Hello Chris Hollings,
I've been interested in the origin of the positional number systems ever since I worked repairing computer hardware starting in the 1970's. I would enter a 15-bit binary number (using octal coded binary to remember easier) into several memory locations using a bank of switches. With this small program the computer loaded in a punched paper tape with a much larger program. Thus, I learned 2 positional number systems. Your explanation of the history was done very nicely. You made it easy to understand. Thanks for your excellent article.