# How Was It Done

## To get things done I decided not to

- make Power Point (TM) presentations
- write Word (TM) Document
- use TeamTrack (TM) (who the needs it anyway)
- use ClearCase (TM) (an over engineered piece of shit)
- use Visio (TM) for drawings
- use a 3D tool or CAD program

## but

- type in basic VRML code using the splendid VrmlPad editor
- draw with a pencil on paper
- use an eraser for corrections

## and

- make it work (prove that it can be done)
- make it nice (refactoring code)
- make it fast (but only where it makes sense)

At first I used a lot of information from the Internet and a set of drawing of the outside of a Curta I from Rick Furr.
A lot of information came from the Curta Disassembly.

When I had the basics in place I mailed Rick Furr the owner of The Calculator Reference a splendid website with a large section on the Curta with a request for some measurements.
View the version I send to Rick
Over the next months I received every measurement I asked for and lots of suggestions too.
Rick measured many of his Curta parts and also sent photographs of all the details.

## From then on it was a matter of stepwise refinement

- fix a few mistakes
- call other mistakes features
- add another part or two
- think of a new gimmick

## and the result is

- 70 .wrl files with the actual VRML worlds (total: 118 kB)
  - 1 main file of 8 kByte
  - 69 prototype files between 1 kB and 5 kB each

- 15 images texture files (total: 227 kB)
  - 2 x image texture for settings wheels (hi and lo-resolution)
  - 2 x image texture for results wheels adder (hi and lo-resolution)
  - 2 x image texture for results wheels turns counter (hi and lo-resolution)
  - 1 x image texture for base (bottom) plate
  - 1 x image texture for the colar
  - 1 x image texture for the indentations in the settings shaft of 12 kB
  - 3 x image texture for color settings wheels (3 kB each)
  - 1 x image texture for the reversing lever shaft
  - 1 x image texture for the body (standard)
  - 1 x image texture for the body (with color setters)

- 12 wave files for the sounds (total: 619 kB)