Before computers were logic diagrams and machines
eejournal.com
eejournal.com
In 1666, at the age of 19, Leibniz wrote his Dissertio de Arte Combinatoria, from which comes a famous quote describing the way in which he believed the world could be in the future: “If controversies were to arise,” said Leibniz, “there would be no more need of disputation between two philosophers than between two accountants. For it would suffice to take their pencils in their hands and say to each other: ‘Let us calculate.’”
Can it be done? Or is it impossible? No need to argue!
Do the math!
If I'm not mistaken, this was actually a profession at various times in history? A person you'd go to with whatever you needed calculated, and they would work it out for you, using pen/paper/abacus/bones/seashells or whatever was in fashion.
Related: bring back the OTA.
I had a friend (now passed away) who had been a nuclear engineer but gave it up to work in some 3 star restaurants and then open up his own where he worked as the chef (his wife ran the business).
I didn’t get it, and asked him once if he missed the engineering. He said that he really liked going home and knowing that nothing was due the next day: for him every day started anew.
I couldn’t stand the idea of that, but it was enlightening to get that perspective.