Chumps.

[juliet]

There are still a few more hours left before the deadline, but I've been paddling in place for most of the weekend without making any headway and my arms are getting tired. I've submitted what seems to be the only possible answer (it just seems like there should be more to it. . . .).

Looking forward to dry land, the discussion on Monday, and a new puzzle on Thursday!

[Joe Ross]

Yikes. Commodore 64 assembler. That brings back memories.

Indeed it does. That was our first. Next came a Kaypro. Nice compact, portable machine with WordStar for word processing, which I really liked better than whatever came next. The keyboard commands were faster and more efficient than using a mouse. I would have to learn it all over again if I had to go back to it, though.

I don't remember my first any more, there were so many around the same time. TRS-80, Apple II, Timex-Sinclair, Atari, Texas-Instruments. And at college there were real mainframe computers.

About 1990, went to work for a small, 2 partner contractor, who had a 32-bit, (2) 5 1/2" floppy disked Xerox PC - no hard disk - collecting dust in what became my office, for which they had paid $5,000.00 a few years before. This was the very first computer that came with a mouse. Outside of using a payroll service, for which they filled out carboned forms with pencil, everything they did, wrote, paid, typed, & recorded was on paper and sent via US Mail & the occasional facsimile (Yes, I have to speel out that entire word, here).

I couldn't convince them to use the PC for estimating, correspondence, email, etc., until I converted their multi-company, 5 or 6 dozen entrant NCAA pool to a LOTUS123 spreadsheet, which only required us to enter everyone's picks, names, and game winners, whereby the spreadsheet sorted the daily leaders, points, etc. THIS was important to them, so they were willing to see a computer's worth versus tallying the pool by hand. Only then would they consider buying new PCs on which to run their multi-million dollar company.

[BarbaraK]

About 1990, went to work for a small, 2 partner contractor, who had a 32-bit, (2) 5 1/2" floppy disked Xerox PC - no hard disk - collecting dust in what became my office, for which they had paid $5,000.00 a few years before. This was the very first computer that came with a mouse. Outside of using a payroll service, for which they filled out carboned forms with pencil, everything they did, wrote, paid, typed, & recorded was on paper and sent via US Mail & the occasional facsimile (Yes, I have to speel out that entire word, here).

I couldn't convince them to use the PC for estimating, correspondence, email, etc., until I converted their multi-company, 5 or 6 dozen entrant NCAA pool to a LOTUS123 spreadsheet, which only required us to enter everyone's picks, names, and game winners, whereby the spreadsheet sorted the daily leaders, points, etc. THIS was important to them, so they were willing to see a computer's worth versus tallying the pool by hand. Only then would they consider buying new PCs on which to run their multi-million dollar company.

I wish this weren't so completely believable.

[Bob cruise director]

Indeed it does. That was our first. Next came a Kaypro. Nice compact, portable machine with WordStar for word processing, which I really liked better than whatever came next. The keyboard commands were faster and more efficient than using a mouse. I would have to learn it all over again if I had to go back to it, though.

I don't remember my first any more, there were so many around the same time. TRS-80, Apple II, Timex-Sinclair, Atari, Texas-Instruments. And at college there were real mainframe computers.

About 1990, went to work for a small, 2 partner contractor, who had a 32-bit, (2) 5 1/2" floppy disked Xerox PC - no hard disk - collecting dust in what became my office, for which they had paid $5,000.00 a few years before. This was the very first computer that came with a mouse. Outside of using a payroll service, for which they filled out carboned forms with pencil, everything they did, wrote, paid, typed, & recorded was on paper and sent via US Mail & the occasional facsimile (Yes, I have to speel out that entire word, here).

I couldn't convince them to use the PC for estimating, correspondence, email, etc., until I converted their multi-company, 5 or 6 dozen entrant NCAA pool to a LOTUS123 spreadsheet, which only required us to enter everyone's picks, names, and game winners, whereby the spreadsheet sorted the daily leaders, points, etc. THIS was important to them, so they were willing to see a computer's worth versus tallying the pool by hand. Only then would they consider buying new PCs on which to run their multi-million dollar company.

I worked for an engineering company and only a little before that, our upper management concluded that only one PC was needed per 80 engineer department. My engineers were buying their own PC's and bringing them into work. Talk about incompatibility of everything. Fortunately by 1993, things had gotten better.

[Bob cruise director]

Our final count is 3 on the ship with Isaac and 125 on the shore. I expect a large turnout this week (probably about 1400) which is becoming the norm with 90% correct.

Good luck to all winning the elusive mug. Odds are long.

[Guy]

Ashore

[Cindy]

Indeed it does. That was our first. Next came a Kaypro. Nice compact, portable machine with WordStar for word processing, which I really liked better than whatever came next. The keyboard commands were faster and more efficient than using a mouse. I would have to learn it all over again if I had to go back to it, though.

I don't remember my first any more, there were so many around the same time. TRS-80, Apple II, Timex-Sinclair, Atari, Texas-Instruments. And at college there were real mainframe computers.

About 1990, went to work for a small, 2 partner contractor, who had a 32-bit, (2) 5 1/2" floppy disked Xerox PC - no hard disk - collecting dust in what became my office, for which they had paid $5,000.00 a few years before. This was the very first computer that came with a mouse. Outside of using a payroll service, for which they filled out carboned forms with pencil, everything they did, wrote, paid, typed, & recorded was on paper and sent via US Mail & the occasional facsimile (Yes, I have to speel out that entire word, here).

I couldn't convince them to use the PC for estimating, correspondence, email, etc., until I converted their multi-company, 5 or 6 dozen entrant NCAA pool to a LOTUS123 spreadsheet, which only required us to enter everyone's picks, names, and game winners, whereby the spreadsheet sorted the daily leaders, points, etc. THIS was important to them, so they were willing to see a computer's worth versus tallying the pool by hand. Only then would they consider buying new PCs on which to run their multi-million dollar company.

I was the fortunate recipient of the first IBM PC with a large removable floppy disk delivered to the multi million dollar company where I worked in the 80’s. I got a box of Lotus 123 software with it. Those commands are still in my fingers today.