17 May
2014
17 May
'14
11:47 a.m.
On 16/05/14 4:14 PM, Tony Duell wrote:
I didn't say "working" :-)
You're missing the point. Given that an electronic computer, no matter
how it is stored, is goign to fail in time, there seems little reason
_not_ to run it now while it is still operational. If it fails, you then
decide whether toe leave it i nteh faulty state, or repair it.
But you might as well enjoy it while you can, rather than have nobofy
ever see it working.
On 15/05/14 9:19 AM, R SMALLWOOD wrote:
I disagree. It would be impossible IMHO to preserve a computer for 500
yaars. ICs will fail whether powered up or not. EPROMs will suffere from
bit rot. You have to look at the motivations behind those
who run museums.
Firstly only a small fraction of what they have is ever seen.
They are hoarders and misers of the worst kind.
That is not entirely fair. The best museums will preserve their pieces
for 500, 1000 years hence (and hopefully longer).
The Antikythera Mechanism has the last laugh here, anyway.
Which, IIRC, spent much of its life not in a musuem...
-tony