An HP-65 anecdote

[Gene Dorr]

When he heard I was doing research on the HP-65s that were used on the 1975 ASTP flight, my brother-in-law mentioned an interesting tidbit he remembered about the HP-65…

A few years back, he had read a book called Tuxedo Park, which was about Alfred Loomis (1887-1975), a genius and polymath of the first order. Loomis made a fortune in the 1910s and 20s, and then retired from the business world to devote his time to scientific research, and was instrumental in American radar research during World War II. Toward the end of the book, the author mentions that Luis Alvarez concluded his obituary of Loomis (published in Physics Today) with this:

“For those of us who were fortunate to know him well, he will be remembered as a warm and wise friend, always interested in learning new things. I was his guest for three days in May of this year, and what he most wanted to learn from me concerned programming tricks for the Hewlett-Packard model 65 handheld computer that was his constant companion. I think it most fitting that my last visual memories of this renaissance man, whose life encompassed and contributed much to the electronic age, should have him operating a hand-held electronic computer containing tens of thousands of transistors.”

I found this anecdote to be quite delightful, and thought it worth sharing.

[rprosperi]

(06-19-2023 08:30 PM)Gene Dorr Wrote:  When he heard I was doing research on the HP-65s that were used on the 1975 ASTP flight, my brother-in-law mentioned an interesting tidbit he remembered about the HP-65…

A few years back, he had read a book called Tuxedo Park, which was about Alfred Loomis (1887-1975), a genius and polymath of the first order. Loomis made a fortune in the 1910s and 20s, and then retired from the business world to devote his time to scientific research, and was instrumental in American radar research during World War II. Toward the end of the book, the author mentions that Luis Alvarez concluded his obituary of Loomis (published in Physics Today) with this:

“For those of us who were fortunate to know him well, he will be remembered as a warm and wise friend, always interested in learning new things. I was his guest for three days in May of this year, and what he most wanted to learn from me concerned programming tricks for the Hewlett-Packard model 65 handheld computer that was his constant companion. I think it most fitting that my last visual memories of this renaissance man, whose life encompassed and contributed much to the electronic age, should have him operating a hand-held electronic computer containing tens of thousands of transistors.”

I found this anecdote to be quite delightful, and thought it worth sharing.

Nice story, Gene, thanks for sharing it here.

I live about 5 miles from Tuxedo Park, and know the house well where Loomis lived and did most of his research on radar, etc. But I never knew of his passion for the HP-65, a truly appropriate touch. I even feel just a tiny bit more connected now.