Talk Of Building A Computer...

The Science Museum has a webpage at www.nmsi.ac.uk It contains the British National Collection of Computing amongst its huge varied amount of other objects. I used to work there about 15 years ago (pre the new Difference Engine) and one of my jobs was to demonstrate Babbage's original D.E. to visitors and it frequently jammed due to a faulty carry sequence, although the rest of the time it worked beautifully and is a truly glorious thing to behold. Oh, and it has never been part of the British Museum (unlike the Natural History Museum) but originated from the post-Great Exhibition plans of 1851 when the Crystal Palace was built. Martin Evans of Strawberry Hill & Central London - Mail me on London's history & topography, architecture, second-hand bookshops, food, pro-audio engineering, museums, collecting and wood-engraving.