Friday 15 February 2019

Nik Nak’s Daily teaser — 15-2-2019: The Computer Is Your Friend

15th January, 2019.


Yes: it’s true.   The last of my savings have gone.

But … ?


But I’m now the proud owner of The Daleks: a reprint of the first Dr Who novel ever released.

I actually had a copy of the original 1965 edition, back in the day.


That copy’s long since gone … 

Kind of thankfully, actually: it was held together by spit and sellotape … !

Either way?   You can read more about it, here.

~≈§≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Badwolf*, and Debbi† putting in their answers: with Debbi scoring nine out of ten, and Badwolf on eight!

Let’s see how everyone does with today’s questions, shall we?

Here they are, along with the How To, License and video … 


Q1) The world’s first general purpose computer was dedicated: on 15th February, 1946.   What was it called?
Q2) It was in which University?
Q3) This computer was what’s called Turing … what?
Q4) The equivalent British computers were code breaking machines used between 1943 and 1945.   They were called … what?
Q5) Finally … ?   By the end of its operation in 1956, the computer had 7, 200 what: valves, diodes or relays?
Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1) 14th February is Valentine’s Day.   That’s also the name of a 2007 comedy film from which country … ?
A1) Australia.
Q2) Valentine’s Day is ALSO an episode in the US version of which comedy series?
Q3) Valentine’s Day is also a David Bowie song: on which of his albums?
Q4) It’s ALSO the name of a song by English band, ABC: from which of their albums?
Q5) The Gary Marshall directed film, Valentine’s Day, was released in which year?
A5) 2010.
Q6) 2005 film, February 14, is in which Indian language?
A6) Tamil.
Q7) Moving on … ?   The skull of the original Saint Valentine — or one of them — is in the Basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin.   Church — and skull — are in which Italian city?
A7) Rome.
Q8) Saint Valentine’s Key is a charm used in Padua, in Italy.   It’s said to be a cure for what … ?
A8) Epilepsy.   (The saint’s a patron of those suffering with the condition.)
Q9) Saint Valentine’s Day is said to be associated with what type of love: courtly, unrequited or platonic?
Q10) Finally … The Dia dos Namorados is a similar festival to Saint Valentine’s Day and marked on 12th June.   In which South American country … ?
A10) Brazil.   (OK, here we go … )
Here’s a thought …
“Trust The Computer. The Computer is your friend.”
From Paranoia, Greg Costikyan, Dan Gelber, and Eric Goldberg.
And a song …


Today’s questions will be answered in tomorrow’s Teaser.

Have a good day.




*        Morning, Badwolf … how’s the day?   (Oh, seems there’s NOT an audio version of the book I’m mentioned.)

†        Sorry, Debbi!   Oh, I’ve just had a look at price of the Dr Who book I got, last night: on the US branch of Amazon.   The original costs a bomb!   Oh … and I saw this piece on the BBC’s news site.   AI software that writes … … … 

4 comments:

DEATH COMES TO US ALL said...

(1)Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer, ENIAC(2)Pennsylvania(3)Turing-complete (4)Colossus, (5)crystal diodes

trev-v said...

It is easy to see why you fail online tests.

You cannot even get things right on this quiz blog.

Yesterday you posted 10 questions and today you say both got five out of five.

That is wrong for a start and also if you check the answers both Ladies got question 2 wrong.

Debbi had answered "No Idea!".

Today is a subject that I have a lot of knowledge of but I cannoot be bothered to answer.

Nik Nak said...

Everyone’s a critic!

Cheers, thought, Trevor, I have managed to correct the scores

Debbi said...

Okay, well. :) No comment.

1. ENIAC
2. University of Pennsylvania
3. complete
4. Colossus computers
5. diodes