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

[ian field]

"keithr" <keith@nowhere.com.au> wrote in message
news:4b1874ba$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...

Sylvia Else wrote:
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.

Exactly the same reasons as restoring old cars, planes, steam engines etc
to working condition.

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.

I've been working on computers from the largest down to the smallest for
the last 40 years, I have yet to see one even smolder let alone burst into
flame.

ISTR one of the Commodore computers had a habit of letting the magic smoke
out of the 7805 in its power pack.

The 3-terminal regulator is supposed to be S/C and temperature protected, so
how they managed it was one of those great mysteries.

Although not a commercially viable repair, I sometimes fixed the transformer
(for its 9V secondary) out of the power pack to a skip raided 5V SMPSU from
scrap mini computers. This was a service restricted to people I knew, and
not available to general customers - there were no returns on any of the
repairs.

 

[Bob Larter]

L.A.T. wrote:

"keithr" <keith@nowhere.com.au> wrote in message
news:4b1874ba$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
Sylvia Else wrote:
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.
Exactly the same reasons as restoring old cars, planes, steam engines etc
to working condition.

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.
I've been working on computers from the largest down to the smallest for
the last 40 years, I have yet to see one even smolder let alone burst into
flame.
I have seen a magnetic tape unit attached to an IBM 1401 pouring out smoke.

I've seen smoke pouring out of quite a few systems over the last 30
years, but then I've spent lots of time as a field service engineer.

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

 

[Bob Larter]

ian field wrote:

"keithr" <keith@nowhere.com.au> wrote in message
news:4b1874ba$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
Sylvia Else wrote:
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.
Exactly the same reasons as restoring old cars, planes, steam engines etc
to working condition.

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.
I've been working on computers from the largest down to the smallest for
the last 40 years, I have yet to see one even smolder let alone burst into
flame.

ISTR one of the Commodore computers had a habit of letting the magic smoke
out of the 7805 in its power pack.

The first generation of Commodore 64 floppy drives (1541?) used to do that.


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

 

[keithr]

On 9/12/2009 11:47 PM, Bob Larter wrote:

L.A.T. wrote:
"keithr" <keith@nowhere.com.au> wrote in message
news:4b1874ba$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
Sylvia Else wrote:
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.
Exactly the same reasons as restoring old cars, planes, steam engines
etc to working condition.

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.
I've been working on computers from the largest down to the smallest
for the last 40 years, I have yet to see one even smolder let alone
burst into flame.
I have seen a magnetic tape unit attached to an IBM 1401 pouring out
smoke.

I've seen smoke pouring out of quite a few systems over the last 30
years, but then I've spent lots of time as a field service engineer.

Maybe I've been lucky, but, in the 25 years that I spent as a field

service engineer, I saw one tape drive smoke, and one 3 phase power
transformer that nearly did (we switched it off before it came to that -
it didn't like the 70 amps of neutral current). Maybe the difference is
that I spent my time working major mainframe sites, the quality of the
big iron may well differ from the smaller stuff.

 

[Dr. Sir John Howard, AC,]

keithr wrote:

Maybe I've been lucky, but, in the 25 years that I spent as a field
service engineer, I saw one tape drive smoke

Menthol or regular?

--
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ipvdBnU8F8
- KRudd at his finest.

"The Labour Party is corrupt beyond redemption!"
- Labour hasbeen Mark Latham in a moment of honest clarity.

"This is the recession we had to have!"
- Paul Keating explaining why he gave Australia another Labour recession.

"Silly old bugger!"
- Well known ACTU pisspot and sometime Labour prime minister Bob Hawke
responding to a pensioner who dared ask for more.

"By 1990, no child will live in poverty"
- Bob Hawke again, desperate to win another election.

"A billion trees ..."
- Borke, pissed as a newt again.

"Well may we say 'God save the Queen' because nothing will save the governor
general!"
- Egotistical shithead and pompous fuckwit E.G. Whitlam whining about his
appointee for Governor General John Kerr.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU DUMB CUNT!"
- FlangesBum on learning the truth about Labour's economic capabilities.

"I don't care what you fuckers think!"
- KRudd the KRude Rat at his finest again.

"We'll just change it all when we get in."
- Garrett the carrott

 

[SG1]

"keithr" <keithr@nowhere.com.au> wrote in message
news:4b202cd3$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...

On 9/12/2009 11:47 PM, Bob Larter wrote:
L.A.T. wrote:
"keithr" <keith@nowhere.com.au> wrote in message
news:4b1874ba$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
Sylvia Else wrote:
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.
Exactly the same reasons as restoring old cars, planes, steam engines
etc to working condition.

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.
I've been working on computers from the largest down to the smallest
for the last 40 years, I have yet to see one even smolder let alone
burst into flame.
I have seen a magnetic tape unit attached to an IBM 1401 pouring out
smoke.

I've seen smoke pouring out of quite a few systems over the last 30
years, but then I've spent lots of time as a field service engineer.

Maybe I've been lucky, but, in the 25 years that I spent as a field
service engineer, I saw one tape drive smoke, and one 3 phase power
transformer that nearly did (we switched it off before it came to that -
it didn't like the 70 amps of neutral current). Maybe the difference is
that I spent my time working major mainframe sites, the quality of the big
iron may well differ from the smaller stuff.

I replaced a power supply in a P4 that a friend purchased for $5 from the
then local school. One of the large caps you know 2 inches high & 3/4 inch
across had a hole that was about 3/4 round. Glad I was not there when it
went. BTW a new PS & the PC went great.

 

[ian field]

"SG1" <lostitall@the.races> wrote in message
news:%RZTm.44339$Sw5.2580@newsfe16.iad...

"keithr" <keithr@nowhere.com.au> wrote in message
news:4b202cd3$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
On 9/12/2009 11:47 PM, Bob Larter wrote:
L.A.T. wrote:
"keithr" <keith@nowhere.com.au> wrote in message
news:4b1874ba$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
Sylvia Else wrote:
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.
Exactly the same reasons as restoring old cars, planes, steam engines
etc to working condition.

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.
I've been working on computers from the largest down to the smallest
for the last 40 years, I have yet to see one even smolder let alone
burst into flame.
I have seen a magnetic tape unit attached to an IBM 1401 pouring out
smoke.

I've seen smoke pouring out of quite a few systems over the last 30
years, but then I've spent lots of time as a field service engineer.

Maybe I've been lucky, but, in the 25 years that I spent as a field
service engineer, I saw one tape drive smoke, and one 3 phase power
transformer that nearly did (we switched it off before it came to that -
it didn't like the 70 amps of neutral current). Maybe the difference is
that I spent my time working major mainframe sites, the quality of the
big iron may well differ from the smaller stuff.

I replaced a power supply in a P4 that a friend purchased for $5 from the
then local school. One of the large caps you know 2 inches high & 3/4 inch
across had a hole that was about 3/4 round. Glad I was not there when it
went. BTW a new PS & the PC went great.

For a while I got a fair bit of work from local schools & colleges replacing
burst electrolytics and repairing smoked SMPSU primaries - some students
apparently thought it was funny to lean round the back of the PC and flick
the 110/220 switch.

As the switch only closes for 110V I offered the service of removing the
wires to prevent repeat sabotage.

 

[Mr.T]

"ian field" <gangprobing.alien@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:dn8Um.7859$QH6.6620@newsfe28.ams2...

For a while I got a fair bit of work from local schools & colleges
replacing
burst electrolytics and repairing smoked SMPSU primaries - some students
apparently thought it was funny to lean round the back of the PC and flick
the 110/220 switch.

As the switch only closes for 110V I offered the service of removing the
wires to prevent repeat sabotage.

Araldite would have been a cheaper fix for them I imagine. I bet you didn't
suggest that though

MrT.

 

[ian field]

"Mr.T" <MrT@home> wrote in message
news:4b2176f7$0$1785$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...

"ian field" <gangprobing.alien@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:dn8Um.7859$QH6.6620@newsfe28.ams2...
For a while I got a fair bit of work from local schools & colleges
replacing
burst electrolytics and repairing smoked SMPSU primaries - some students
apparently thought it was funny to lean round the back of the PC and
flick
the 110/220 switch.

As the switch only closes for 110V I offered the service of removing the
wires to prevent repeat sabotage.


Araldite would have been a cheaper fix for them I imagine. I bet you
didn't
suggest that though

MrT.

An expensive consumable cheaper than snipping out a couple of wires - how?!

 

[Mr.T]

"ian field" <gangprobing.alien@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
newsYeUm.2257$Jo5.1799@newsfe24.ams2...

As the switch only closes for 110V I offered the service of removing
the
wires to prevent repeat sabotage.


Araldite would have been a cheaper fix for them I imagine. I bet you
didn't
suggest that though

An expensive consumable cheaper than snipping out a couple of wires -
how?!

Sorry, I assumed you charged them money for your time!
And pulling a PC power supply apart to snip the wires, is not a 5 second
job. A few minutes and one tube of araldite would probably do all their
computers.
But as long as you both were happy.....

MrT.

 

[Rod Speed]

ian field wrote:

"Mr.T" <MrT@home> wrote in message
news:4b2176f7$0$1785$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...

"ian field" <gangprobing.alien@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:dn8Um.7859$QH6.6620@newsfe28.ams2...
For a while I got a fair bit of work from local schools & colleges
replacing burst electrolytics and repairing smoked SMPSU primaries
- some students apparently thought it was funny to lean round the
back of the PC and flick
the 110/220 switch.

As the switch only closes for 110V I offered the service of
removing the wires to prevent repeat sabotage.


Araldite would have been a cheaper fix for them I imagine. I bet you
didn't
suggest that though

MrT.



An expensive consumable cheaper than snipping out a couple of wires - how?!

By being cheaper than your time and something they could do themselves.

 

[Bob Larter]

On 11/12/2009 9:52 AM, ian field wrote:

"Mr.T"<MrT@home> wrote in message
news:4b2176f7$0$1785$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...

"ian field"<gangprobing.alien@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:dn8Um.7859$QH6.6620@newsfe28.ams2...
For a while I got a fair bit of work from local schools& colleges
replacing
burst electrolytics and repairing smoked SMPSU primaries - some students
apparently thought it was funny to lean round the back of the PC and
flick
the 110/220 switch.

As the switch only closes for 110V I offered the service of removing the
wires to prevent repeat sabotage.


Araldite would have been a cheaper fix for them I imagine. I bet you
didn't
suggest that though

MrT.



An expensive consumable cheaper than snipping out a couple of wires - how?!

Epoxy would be something that they could apply themselves without the
time & expense of having someone open up the PC.

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

 

[terryc]

On Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:44:43 +1100, Bob Larter wrote:

Epoxy would be something that they could apply themselves without the
time & expense of having someone open up the PC.

Lol, and just who on the school staff do you think should have done it?

And, I've seen some epoxy stuff not bond well and fall off.

 

[ian field]

"Mr.T" <MrT@home> wrote in message
news:4b217f1a$0$1782$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...

"ian field" <gangprobing.alien@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
newsYeUm.2257$Jo5.1799@newsfe24.ams2...
As the switch only closes for 110V I offered the service of removing
the
wires to prevent repeat sabotage.


Araldite would have been a cheaper fix for them I imagine. I bet you
didn't
suggest that though

An expensive consumable cheaper than snipping out a couple of wires -
how?!


Sorry, I assumed you charged them money for your time!

What time? - The PSU is already apart to repair the blown up primary side,
it would take somewhat longer to measure out the 2 part epoxy and mix it
together than simply snip 2 wires before re-assembling, and the araldite
modification is difficult to reverse (have to find a replacement switch that
fits). If the customer wants to run it from 110V at some time in the future,
all it takes is replacing 2 snipped wires.

And of course a blob of araldite looks like and is a bodge.

 

[ian field]

"Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:7odel9F3pi842U1@mid.individual.net...

ian field wrote:
"Mr.T" <MrT@home> wrote in message
news:4b2176f7$0$1785$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...

"ian field" <gangprobing.alien@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:dn8Um.7859$QH6.6620@newsfe28.ams2...
For a while I got a fair bit of work from local schools & colleges
replacing burst electrolytics and repairing smoked SMPSU primaries
- some students apparently thought it was funny to lean round the
back of the PC and flick
the 110/220 switch.

As the switch only closes for 110V I offered the service of
removing the wires to prevent repeat sabotage.


Araldite would have been a cheaper fix for them I imagine. I bet you
didn't
suggest that though

MrT.



An expensive consumable cheaper than snipping out a couple of wires -
how?!

By being cheaper than your time and something they could do themselves.

If I'd told them how to stop vandals blowing up the PC PSUs I would have
done myself out of a lot of paid work.

Making sure the vandals cant do it again while I have the PSU apart reduces
the chances of it blowing up again within the warranty period.

 

[ian field]

"Bob Larter" <bobbylarter@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:hfs0u1$1pt$1@blackhelicopter.databasix.com...

On 11/12/2009 9:52 AM, ian field wrote:
"Mr.T"<MrT@home> wrote in message
news:4b2176f7$0$1785$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...

"ian field"<gangprobing.alien@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:dn8Um.7859$QH6.6620@newsfe28.ams2...
For a while I got a fair bit of work from local schools& colleges
replacing
burst electrolytics and repairing smoked SMPSU primaries - some
students
apparently thought it was funny to lean round the back of the PC and
flick
the 110/220 switch.

As the switch only closes for 110V I offered the service of removing
the
wires to prevent repeat sabotage.


Araldite would have been a cheaper fix for them I imagine. I bet you
didn't
suggest that though

MrT.



An expensive consumable cheaper than snipping out a couple of wires -
how?!

Epoxy would be something that they could apply themselves without the time
& expense of having someone open up the PC.

Yebut they found repairing a blown up PSU primary a bit more challenging -
that's why the PSU was on my bench in the first place.

 

[ian field]

"terryc" <newsninespam-spam@woa.com.au> wrote in message
news:hft86d$pgr$1@news.eternal-september.org...

On Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:44:43 +1100, Bob Larter wrote:

Epoxy would be something that they could apply themselves without the
time & expense of having someone open up the PC.

Lol, and just who on the school staff do you think should have done it?

Here in the UK, we have health & safety rules that literally make us a
laughing stock.

Any visible bodge like aralditing a switch would get someone sacked.

 

[ian field]

"Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:7odel9F3pi842U1@mid.individual.net...

ian field wrote:
"Mr.T" <MrT@home> wrote in message
news:4b2176f7$0$1785$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...

"ian field" <gangprobing.alien@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:dn8Um.7859$QH6.6620@newsfe28.ams2...
For a while I got a fair bit of work from local schools & colleges
replacing burst electrolytics and repairing smoked SMPSU primaries
- some students apparently thought it was funny to lean round the
back of the PC and flick
the 110/220 switch.

As the switch only closes for 110V I offered the service of
removing the wires to prevent repeat sabotage.


Araldite would have been a cheaper fix for them I imagine. I bet you
didn't
suggest that though

MrT.



An expensive consumable cheaper than snipping out a couple of wires -
how?!

By being cheaper than your time and something they could do themselves.

There was a local shop that paid me to remove the 110V link from a whole
order of open frame PSUs they had shipped from the US. It would have been
dead easy for them to simply move the jumper lead from the 110V position to
the 220V pin.

They could have simply instructed their field service engineers to check the
jumper before fitting, they just decided it was less hassle to get me to
remove the jumper links.

 

[Rod Speed]

ian field wrote:

"Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:7odel9F3pi842U1@mid.individual.net...
ian field wrote:
"Mr.T" <MrT@home> wrote in message
news:4b2176f7$0$1785$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...

"ian field" <gangprobing.alien@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:dn8Um.7859$QH6.6620@newsfe28.ams2...
For a while I got a fair bit of work from local schools & colleges
replacing burst electrolytics and repairing smoked SMPSU primaries
- some students apparently thought it was funny to lean round the
back of the PC and flick
the 110/220 switch.

As the switch only closes for 110V I offered the service of
removing the wires to prevent repeat sabotage.


Araldite would have been a cheaper fix for them I imagine. I bet
you didn't
suggest that though

MrT.



An expensive consumable cheaper than snipping out a couple of wires
- how?!

By being cheaper than your time and something they could do
themselves.

If I'd told them how to stop vandals blowing up the PC PSUs I would
have done myself out of a lot of paid work.

What an arsehole.

Making sure the vandals cant do it again while I have the PSU apart
reduces the chances of it blowing up again within the warranty period.

Vandalism isnt covered by the warranty, fuckwit.

 

[Rod Speed]

ian field wrote:

"terryc" <newsninespam-spam@woa.com.au> wrote in message
news:hft86d$pgr$1@news.eternal-september.org...
On Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:44:43 +1100, Bob Larter wrote:

Epoxy would be something that they could apply themselves without
the time & expense of having someone open up the PC.

Lol, and just who on the school staff do you think should have done
it?

Here in the UK, we have health & safety rules that literally make us a
laughing stock.

Any visible bodge like aralditing a switch would get someone sacked.

Only in your pathetic little fantasyland.