40 yearold computers still in use 88
Steiner) Windows 3.0 in the Real and Standard modes used to run in Desqview-X VDMs. I was talking about a library, though, which enabled MS-DOS programmers to write their own multi-threaded...
On Mon, 07 Mar 2005 04:36:12 +0000, Tim Chmielewski
We've got a Marconi TAC at the Computer Museum, Bletchley Park which dates from the early 60's (designed in the late 50's). Until last year it was still in use at a power station for logging purposes. Four huge cabinets, 4KW of core, certainly one of the very first transistorised machines in this country. I believe the power station took delivery of it in 1964, although I think the first one saw service a few years prior to that (with the Swedish air force if I have my facts right).
It's one of two known survivors out of 20 built.
Uptime was remarkable apparently; the machines was very rarely down with a fault during all those years of service.
It *was* operational until a few weeks ago, when the transformer in the power supply for the paper tape reader light decided to fail - whilst we've got many spare boards and modules for the main system we don't have a spare of that particular transformer, so replacing it with a modern equivalent will have to do for now.
Indeed. I've seen ancient machines dragged out from years of damp storage and (after appropriate sanity checks) just work flawlessly. I don't think they were necessarily built to last at the time, it's more that the technology of the time both made individual components larger and also (usefully) more robust.
Apologies for a tardy follow-up to this, but I thought some of these points worth picking up... Mikko Nahkola True to...
Modern-day striving for minaturisation has a lot to answer for in terms of what examples of todays artifacts will be available to future generations.
40 yearold computers still in use 89
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