[Leica] The anatomy of model numbers

[kanner at acm.org (Herbert Kanner)]

I?ve been bemused by the description of Leica?s flagship camera as M (type 
240) Could it mean that 239 previous designs were considered and found 
wanting?

This reminds me of a funny way of picking the model number of a computer. In 
1952, I saw a computer at George Washington University called the ERA 1101. 
Over a half-century later, working at the Computer History Museum, I learned 
that Engineering Research Associates (ERA) had been a group of guys working 
for the Navy during WWII on hardware to aid in cracking codes and ciphers. 
incorporate as a company. They were initially given thirteen tasks, the last 
of which was to build a general-purpose computer with a secret instruction 
that aided in cryptography. The computer was so successful that they got 
permission to sell it publicly with the secret instruction removed. 
Remember, the computer was their thirteenth task. Well, 1101 just thirteen 
expressed in binary!

Cheers,

Herb

Herbert Kanner
kanner at acm.org
650-326-8204

Question authority and the authorities will question you.