Apple and Ron have the same humble beginnings.

My Dad is always on the cutting edge.  He has always been an electronic techie, constantly pushing the envelope on new technology and always thinking toward the future.  It is just the way he thinks and lives.  This point really hit home today when my Dad sent me an article from the November 10^th, 2011 issue of Electronic Design. 

The article is about the legacy of Steve Jobs of Apple.  The author points out that Apple computers all started in 1976, and (please excuse the technical jargon) the computer was based on the MOS Technologies 6502.  In 1976, my Dad was busy learning about computers using the MOS Technologies 6502 evaluation circuit board with “1K” of memory.

This board was eventually installed in a robot that he built from scratch which was named “Clarence”.  In the article this month, Dad circled the MOS Technologies 6502 and wrote, “this is what Clarence’s brain was made from!” In the early 80’s, my middle school friends would come over and I would show them a real robot and a homemade alarm clock that somehow had the reputation of working off of potatoes.  Well, the robot and clock were real, but I have no idea how the potato part came about. 

Regardless of the potatoes, I have fond memories of showing off my Dad’s unique contraptions and it is really fun to know now that he was on par with Steve Jobs at the time.  Thank you, Dad, for providing a model of lifelong learning and curiosity. 

Addendum:  When my Dad proofed this article, he pointed out that indeed a potato and rusty iron nail will act as a battery that has enough power to run a LCD alarm clock due to the electro-chemical reaction between the potato and the rusty nail.  Yes, Dad, my point exactly!

Written by Kristie Pulvermacher, daughter of Ron Pulvermacher.