[Tutor] How do I print built in functions [Useless Python / simplifying helpdesk.py]

[Bob Gailer]

A historical note re bootstrapping. Around 1961 I learned programming on an 
IBM 650. We entered an instruction (as I recall 7019701970), via the 
console switches, which meant read a punch card from the card reader, place 
it in memory starting at address 1970 then goto 1970 for the next 
instruction, which had just been read from a card.

Around 1970 (year, not address) I was introduced to DEC's PDP8, the "first" 
"minicomputer". When I wanted to use it, I had to enter about 20 
instructions into memory. Each memory word was 12 bits; there were 12 front 
panel toggle switches. One would flip them into a certain bit pattern, then 
"deposit" into memory, repeat till the "bin loader" program was in memory; 
place some punched paper tape into the tape reader, and hit the start 
button. The paper tape contained the "rim loader" which prepared the 
computer to read a program. It's interesting to compare these steps with 
the boot program now resident in ROM that reads the boot program from 
magnetic media.

Of course if one made any error in toggling the bin loader the thing would 
not run; we had to do it over. Pretty soon the flipping became a habit that 
no longer required thought. One improvement to the PDP8 a few years later 
was a plug in card that contained the rim loader in ROM.

Bob Gailer
170 Forsythe Rd
Nederland CO 80466
303-442-2625