The world's oldest intact computer is turning 60 in Victoria

[Don McKenzie]

The world's oldest intact computer is turning 60 in Victoria.

The CSIRAC - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
organisation Automatic Computer - is housed in the state's museum and
has today been granted heritage listing as part of its birthday
celebrations.

It is the first computer ever to be made in Australia; the fourth
computer ever to be made in the world; and the only first generation
computer that remains intact.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/25/2752781.htm

Cheers Don...



--
Don McKenzie

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[Don McKenzie]

Don McKenzie wrote:

The world's oldest intact computer is turning 60 in Victoria.

just adding to that, if you would like to read the full story, it has a
good writeup with pictures at:
http://museumvictoria.com.au/csirac/


Cheers Don...



--
Don McKenzie

Site Map: http://www.dontronics.com/sitemap
E-Mail Contact Page: http://www.dontronics.com/email
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5% to 15% OFF all 4DSystems OLED Displays & modules.
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[me here]

Don McKenzie wrote:

Don McKenzie wrote:

The world's oldest intact computer is turning 60 in Victoria.

just adding to that, if you would like to read the full story, it has a good writeup with pictures at:
http://museumvictoria.com.au/csirac/


Cheers Don...

Thanks for that post.

Great article.

Takes you back to when things weren't quite so simple, and paper tape and card punch were king.

Rob

--

 

[son of a bitch]

Don McKenzie wrote:

The world's oldest intact computer is turning 60 in Victoria.

The CSIRAC - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
organisation Automatic Computer - is housed in the state's museum and
has today been granted heritage listing as part of its birthday
celebrations.

It is the first computer ever to be made in Australia; the fourth
computer ever to be made in the world; and the only first generation
computer that remains intact.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/25/2752781.htm

Cheers Don...

When you see a Vintage Car people go wow, isn't that amazing.
When you see a Vintage Computer people usually just Laugh or Snicker.

Why is that?

 

[Mike Warren]

Don McKenzie wrote:

It is the first computer ever to be made in Australia; the fourth computer
ever to be made in the world; and the only first generation computer that
remains intact.

I suppose it would need a memory upgrade to run Quake.

--
- Mike

 

[glenbadd]

On Nov 27, 12:34 pm, son of a bitch <bitchin_2...@yahoo.com> wrote:

Don McKenzie wrote:

The world's oldest intact computer is turning 60 in Victoria.

The CSIRAC - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
organisation Automatic Computer - is housed in the state's museum and
has today been granted heritage listing as part of its birthday
celebrations.

It is the first computer ever to be made in Australia; the fourth
computer ever to be made in the world; and the only first generation
computer that remains intact.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/25/2752781.htm

Cheers Don...

When you see a Vintage Car people go wow, isn't that amazing.
When you see a Vintage Computer people usually just Laugh or Snicker.

Why is that?

Maybe Computer technology moves so fast that people have
little sense of history. While in the UK in 1997 I made an
effort to see the Colossus rebuild at Bletchley Park.

Glenn.

 

[Mr.T]

"Don McKenzie" <5V@2.5A> wrote in message
news:7n7so5F3k4pifU1@mid.individual.net...

The world's oldest intact computer is turning 60 in Victoria.

That should be "oldest intact electronic digital computer" I believe.

MrT.

 

[Bruce Varley]

"son of a bitch" <bitchin_2008@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:4b0f2c9d$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...

Don McKenzie wrote:

The world's oldest intact computer is turning 60 in Victoria.

The CSIRAC - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research organisation
Automatic Computer - is housed in the state's museum and has today been
granted heritage listing as part of its birthday celebrations.

It is the first computer ever to be made in Australia; the fourth
computer ever to be made in the world; and the only first generation
computer that remains intact.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/25/2752781.htm

Cheers Don...




When you see a Vintage Car people go wow, isn't that amazing.
When you see a Vintage Computer people usually just Laugh or Snicker.

Why is that?

Can't say I noticed that when I was there. Everyone, adults and kids, were

obviously blown away by the exhibit.

 

[Nik Rim]

"Bruce Varley" <bxvarley@weastnet.com.au> wrote in message
news:a5GdncOpU4nGOJLWnZ2dnUVZ8nmdnZ2d@westnet.com.au...

"son of a bitch" <bitchin_2008@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:4b0f2c9d$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
Don McKenzie wrote:

The world's oldest intact computer is turning 60 in Victoria.

The CSIRAC - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
organisation Automatic Computer - is housed in the state's museum and
has today been granted heritage listing as part of its birthday
celebrations.

It is the first computer ever to be made in Australia; the fourth
computer ever to be made in the world; and the only first generation
computer that remains intact.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/25/2752781.htm

Cheers Don...




When you see a Vintage Car people go wow, isn't that amazing.
When you see a Vintage Computer people usually just Laugh or Snicker.

Why is that?

Can't say I noticed that when I was there. Everyone, adults and kids, were
obviously blown away by the exhibit.

It is a neat exhibit. My kids did laugh when I pointed out the Microbee & XT
with green phosphor monitor that were just like the ones I had........

 

[ian field]

"Don McKenzie" <5V@2.5A> wrote in message
news:7n7so5F3k4pifU1@mid.individual.net...

The world's oldest intact computer is turning 60 in Victoria.

The CSIRAC - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research organisation
Automatic Computer - is housed in the state's museum and has today been
granted heritage listing as part of its birthday celebrations.

It is the first computer ever to be made in Australia; the fourth computer
ever to be made in the world; and the only first generation computer that
remains intact.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/25/2752781.htm

Cheers Don...

Might be a close run thing.

http://www.teleread.org/2009/09/03/worlds-oldest-functioning-computer-to-be-restarted/

 

[Bob Larter]

Don McKenzie wrote:

The world's oldest intact computer is turning 60 in Victoria.

The CSIRAC - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
organisation Automatic Computer - is housed in the state's museum and
has today been granted heritage listing as part of its birthday
celebrations.

It is the first computer ever to be made in Australia; the fourth
computer ever to be made in the world; and the only first generation
computer that remains intact.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/25/2752781.htm

Interesting story, but it's a pity that the article is so cringe-worthy.
Comparing CSIRAC to an ipod, for fuck's sake?

--
W
. | ,. w , "Some people are alive only because
\|/ \|/ it is illegal to kill them." Perna condita delenda est
---^----^---------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Don McKenzie]

Bob Larter wrote:

Interesting story, but it's a pity that the article is so cringe-worthy.
Comparing CSIRAC to an ipod

I thought the same thing when I read the headline.

Some pimply faced editors idea of what he thinks people want to read, in
this day and age.

Cheers Don...



--
Don McKenzie

Site Map: http://www.dontronics.com/sitemap
E-Mail Contact Page: http://www.dontronics.com/email
Web Camera Page: http://www.dontronics.com/webcam
No More Damn Spam: http://www.dontronics.com/spam

5% to 15% OFF all 4DSystems OLED Displays & modules.
http://www.dontronics-shop.com/4dsystems-m1.html

 

[Bob Larter]

Don McKenzie wrote:

Bob Larter wrote:

Interesting story, but it's a pity that the article is so
cringe-worthy. Comparing CSIRAC to an ipod

I thought the same thing when I read the headline.

Some pimply faced editors idea of what he thinks people want to read, in
this day and age.

Yeah, that'd be my guess too. Sad, really.

--
W
. | ,. w , "Some people are alive only because
\|/ \|/ it is illegal to kill them." Perna condita delenda est
---^----^---------------------------------------------------------------

 

[terryc]

On Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:34:12 +1100, son of a bitch wrote:

When you see a Vintage Car people go wow, isn't that amazing. When you
see a Vintage Computer people usually just Laugh or Snicker.

One box is pretty much like the next and talking specs is very sleep
inducing.

 

[keithr]

Don McKenzie wrote:

The world's oldest intact computer is turning 60 in Victoria.

The CSIRAC - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
organisation Automatic Computer - is housed in the state's museum and
has today been granted heritage listing as part of its birthday
celebrations.

It is the first computer ever to be made in Australia; the fourth
computer ever to be made in the world; and the only first generation
computer that remains intact.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/25/2752781.htm

Cheers Don...

Here is a storage system to go with it.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/11/27/tob_ibm_1360/

 

[Sylvia Else]

ian field wrote:

"Don McKenzie" <5V@2.5A> wrote in message
news:7n7so5F3k4pifU1@mid.individual.net...
The world's oldest intact computer is turning 60 in Victoria.

The CSIRAC - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research organisation
Automatic Computer - is housed in the state's museum and has today been
granted heritage listing as part of its birthday celebrations.

It is the first computer ever to be made in Australia; the fourth computer
ever to be made in the world; and the only first generation computer that
remains intact.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/25/2752781.htm

Cheers Don...


Might be a close run thing.

http://www.teleread.org/2009/09/03/worlds-oldest-functioning-computer-to-be-restarted/

I really can't see the point in spending money on returning these things
to working status - particuarly as keeping them like that would likely
have significant ongoing costs - as it did when they were new.

They're not doubt not the same as vintage aircraft in terms of the risks
of operating them, but surely occasionally these things went up in
flames. It seems a shame to risk a historical relic for the sake of
playing noughts and crosses, or something like that.

Sylvia.

 

[ian field]

"Sylvia Else" <sylvia@not.at.this.address> wrote in message
news:008ee51d$0$1602$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com...

ian field wrote:
"Don McKenzie" <5V@2.5A> wrote in message
news:7n7so5F3k4pifU1@mid.individual.net...
The world's oldest intact computer is turning 60 in Victoria.

The CSIRAC - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
organisation Automatic Computer - is housed in the state's museum and
has today been granted heritage listing as part of its birthday
celebrations.

It is the first computer ever to be made in Australia; the fourth
computer ever to be made in the world; and the only first generation
computer that remains intact.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/25/2752781.htm

Cheers Don...


Might be a close run thing.


http://www.teleread.org/2009/09/03/worlds-oldest-functioning-computer-to-be-restarted/


I really can't see the point in spending money on returning these things
to working status - particuarly as keeping them like that would likely
have significant ongoing costs - as it did when they were new.

They're not doubt not the same as vintage aircraft in terms of the risks
of operating them, but surely occasionally these things went up in flames.
It seems a shame to risk a historical relic for the sake of playing
noughts and crosses, or something like that.

Sylvia.

The Yanks keep claiming they invented the computer, we like to point out
from time to time they didn't.

 

[terryc]

On Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:59:41 +1100, Sylvia Else wrote:

I really can't see the point in spending money on returning these things
to working status - particuarly as keeping them like that would likely
have significant ongoing costs - as it did when they were new.

There are very significant skills and knowledge to be learnt from the
practical examination of working machine such as these. If we do not have
them around, then we are very likely to reinvent the wheel all over again.

 

[Rod Speed]

Sylvia Else wrote

ian field wrote
Don McKenzie <5V@2.5A> wrote

The world's oldest intact computer is turning 60 in Victoria.

The CSIRAC - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
organisation Automatic Computer - is housed in the state's museum
and has today been granted heritage listing as part of its birthday
celebrations.

It is the first computer ever to be made in Australia; the fourth
computer ever to be made in the world; and the only first
generation computer that remains intact.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/25/2752781.htm

Might be a close run thing.

http://www.teleread.org/2009/09/03/worlds-oldest-functioning-computer-to-be-restarted/

I really can't see the point in spending money on returning these things to working status - particuarly as keeping
them like that would likely have significant ongoing costs - as it did when they were new.

They're not doubt not the same as vintage aircraft in terms of the risks of operating them, but surely occasionally
these things went up in flames.

Nope, and thats trivial to avoid anyway.

It seems a shame to risk a historical relic for the sake of playing noughts and crosses, or something like that.

There's no risk whatever.

 

[Rod Speed]

terryc wrote

Sylvia Else wrote

I really can't see the point in spending money on returning these things
to working status - particuarly as keeping them like that would likely
have significant ongoing costs - as it did when they were new.

There are very significant skills and knowledge to be learnt from
the practical examination of working machine such as these.

Nope.

If we do not have them around, then we are very likely to reinvent the wheel all over again.

Nope, the world's moved on so dramatically since then.

And you dont need working examples of them for that anyway, just document how they work etc.