I think IBM always called their service techs CEs, didn't they? Honeywell and at least one small company (Atex) which serviced DEC PDP-11 machines called the same position a Field Engineer.
One site I used to service (USGS in Reston, VA) had a split computer room. The left side was for IBM gear while the right side held a Honeywell Multics machine which allowed me to see how my counterparts at IBM worked. When the IBM machine was down, there were a group of conservatively dressed CEs investigating the problem. When the Multics system had hardware problems, it was just me working on it and I never wore a suit. - Rod > On Dec 23, 2024, at 3:42 PM, Wayne S via cctalk <cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > > For the people who worked at IBM, what was the difference between an “FE” and > “CE” ? > > Sent from my iPhone > >> On Dec 23, 2024, at 07:47, Paul Berger via cctalk <cctalk@classiccmp.org> >> wrote: >> >> >> On 2024-12-23 05:11, Nico de Jong via cctalk wrote: >>>> >>> When I was an operator, we once had a visit from a CE who had to repair the >>> carriage control mechanism. In order to do that, he had to use a big >>> screwdriver, and of course he lost it. It hit the 1403 N1's power supply, >>> blew all fuses. This was not enough; the screwdrive hit obviously the plus >>> and minus pole of the main capacitor (it's about 55 years ago), so the >>> current was so large that, after the things had cooled down, he could lift >>> the capactor out of the printer just by lifting the screwdriver >>> >>> It was by the way the same CE that got his tie wrapped up in the print >>> chain.... >>> >>> The same company once had a bunch of visitors who were allowed to visit the >>> machine room, which normally was a bit nono. One of the guests took his >>> coffeecup with him, put it on top of the 1403, and while things were >>> explained to the crowd, the cover lifted and .... well you can guess the >>> rest. He was quite pisssed off, but it was his own fault >>> >>> Another thing I'll never forget, was the 2540. It had 5 bins, and the >>> middle one could be used for accepting read cards and punched cards. Once >>> an operated started to read cards while cards were being punched, and both >>> routines used the middle bin. That is not to be recommended ! >>> >>> /Nico >>> >> My experience with a capacitor occurred early in my time as a CE. Before >> the days of switching regulators IBM used a lot of power supplied that where >> regulated by a resonant winding on the input transformer. If the capacitor >> on that winding goes short you get no output from the transformer. I was >> working on a banking terminal that had no power. Where I was working I was >> behind a row of machines and cabinets for things like signature cards, in a >> narrow isle against the windows, so no one in the branch could see me. I >> had already been caught once by a shorted resonant capacitor so first thing >> I did pop off one of the leads to the capacitor and sure enough it powered >> up, but I didn't leave it at that I started to second guess it so I turned >> off the machine and reattached the wire to the capacitor, and it powered up >> again. Then I started thinking that it probably went short due to heating >> up, so I thought it best to leave it disconnected until I could get a >> replacement, the machine would work fine without it for a day or two. It >> was then that I made the mistake, I thought I should discharge the >> capacitor, so I shorted the leads with the shank of a screwdriver and there >> was a load crack and a bright flash and next thing some of the banks staff >> where looking over the machine and asking if I was OK. I still have that >> screwdriver some 45 years later. >> >> You quickly learned to tuck in you tie and roll up your sleeves not just to >> keep them out of the mechanisms, but also to keep them out of the oil and >> grease. The worst things I worked on for getting dirty was proof machines. >> The endorsers used a purple indelible ink and they would get gummed up with >> a mixture of ink and paper dust and working with gloves was impossible so >> you would end up with your hands stained purple. Later someone stumbled on >> the idea of using a ultrasonic cleaner which we could use to clean >> everything except the endorsement plate, the ultrasonic cleaner would cause >> the endorsement plate to delaminate, but it was easy to clean by hand. >> >> Paul. >>
