Doors closed by COVID-19, Brit retro tech museums need your help
- Reference: 1589793310
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/05/18/museums_tech_uk/
- Source link:
The National Museum of Computing (TNMOC) houses an enormous variety of historic computers, including a rebuilt Colossus and the world's oldest working digital computer in the form of the WITCH (the Harwell Dekatron computer).
Housed in Block H on Bletchley Park, the museum is home to over 50,000 artefacts and, as the UK took down the bunting for the 75th anniversary of VE day, is also notable for being home to the world's only working reproduction Turing-Welchman Bombe, a device now famed for its use in deciphering German Enigma messages.
TNMOC shifted the Bombe into [3]its new home in Block H back in 2018 , after a successful Crowdfunder campaign.
The museum also features a variety of big iron from the heyday of the mainframe and minicomputer, as well as more consumer orientated machines in the form of the BBC Micro and Sinclair ZX Spectrum. And, of course, the Elliotts mentioned in our [4]ALGOL 60 celebration .
The Centre for Computing History
Down the road in Cambridge, the Centre for Computing History (custodians of a [5]prototype ZX Spectrum and recently [6]lovingly recreated in Animal Crossing ) has also had to close its doors and, like TNMOC, is dependant on visitors and events for its survival.
With its array of usable computer gear on display (and a recreation of a 1970s office that was all too familiar to this hack), the nondescript industrial unit was well worth a visit, just for seeing how many machines on which one could run 10 PRINT "HELLO "; 20 GOTO 10 thanks to the openness of the exhibits.
However, both TNMOC and the [7]Centre for Computing History have been forced to pull down the shutters and, despite sterling efforts by the pair to keep up online engagement, have been forced to set up funding pages to keep things ticking over ahead of an eventual reopening.
Since many of us, this writer included, owe careers to the computers preserved within these institutions, dropping the cost of a pint of beer or two into the coffers seems thing to do. While we at El Reg tend to steer clear of crowdfunding and its ilk, we have no hesitation in recommending a quick jaunt to [8]TNMOC's Crowdfunder (aiming for £50k) or the [9]JustGiving page of the Centre for Computing History (targeting £36k) , replete with TI99/4a front and centre.
We're looking forward to paying both institutions a visit once the doors are reopened. Just to demonstrate our "HELLO WORLD" prowess if nothing else.
"Somehow," said The Centre for Computing History on its page, "the museum WILL re-open ... and when it does we will celebrate!"
Ours will be a pint of retro Ribena when it does. ®
[1] https://www.tnmoc.org/
[2] http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/
[3] https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/02/13/tnmoc_bombe_crowdfunder/
[4] https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/05/15/algol_60_at_60/
[5] https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/04/02/zx_spectrum_prototype_rom/
[6] https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/04/30/animal_crossing_retro_museum/
[7] http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/58202/sponsorship-opportunities/
[8] https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/fuelling-the-future-powering-the-past
[9] https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/computermuseum
The Centre for Computing History
Is good. Still not visited but their YouTube channel is really good. Really needs to be saved, sad to see the Just Giving is struggling. I donated a few weeks ago. I like their room full of BBC computers. The way they are laid out reminds me of our computer room in school in the 80s. They even have the same monitors. It was two boys to one BBC back then.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnw4p95EOWghQNP4vOv8VHw/videos
10 PRINT "HELLO "; 20 GOTO 10
Ahh a wonderful game for machines that were left 'open' as demos way back in the day of a plethora of 'consumer' machines, all of which appeared to have some sort of basic interpreter available. HOWEVER
Invariably 10 PRINT "**** is sh*t "; 20 GOTO 10 was a more usual intervention.
No, at the age of 14 we were not very subtle let alone mature, and my partner assures me that 40 odd years later things have not improved.....
I was too square that when I'd go into WHSmith in the 80s. I'd only ever do
10 PRINT "Hello"
20 GOTO 10
Never occurred to me to put a swear word in place :) (and I swear like a sailor now) probably cause was always with my mum and would of gotten told off.
If memory serves me correctly was there a peek or poke command so you couldn't escape? I think there were explicit commands on some. I remember many fun trips to town and the frantic look on their faces when they realised it was locked. I put a down payment on my secret island last week and I often stroke my cat while it's sat on my lap.
Cheers
Like many who will read these pages, I have given my modest donation.
It hurts
to think maybe some stuff could get a one-way ticket to binary heaven.
Advance tickets
TNMOC are offering post-pandemic tickets as one of their rewards, which obviously gives them funds now and something for you to look forward to!
Now, where's my little green "Basic Basic" book ...?
The road not taken
If I'd got the job I interviewed for with Tarmac back in the '80s I'd have worked on the ICL 2966 they've got there. I'll send them a contribution on payday.