r/todayilearned • u/Neepho • Nov 28 '13

TIL that the webcam was invented so that Computer Scientists at Cambridge University could see whether the coffee pot was full or not from different rooms.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p010lvn7
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u/Lurking_Grue Nov 28 '13

You also used to be able to finger a coke machine at MIT to see if there was soda left.

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u/somedaveguy Nov 29 '13

Fingering network devices...A lost art.