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General Chat Thread, Worlds oldest working computer - WITCH in General; No, not our Witch! Popped to the National Computer Museum yesterday. Instantly start smiling as soon as i enter. I ...
  1. 22nd February 2013, 01:12 PM #1
    Little-Miss
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    Worlds oldest working computer - WITCH

    No, not our Witch!

    Popped to the National Computer Museum yesterday.

    Instantly start smiling as soon as i enter. I love the noise! Why cant computers sound like that these days (ok, yeah i know). Immediately approached by uber geeks who passionately explain every bit of kit in there. After convincing them that neither me or my fella were programmers and that i just do a bit of IT and just wanted to have a look we wondered over to WITCH. (Harwell Dekatron Computer)

    IMG_1843.jpg

    It's a thing of beauty. I stood and watched whilst they got her restarted. It's pretty mind blowing. It was dismantled and forgotten about because the Birmingham museum couldn't get it to work. My fella was pretty excited as he got to use the control that lets you run the program through step by step. It's got one bug which apparently the guy who rebuilt it is currently at home trying to figure out. The last surviving original builder occasionally pops in to see if he can help.

    Then @SYSMAN_MK happened..BDokaj_CcAIgvgd.jpg
    Last edited by Little-Miss; 22nd February 2013 at 01:17 PM.

  2. 4 Thanks to Little-Miss:

    DavidIrwin (22nd February 2013), john (23rd February 2013), SYSMAN_MK (22nd February 2013), ZeroHour (23rd February 2013)
  3. IDG Tech News
  4. 22nd February 2013, 01:16 PM #2
    DavidIrwin
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    Awesome. I now feel the need to visit Milton Keynes for 2 reasons... that and to go practice my snowboarding
  5. 22nd February 2013, 01:29 PM #3
    DaveP
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    Quote Originally Posted by DavidIrwin View Post
    ...and to go practice my snowboarding
    Sorry this is off topic but I just watched this video and then read this thread and your comment.

  6. 22nd February 2013, 01:39 PM #4
    Rawns
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    What does it actually do?
  7. 22nd February 2013, 01:42 PM #5
    nicholab
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    Has any one read "A computer called LEO" it about the world 1st business computer build by a British Firm.
  8. 22nd February 2013, 01:53 PM #6
    Domino
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    Send a message via MSN to Domino
    WHAT HAS @SYSMAN_MK STARTED?!

    ohyou.jpg

  9. 2 Thanks to Domino:

    john (23rd February 2013), SYSMAN_MK (22nd February 2013)
  10. 22nd February 2013, 02:13 PM #7
    Little-Miss
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    it was was doing a calculation...square roots from 99 down 1...i think...


    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by Domino View Post
    WHAT HAS @SYSMAN_MK STARTED?!

    ohyou.jpg
    i love you guys....
    Last edited by Little-Miss; 22nd February 2013 at 02:16 PM.

  11. Thanks to Little-Miss from:

    Domino (22nd February 2013)
  12. 22nd February 2013, 02:16 PM #8
    shenley
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    We have a thread about WITCH: They're rebooting Witch! See postings 17 & 26 for some info about when it was in Birmingham.
  13. 22nd February 2013, 02:17 PM #9
    Little-Miss
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    The black printer to the far left of it is older and still working lol
  14. 22nd February 2013, 02:22 PM #10
    Little-Miss
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    The guy that noticed it in the corner and rescued it was a TNMOC trustee. How about that for luck.
  15. 23rd February 2013, 12:05 AM #11
    SpuffMonkey
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    Quote Originally Posted by nicholab View Post
    Has any one read "A computer called LEO" it about the world 1st business computer build by a British Firm.
    Yeah - Its well worth a read people!
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