18 Oct
2010
18 Oct
'10
12:26 p.m.
I am not interested in machines which have not been
powered up for more than a year, even if they were operational when stored, the likelihood
of them working when turned on again is low. Expansion and contraction, static
electricity, chemical reactions especially in old electrolytic capacitors take their toll.
Computers were built to be used, one which cannot be operated is no more interest to me
than the hull of an old ship.
Interesting you mention hulls of old ships and oldest operating
computers. It is likely that any list of "oldest operating computers"
would probably be dominated by special purpose digital* computers
(fire control, navigation, crypto, etc.) on ex-US and Soviet warships
serving in third world navies. Even in the backwaters of the US Navy
there are still some ancient machines still going.
Military computing tends to be 800 pound gorilla in the room that
historians tend to dismiss.
* The submarines of Taiwan still use the Mk IV Torpedo Data Computers
(mechanical analog), installed when the boats were still US during
World War 2.
--
Will