The Diagrammer (1970) [video]

Since the title is a bit vague: this is a demo of the Mergenthaler Diagrammer, a tool for (semi-)automating the production of technical drawings like circuit schematics.<p>From a quick look this is what I ascertained: you select a diagram symbol using a keyboard, use a viewing screen (a specialized projector) to position it on the ”drawing”, and then once it’s in position the projected image is exposed onto film.<p>I’m a technically-minded artist&#x2F;art historian who works a lot with projection, and this is a treat! What a great find!<p>If you like this you might also like Fran Blanche’s YouTube video about how the big screens at Apollo Mission Control worked.

This is ipe [0], as a physical machine. Impressive.<p>[0] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;ipe.otfried.org&#x2F;" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;ipe.otfried.org&#x2F;</a>

NGL, when watching this I was thinking, “this is the secret origin story of Emacs.”

This is quaint. In 1970, computer-driven plotters were already widespread. It would not have been hard to see CAD coming, even with punched cards.

That&#x27;s a great video. Helps me to understand where the older folks in the semiconductor industry are coming from.