The World's Largest Computer in 1951

[Mk]

I got a question for you guys to solve!

It restricts the diameter of the light path through one plane in an optical system, it may be a lens or a mirror. Apple Computer recently released this program, what was Adobe's response?

 

[Mk]

Well, I post a question and no body tries eh?

 

[Andre]

Okay then, http://www.macworld.com/2005/06/reviews/bridgecs2/index.php?

 

[Mk]

You know what, I'll give it to you. That is a good answer. Score one of Andre! I've never seen you in this thread before! Lightroom was a better answer though http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1445

 

[Andre]

Okay I just happened to stumble upon this thread. But what is this then?

http://home.wanadoo.nl/bijkerk/whatisit.jpg

Bonus points for the age, owner and location of this gadget.

 

[Mk]

Wow tough. Tough. It looks Greek, and it seems to be a gadget... hmm : /

 

[matthyaouw]

It does look ancient greek in style, but the proportioning of the body parts seems much better than the vase painting etc you see. I'm wondering if its a victorian or later copy of the style...

 

[Andre]

Not Greek not Victorian. And it's original. I give away the current location of the thing: Paris, France.

And it's the most intruiging thing I've seen.

 

[Andre]

Furthermore, it's made of stone, it's size is less than two inches and it's inscriptions are not representative of the area where it was made/found, suggesting that the population of the makers already traveled quite a bit. But that does not help solving what it is, does it?

http://home.wanadoo.nl/bijkerk/whatisit.jpg

 

[Andre]

The other side shows two water buffaloes, definitely not native to the area were it was found, The origin of those animals could have been India, the Ganghes Valley. Which also rules out India.

The original owner needed it for his job. He was a secretary.

 

[Andre]

The area, where it came from is in the news, every day.

 

[matthyaouw]

Iraq then I'd assume, but I'm still not sure what it is. how deep does that opening in the bottom go?

 

[Mk]

Is it an inkwell? But how intriguing would it be then? It looks like a pencil sharpener, or something to... well, have fun with but if its only 2 inches long its too small. Well maybe not for some of you.

Iraq?

Probably the Middle East?

 

[matthyaouw]

I'd thought pencil sharpener too but thought that was pretty unlikely.

 

[Andre]

Iraq is correct. Bonus point for Matthyouw. But it is was known as Mesopotania in the time of the gadget. The very fertile land between the Euphrathes and the Tigris rivers, currently barren dessert. Not really close the the Ganghes in India.

Actually, the size is 3,51 cm and it's not a pencil sharpener.

The hole goes all the way through.

 

[matthyaouw]

Is it for marking paper? I can imagine it rolled along a letter or document to leave an impression rather like an ink stamp.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Is it for marking paper? I can imagine it rolled along a letter or document to leave an impression rather like an ink stamp.

I think you're right:

cylinder seal: Cylinder of stone, gem or baked clay engraved with a design which made an impression when rolled over wet clay

 

[Mk]

No way, the first thing I thought of was an ink roller thing from Greece or Mesopotamia if it was in the Middle East, but why would it have a kind of design that would be on a tapestry on it, why is it so small, and why is it for paper if paper wasn't invented yet?

 

[Andre]

The correct word indeed is "cylinder seal" Point for Zoobyshoe. This particular one is an extraordinary specimen more than 4000 years old. Not exactly the stone tools we have in mind, suggesting how we tend to underestimate the culture of then.

More info http://www.metmuseum.org/special/First_Cities/firstcities_stop7.htm .

 

[zoobyshoe]

This man discovered all the rudiments of photography, except a process for fixing the image, at least 30 years before anyone else.

 

[Mk]

Nicéphore Niépce?

 

[zoobyshoe]

Nicéphore Niépce?

Before him, even.

 

[Mk]

Johann Zahn?

 

[zoobyshoe]

Johann Zahn?

Nein!
...

 

[Mk]

No hablamos Español.

 

[zoobyshoe]

No hablamos Español.

Nein! Es: "No se habla Español."

 

[Mk]

"No se habla Español."

That probably would have been better fitting, but I was feeling especially <insert word here> and I decided to go for "We do not speak spanish." Was I right?

 

[zoobyshoe]

That probably would have been better fitting, but I was feeling especially <insert word here> and I decided to go for "We do not speak spanish." Was I right?

"No hablamos Espanol" doesn't mean "We don't speak Spanish." It means: "We are not speaking Spanish." The verb "to speak" is reflexive in that language: se hablar: to be spoken. When a Spanish speaker want to convey the information they speak Spanish it is done by saying: "Spanish is spoken" or "Se habla Espanol". The opposite, "I/we don't speak Spanish" is "No se habla Espanol."

 

[Mk]

The verb "to speak" is reflexive in that language: se hablar: to be spoken. When a Spanish speaker want to convey the information they speak Spanish it is done by saying: "Spanish is spoken" or "Se habla Espanol". The opposite, "I/we don't speak Spanish" is "No se habla Espanol."

Mmmm thank you/.

You sound like you could be a Spanish teacher.

 

[Mk]

Jeez this is hard.