At 8:44 PM 12/5/96 -0800, Timothy C. May wrote:
* Generation 1: The kids of the 1920s-40s. The Ernest Lawrences and the Robert Noyces, who grew up on farms, repairing tractors and farm machinery. They learned about machinery at a direct level. These were the giants of the post-war science community, and the founders of modern American chip companies.
* Generation 2: The Sputnik generation, of the 1950s-60s. They grew up with Gilbert chemistry sets, Erector sets, "All About" books, and with constant exposure to nuclear physics, relativily, molecular biology, etc. These were the workers who staffed the companies formed by the Noyces and Moores of the world, and the young scientists who pioneered the use of computers.
* Generation 3: The computer generation. The 1970s-80s, who grew up with Commodore PETs and Apple IIs (and some later machines). These are the "new pioneers" of the 1980s-90s, the Marc Andreesens and the like.
I am definitly from Generation 2. I have tried to interest my children in playing with ICs and various electronic pieces. I have also worked hand-in-hand with them, rebuilding auto engines and transmissions. We will see how it plays out. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bill Frantz | The lottery is a tax on | Periwinkle -- Consulting (408)356-8506 | those who can't do math. | 16345 Englewood Ave. frantz@netcom.com | - Who 1st said this? | Los Gatos, CA 95032, USA