{"id":4014,"date":"2020-01-23T16:17:27","date_gmt":"2020-01-23T16:17:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/robertjwallace.com\/?page_id=4014"},"modified":"2023-09-17T23:08:57","modified_gmt":"2023-09-17T23:08:57","slug":"france-trip-1978","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/robertjwallace.com\/es\/france-trip-1978\/","title":{"rendered":"Viaje a Francia, 1978"},"content":{"rendered":"

Llevaba unos seis meses trabajando en FPS cuando me enviaron, con un equipo, a Par\u00eds, Francia, para instalar un AP120B en Dassault Aviation. Este era mi primer viaje al extranjero; ten\u00eda 27 a\u00f1os. Desafortunadamente, al ser un miembro modesto del equipo en mi primer viaje al extranjero, no escrib\u00ed un informe de viaje. Ahora, m\u00e1s de 40 a\u00f1os despu\u00e9s, estoy escaneando diapositivas antiguas del viaje e intentando recordar algunas de las an\u00e9cdotas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

I probably have forgotten names, spelling, sequence of events, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This installation was a big deal for FPS, as I recall it was the first installation in France (possibly the first overseas). It was in a large IBM only computer facility. I remember that it was somewhat awkward as we were the only non-IBM equipment is this large computer room filled with IBM blue machines. The AP120B was a rack mounted machine with a white front with a green racing stripe down it. It was installed in front of the IBM field engineers office! He was not too happy to help us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In the image above there is Darrel Kay on the left, Michel Rouillard, another FPS engineer I don’t remember, and the team leader Pat Lenahan (with the beard.) You can see the FPS manual on top of the monitor with the green racing stripe and contrast that with the IBM blue of the machines behind everyone. The door at the top is the on-site IBM Field Engineer’s office. Our equipment is pulled out of the rack and we are troubleshooting a board (on an extender card) using a logic analyzer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trip was supposed to last about two days. But we ran into some issues with getting the AP120B to work with the IBM equipment. IBM would not let us attach test equipment to their system bus, so it took us about two weeks to get everything installed and running. It turned out that the IBM documentation we used in designing the interface was incorrect. On the plus side, I got to visit Paris for two weeks. As I recall, I was the only engineer on the team that stayed for the whole time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best thing of the trip was meeting Michel Rouillard and his family. Michel was the FPS French field engineer. He was living in an apartment at the time and we got to visit his family there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Left to right: Darrel Kay, Pat Lenahan, Corrine Rouillard, Michel Rouillard. The drink on the table is Patisse, a licorice flavored liquor that when diluted with water turned milky. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Wine tasting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At some point during the trip, we took a side trip to Nantes, where Michel and Vianyette were from. As I recall Vianyette’s relative owned a winery there. Anyway, we started off at Michel’s parents house where we had aperitifs. Then we headed off to the winery where we spent the afternoon sampling wine. Then off to Vianyette’s relatives for some more drinking. It is all a blur, and I don’t think that that is the result of the time that has past, more likely is the amount of alcohol consumed. I do remember having to share a bed with Darrel Kay and being woke at about two AM by the sound of Vianyette’s father and brother coming in drunk, loudly singing.<\/p>\n\n\n