My stepdaughter is a senior Product Manager and my stepson is a Chartered Engineer and he frequently works as a Project Manager. They would know how to manage this project. Luckily they are too successful and busy to ever read this, thank goodness!
I tried doing the project management on a PC but gave up, and instead used 3 coloured pens, A4 paper and self adhesive address labels to cover up my mistakes. I simply found it easier. The only problem I discovered is that the paper gets a bit thick after several layers of amendments, but the big advantage is that can always find your latest version, it’s simply the thickest.
The main thing I discovered was that the first time I tried almost anything I failed, but the annoying experience often enabled future success.
I first started by stabbing at various bits of the idea. Eventually I was able to define what I wanted to do. I now realise that this definition, was the most important part of the whole project management!
The program seemed to consist of many complex components, all of which I needed to understand, to be able to build The Tube Computer.
How do thermionic vacuum tubes work, how do you design a PCB, and how on earth do you get from a NOR gate, to a memory register, via microcodes from a clock, binary counters, and a ROM, to actually run software. And what exactly is a microcode anyway. At times, in fact most of the time, it all just seemed impossible.
The main solutions I found were, firstly to keep the number of unique sub systems to an absolute minimum. Secondly to use double triode tubes to halve the physical size, which also reduced the construction time. And thirdly, to design multi layer printed circuit boards to reduce the inevitable build errors and produce a robust construction.
The Tube Computer has behaved itself so far, unlike a previous system that went BANG twice. The first time I pulled out plugs like my life depended on it, and Judy cried, “Everything all right!”. The second time I only slightly panicked, and Judy continued to decorate the Christmas tree, but later bought me a surprise present, a fire extinguisher!
But most important of all, is to have a lovely wife, who knows you’re daft as a brush, and that life together is brilliant.
Best wishes, Mike and Judy.
