10 May
2003
10 May
'03
6:47 p.m.
What about the computer sent out in the Voyager
spacecraft in the 70's? Or
is this just personal computers?
Well, for my question, it doesn't matter if it is personal computer or a
mainframe or whatever.
Although I would rule out the Voyager computer for two reasons. 1: You
can't say for sure that it is still running (is it still sending back
data?) and 2: Its only still running because no one shut it off.
However, I WOULD consider any original ground based systems that are
still in use listening for data from Voyager to be valid. At least they
are still serving a purpose even if they aren't getting any data.
-chris
<http://www.mythtech.net>
10 May
10 May
7:19 p.m.
Wether its sending back data is mute since its too far away for that data to
get to us. Its missin was to send back data on everything it found, why
would that misson ever end since its still moving through space?
I dont understand your logic. The Voyager is ruled out because it might be
too far away to have its valid data (stuff it was made to send back on
purpose) get back to us, but the recieving equipment that will never get any
data back since the signal isnt getting back is still a valid system?
Would an old obsolete college computer that runs a 300 baud bbs still be
valid if nobody knows about it, or even called it and the college forgot to
shut it down in the last 40 years?
If somebody fires up an old 50's analog computer in a museum just to see if
it still kicks is it really "in use"?
----- Original Message -----
From: "chris" <cb(a)mythtech.net>
To: "Classic Computers" <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2003 11:46 PM
Subject: Re: Oldest computer still in current use
>What about the computer sent out in the Voyager
spacecraft in the 70's?
Or
is this just
personal computers?
Well, for my question, it doesn't matter if it is personal computer or a
mainframe or whatever.
Although I would rule out the Voyager computer for two reasons. 1: You
can't say for sure that it is still running (is it still sending back
data?) and 2: Its only still running because no one shut it off.
However, I WOULD consider any original ground based systems that are
still in use listening for data from Voyager to be valid. At least they
are still serving a purpose even if they aren't getting any data.
-chris
<http://www.mythtech.net> 
7:44 p.m.
This mission would end because the Radio Thermal Isotope Generators (RTGs)
died. No power, no radio transmission, no matter how good the receiver is.
And if I recall correctly, the reason we can't currently hear it is because
the high gain antenna is not dead-nuts on towards earth, because of the plane
of the ecleptic, or some such.
--John
On Sunday 11 May 2003 00:10 am, TeoZ wrote:
Wether its sending back data is mute since its too far
away for that data
to get to us. Its missin was to send back data on everything it found, why
would that misson ever end since its still moving through space?
I dont understand your logic. The Voyager is ruled out because it might be
too far away to have its valid data (stuff it was made to send back on
purpose) get back to us, but the recieving equipment that will never get
any data back since the signal isnt getting back is still a valid system?
Would an old obsolete college computer that runs a 300 baud bbs still be
valid if nobody knows about it, or even called it and the college forgot to
shut it down in the last 40 years?
If somebody fires up an old 50's analog computer in a museum just to see if
it still kicks is it really "in use"?
----- Original Message -----
From: "chris" <cb(a)mythtech.net>
To: "Classic Computers" <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2003 11:46 PM
Subject: Re: Oldest computer still in current use
>What about the computer sent out in the
Voyager spacecraft in the 70's?
Or
> >is this just personal computers?
>
> Well, for my question, it doesn't matter if it is personal computer or a
> mainframe or whatever.
>
> Although I would rule out the Voyager computer for two reasons. 1: You
> can't say for sure that it is still running (is it still sending back
> data?) and 2: Its only still running because no one shut it off.
>
> However, I WOULD consider any original ground based systems that are
> still in use listening for data from Voyager to be valid. At least they
> are still serving a purpose even if they aren't getting any data.
>
> -chris
> <http://www.mythtech.net> 
11 May
11 May
4:02 p.m.
On Sun, 11 May 2003, TeoZ wrote:
Wether its sending back data is mute since its too far
away for that
data to get to us. Its missin was to send back data on everything it
found, why would that misson ever end since its still moving through
space?
I believe we can still discern Voyager signal. I don't know if we're
going anything with it, but I'd imagine it would be useful to have a view
from outside the solar system.
I dont understand your logic. The Voyager is ruled out
because it might
be too far away to have its valid data (stuff it was made to send back
on purpose) get back to us, but the recieving equipment that will never
get any data back since the signal isnt getting back is still a valid
system?
The whole point is if its data isn't being received, it isn't really doing
useful work for us.
Would an old obsolete college computer that runs a 300
baud bbs still be
valid if nobody knows about it, or even called it and the college forgot
to shut it down in the last 40 years?
No. It isn't doing useful work.
If somebody fires up an old 50's analog computer
in a museum just to see
if it still kicks is it really "in use"?
Again, it isn't doing useful work. There are '60's era computers still
doing real work. I know of at least two which are still performing the
same duties for which they were originally installed.
Peace... Sridhar
12 May
12 May
5:26 a.m.
On Sun, 11 May 2003, TeoZ wrote:
http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/
http://sse.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/jup_missns/jup-p10.html
Both Voyagers and one Pioneer are still being tracked, daily for the
Voyagers and "occasionally" for Pioneer 10. All are looking for the point
where the solar wind finally gets overwhelmed by the local interstellar
medium flow (there should be a bow shock in the "upwind" direction). The
main instrument being used for the search is a magnetometer, which should
register a change in the local magnetic field when the spacecraft crosses
the bow shock.
Bit rates are very very low (bits per minute type thing, don't know exactly
but can find out if you are interested.)
The science being addressed is something we have no other way of observing
in situ (remote observing missions are being planned) so it's still in
practical use if you regard basic scientific research as "practical" (I do,
but then, I would).
Pioneer 10 was launched 02-Mar-1972, and it's questionable whether you want
to claim it contains a "computer" anyway, so it's maybe not relevant to the
original question.
- Mark
Wether its sending back data is mute since its
too far away for that
data to get to us. Its missin was to send back data on everything it
found, why would that misson ever end since its still moving through
space?
I believe we can still discern Voyager signal. 
10 May
10 May
9:26 p.m.
On Sat, 10 May 2003, chris wrote:
Although I would rule out the Voyager computer for two
reasons. 1: You
can't say for sure that it is still running (is it still sending back
data?) and 2: Its only still running because no one shut it off.
A computer is a computer whether it has an on/off switch, is sitting on
your lap, or whizzing through space a billion miles away.
However, I WOULD consider any original ground based
systems that are
still in use listening for data from Voyager to be valid. At least they
are still serving a purpose even if they aren't getting any data.
I am inclined to believe there may still be some ground systems for the
Space Shuttle program that are run on 8080 based machines.
--
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org
* Old computing resources for business and academia at www.VintageTech.com *
11 May
11 May
4:03 p.m.
On Sat, 10 May 2003, Vintage Computer Festival wrote:
IBM still uses 6502-based STDBUS machines for industrial control in fully
operational settings.
Peace... Sridhar
However, I
WOULD consider any original ground based systems that are
still in use listening for data from Voyager to be valid. At least
they are still serving a purpose even if they aren't getting any data.
I am inclined to believe there may still be some ground systems for the
Space Shuttle program that are run on 8080 based machines.
4:02 p.m.
On Sat, 10 May 2003, chris wrote:
Both Voyager spacecraft are still transmitting.
Peace... Sridhar
What about the
computer sent out in the Voyager spacecraft in the 70's?
Or is this just personal computers?
Well, for my question, it doesn't matter if it is personal computer or a
mainframe or whatever.
Although I would rule out the Voyager computer for two reasons. 1: You
can't say for sure that it is still running (is it still sending back
data?) and 2: Its only still running because no one shut it off.
7737
days inactive
7739
days old
7 comments
6 participants
participants (6)
-
cb＠mythtech.net -
jcwren＠jcwren.com -
mtapley＠swri.edu -
teoz＠neo.rr.com -
vance＠neurotica.com -
vcf＠siconic.com