As the olds do, I reminisce sometimes. Not often. Let me rewind the memory tapes a back to 1967 or '68.
(What a dumb metaphor for folks who have never used serial storage.)
This isn't -- directly -- about Python. But it may help folks who live at the edge of programming find a project that motivates them to learn to code.
This was my first exposure to an actual computer. I think it was an old IBM 650 that our high-school had. I wasn't in high school yet, but there was an open house, and they fired this thing up.
What was the demo program?
The thing was running a version of blackjack.
It would clatter and type something like
J S 9 C 7 D >
And wait for your input. The first line was the dealer's card and your two cards. You could then enter your plan -- hit, stand, split, or double. Subsequent lines would play out your hand.
And yes, I recall much of the interaction to this day. (Not all the details. It was a long time ago.)
This shaped my understanding of "computing as simulation."
It also caused me to become interested in random numbers and the idea of generating pseudo-random numbers with digital computers. I'll be posting some more thoughts on random numbers and -- I promise -- there will be Python code.
