2012-04-28
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I found a wonderful picture from 1965 showing a TELEFUNKEN RAT700 analog computer simulating the suspension system of a car.
2012-04-05
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Elliott 803 computer launched, The National Museum Of Computing:
The Elliott 803 was a small computer manufactured by the British company Elliott Brothers in the 1960s. About 250 were built and most British universities and colleges bought one.
The 800 series started with the 801, a one-off test machine built in 1957. The 802 was a production model but only seven were sold between 1958 and 1961. The short-lived 803A was built in 1959 and first delivered in 1960; the 803B was built in 1960 and first delivered in 1961. Elliott subsequently developed the much faster Elliott 503 computer to be software compatible.
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1955: A man checking the installation of the Elliott 402 ‘Electric Brain’ at the British Instrument Industries Exhibition at Earl’s Court, London. This electronic computer can solve complicated mathematical problems in one hour.
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From the Computer Conservation Society’s page about a talk by Simon Lavington on The Story of Elliott-Automation:
“An Elliott 405 at Norwich City Council in February 1957. Norwich is believed to have been the first UK local authority to install a digital computer”.
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Norwich City Council’s first computer, an Elliott 405, being delivered. 1957. (via, via)
2011-06-27
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“The ABC-M1A1 RADIAC Calculator, used by the US Army to determine the dose rates and doses to personnel after a nuclear explosion.” From Boom Computing on The Nonist (via).
2010-05-15
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The Pilot ACE at the Science Museum. Actually seen at this BBC news story about the way the machine changed computing, but the version at Life is bigger. Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images.
2009-12-08
2lmc’s kitchen computer
How about this as a use-case [for a tablet].
Attach it to the wall by the front door so I can see how my trains are running and if I need my umbrella as I leave the house in the morning.
Not saying I’d pay $500 for one but it’s certainly something I’ve considered building for my own use.
2lmc had a computer, called spoon, that had a touch screen and sat in the kitchen, showing news headlines, the weather and the state of the Tube. It was sort of nice, but the fact I’ve never bothered to recreate it since seems to imply that the whole “fridge screen” idea isn’t going to be a huge seller. I suppose I could be wrong, but if Apple suggest that’s the use for their $500+ tablet, I’ll be amazed.
