28 May
2020
28 May
'20
1:36 p.m.
This is one of the things that disappointed me most
about the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA. Sure you can?t let the public
interact with *everything*, but since so much of computing since its inception has been
about interaction with active systems, just displaying them is leaving out a large amount
of what really makes them interesting. The CHM does a lot of great preservation, archival,
and curatorial work, but this really feels like a glaring omission.
The problem is that the public wrecks stuff. Big time. And they steal
stuff. Just for the thrill. Even just the stupidest little thing, like
a keycap.
A long time ago, I volunteered on BB-59 (battleship MASSACHUSETTS),
and dealt with the radars. I was warned about people stealing stuff.
One night I was in the ET shack (radar technician compartment) - a
small room maybe 15 by 5 feet. Normally locked with a USN padlock, I
was at the bench with a radar scope, door unlocked so visitors could
come in and ask questions. I left the padlock open and hanging from
the latch. Yup, some kid stile the lock.
So yes, every museum must weigh public interaction against artifact
damage, and what is the mission of the museum. CHM is more
conservative, LCM more liberal*. I think it is good to have both
sides.
--
Will
* 100 percent not political, but in the more classic sense. If you
bring this up politically, I will shit down your throat.