Humans invented a robot to reset bowling pins years before computers were affordable
@Kistaro Yeah, it boggles my mind that I remember going to bowling alleys in the 80's as a tiny child and it was all already automated scorekeeping and setup. Like how did that even work then.
@indi I remember the automatic pinsetters (which required manual intervention about every third game), the lights over the lane showing which pins were up and tracking frames and balls (with the correct tenth frame strike/spare rule handling), and paper scoresheets, although they eventually went to computerized scoring - which was disappointing to 8-year-old me, I liked the lights indicating pins!
@indi Although I was also disappointed when we moved from the bowling alley with colorful lighting to the one with plain lighting. My father had a very good reason, though - he had found a bowling alley that was willing to ban smoking in half the facility, permanently, just for us- reducing my asthma problems. They later banned smoking entirely after they discovered how many people the non-smoking section was drawing in.
