Was just wondering if any IT based company has turned down major contracts with the military.

Doubt it...money is too good.
Everytime (from devel to production) you turn around the costs go up from what originally was estimated to what finally comes out of (especially in the military sector).
Anywhere else , any other sector there would be screaming in the streets about the overrun...
Military contract? Expense overruns are to be expected, no one bats an eye. They just shovel money at the company/ project.
Isn't that heaven on Earth for a corp?
Question is...do you turn down people who can legally blow you up?

Personally, I believe in flower power...

I agree ...
Flower power is the way...
compressed plant-matter bullets are cheaper to make than regular bullets.
Though I do fear the arms race with the new Geranium bombs they are developing.

I was thinking along the lines of converting artillary to vases and flower pots.

Fabulous Idea!!!!
But do you know how much water it takes to fill one?!?!?!?!?!

I love my donovan, ISB (Incredible String Band NOT IBS as some misinterpret ) and so many other good groups from the era...
and the message was good...the best...
but the standard bearers were the children of the wealthy who's parents could afford to keep them from the war...
they stayed at home and could afford to protest...
could afford to "drop out" ...
and later.... they became the Yuppies....
"Greed is Good"..
they sold out...
and the world we have now is the result.
My point is....
Save the potable drinking water (from those enormous vases...we're gonna need it with all the people on the planet goin' thirsty...)...
Instead....
all the War-Mongers...all of Wall Street...all the "greed is good"-ers.who ravage and take the lives of whole nations...all the corrupt who pilfer the people's money...all the sick and twisted....all those who terrorize, beat, hit, intimidate, and torment for pleasure those weaker...and all those who pollute this only home of ours or chuck their garbage out of their passing car...or dump it down the street...

Well I have a very equitable answer...(perhaps a wee bit Vlad Tepes..but it gets the job done)
a tree and branch mulcher...
.liquify all of THEM and feed the flowers in the giant (unneeded anymore) tank vases.
Save the water.

a-hem ...micro/ macro thread derailing -rant done.

and now we return you to your regularly scheduled programming

Just wondering if you were listening to Pete Seeger singing "Where have all the flowers gone" when writing this post.

...."...Long time passing..."....
Bloody hell!
Get outta my head!
How did you know!!!!
My fav pete seeger song....ever... has to be Guantanamera.
When I need to get my inner peace on..I love it...

used not too long ago in a film (Canadian film) actually ...good soundtrack and epic last scene where the song is played again.
Movie is called Last Night.
Apocalyptic film ...done Canadian style...
It is a must see movie.
It'll break your heart.
spoiler don't watch if you want to see the movie...and I promise you will want to watch the movie if you see this spoiling clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL4661jLS1E

Actually mscion...with your help...we have managed the unthinkable....

We have completely and in the most opposite of directions ...
re-derailed a completely derailed thread!

The train not only derailed and went off the tracks...it sprouted tires, wings, submersible and hovercraft qualities and kept on going

Is this the worlds oldest computer?

http://www.engadget.com/2014/12/01/a...is-even-older/

I would think the abacus predates this. Is that not considered a computer of sorts? Note, neither use GNU\Linux...

No, the abacus was the oldest calculator.