----- Original Message -----
From: "Roger Holmes" <roger.holmes at
microspot.co.uk>
To: <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 2:56 PM
Subject: Re: Using vintage computers in the classroom
I can't describe the reactions of those who visit my classic car show and
then
walk into a > barn and find a five ton 1962 mainframe working away
twirling tapes, reading and
punching 80 column cards, reading and punching paper
tape whilst making
ghostly
noises through its built in speaker.
Sounds like the closest you'd get to being in the Jupiter 2 (Lost In Space)
with some aliens!
I should maybe give them ear defenders because its so
noisy and I haven't even displayed the 600 line per minute printer
working yet
until I fix
it. The heat and smell of hot electronics is a bit
overpowering too. I
have never worked
out where the smell comes from, is it gas escaping
from the components,
the paxolin or
the solder/flux.
I think hot metal gives off a distinctive smell, but why I don't know.
I know a lot comes from the magnetic tapes, we had a
walk in safe full of
tape where I worked once and when it was opened after a month or two
locked up it
made
a hell of a stink, like Tutenkamen's tomb.
I don't know what Tutenkamen's tomb smells like, but certainly video tape
(as in VHS tape) does give off a unique smell when warm. I used to take out
the videocassette after watching something, turn it upsidedown and give it a
sniff (no, I don't know why I started doing that!). I started doing that
quite a bit (not sure whether it was habit or addiction!) for a while, but
eventually stopped.
Regards,
Andrew B
aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uki