Function Machines

[nyef]

"Back in the day", probably in the early '90s, the school that I was attending got a Macintosh (IIRC, a Plus), in order to run a program called "Function Machines".  This software appears almost lost to the mists of time, to the point where even Google can find very few references to it.  One of the few references that I've found so far is https://eurologo.web.elte.hu/lectures/wally.htm. I'm fairly sure that I used at least three versions of this software (of varying stability) back in the day, but I don't appear to have a copy of it anymore (and, yes, I've gone through every 3.5 inch disk that I have).

Has anyone here even heard of this program before?  Does anyone have a copy lurking around?

 

[olePigeon]

Looks nearly identical to the LEGO Mindstorms software.  Unfortunately I've never heard of it nor seen it.

 

[ArmorAlley]

Hi Nyef,

 I have 2 suggestions for you:

 1. post a request on Macintosh Garden. They do well with such requests.

 2. download a few years' worth of MacUser magazine from the years' in question from Archive.org. There will surely be something about it within.

good luck,

aa

 

[jack]

Found some related materials:

From CACM in August 1996: p88-feurzieg.pdf

From "BBN: A Culture of Innovation": bbn-print2-320-325-pdfjam.pdf

"Modeling and Simulation in Science and Mathematics Education" has a chapter about the software (Chapter 4)... and even includes the software on the supplementary CD-ROM. I've got an Amazon order with a used copy of the book and the CD-ROM coming. With any luck we should have the software soon ;D

Also, that book seems to indicate that the software should be available at these two URLs, but both seem down:

http://copernicus.bbn.com/fm/

http://www.springer-ny.com/supplements/feurzeig/
 

Looks nearly identical to the LEGO Mindstorms software.  Unfortunately I've never heard of it nor seen it.

You meant LOGO Mindstorms^W, right? Unsurprising that it looks similar to LOGO though, Wally Feurzeig was one of the original authors of LOGO...

 

[olePigeon]

No, LEGO.  As in the building blocks.  The software works by moving code blocks around and linking them.  If that's what LOGO does, then, there you go.

It's just funny that old ideas are new again.  How much you wanna bet LEGO has a patent on it even though there's prior art?

 

[jack]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logo_%28programming_language%29

Logo was the first graphical programming language. Originally written for the PDP-1, the first implementation was released in 1967... Definitely predates whatever LEGO made...

There's a good implementation for the Macintosh as well.

 

[olePigeon]

Apple released LOGO for the Apple II an Macintosh I believe.

 

[nyef]

Found some related materials:

From CACM in August 1996:

p88-feurzieg.pdf

From "BBN: A Culture of Innovation":

bbn-print2-320-325-pdfjam.pdf

"Modeling and Simulation in Science and Mathematics Education" has a chapter about the software (Chapter 4)... and even includes the software on the supplementary CD-ROM. I've got an Amazon order with a used copy of the book and the CD-ROM coming. With any luck we should have the software soon ;D

Also, that book seems to indicate that the software should be available at these two URLs, but both seem down:

http://copernicus.bbn.com/fm/

http://www.springer-ny.com/supplements/feurzeig/
 
You meant LOGO Mindstorms^W, right? Unsurprising that it looks similar to LOGO though, Wally Feurzeig was one of the original authors of LOGO...

Very nice finds, thank you! And the design on the top part of the cover image of the book (as seen on Amazon) is, IIRC, some sort of modelling software for dynamic processes. I might have to buy a copy of the book myself.

The term "Mindstorms" was originally applied to LOGO (and I have a copy of that book), and the LEGO robotics system was named after it. I've never seen a LOGO-based graphical programming environment, the graphics support in LOGO is typically just the "turtle". That said, the idea of snap-together pieces for program code is also seen in the Squeak eToys environment, and probably other places.

Apple released LOGO for the Apple II an Macintosh I believe.

I have definitely used the Apple LOGO for the Apple II, as well as Terrapin LOGO for the same. I'm far less knowledgable about Macintosh implementations.

 

[kerobaros]

If we're speaking of Logo implementations for the Mac, that's a thing I'd like to know more about. I know of LCSI's MicroWorlds product, and an old piece of software named Turbo Turtle that can be found on the Garden, but that's about all I'm familiar with. I'd love to find a version that can run well on a Color Classic screen, if anyone knows of one.