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Mike Gallaher (UniPress Emacs Hacker Boss, aka "Evil Software Hoarder") and I were walking around a science fiction convention, and we ran into RMS.

Mike said "Richard, I heard a rumor that your house burnt down..."

RMS immediately replied: "Where you work, I thought you would have heard about it in advance!"

-Don

Contact this guy...

If you want to pursue this idea, try to get in contact with the guy at this site:

Lego Computing

Check out the images album link on the right hand side - this guy at one time was planning/building a lego based computer. He had various components built, but hadn't tied all of it together. The images area shows some interesting details/designs...

After reading your bio, while trying to make sense of your post and sig, I thought you would enjoy the piece "Some Past and Future Cliches Regarding Linux". At least do a search for "gun-toting libertarianism" if you don't feel like reading it all.

I have to say that one of my pastimes is collecting computer history - not just books on the history, but a little of the history itself. My favorite books are those I have which, when read, are contemporary accounts of "state-of-the-art" computer systems - and which give super-in-depth treatment to exactly how mercury delay lines, drum storage, and core memory works. I have a few punched cards, and some other strange devices (pixie tubes, etc).

However, I always look for information on Babbage - so it surprised me the other day to be browsing at a local Bookstar and seeing this book - I had to have it, as my collection is "sparse" when it comes to Babbage (there really isn't much out there about his machines, at least in paper form - Fourmilab is actually the best resource online). A quick thumbing through told me this was a book worth getting. It was actually kinda strange finding that book, because I also managed to stumble upon the only copy they had of Leonardo's Notebooks Volume 1 (I already had Volume 2), which is all of his treatises about art and the human form. Anyhow, I purchased the Babbage book and started reading it last night.

But have you ever given thought to what it would take to build a mechanical calculating machine? It is really quite a complex task. Even if you had a machine shop, it would be a daunting endevour. I have always wondered if it were possible to build such a machine using Lego. I have never really taken the idea past the conceptual stage. I know about the (MIT?) tinkertoy based tic-tac-toe "computer" - so building a computer from a toy system is feasible, in some manner. Lego seems perfectly suited.

I only know of one individual who has managed to go from concept to at least partial reality, using Lego:

Lego Computing

More images (these are better)

I have had email conversations with this individual, and have gained a little insight into how he is doing things - but it has been a long while since I have emailed him - so I don't know if he has gotten any further, or what. He seems to have some idea of what it would take, though.

Does anyone know of any other similar construction efforts?

Also, if anyone cares - on themes.org I have a Babbage "tribute" wallpaper...

I have to say that one of my pastimes is collecting computer history - not just books on the history, but a little of the history itself. My favorite books are those I have which, when read, are contemporary accounts of "state-of-the-art" computer systems - and which give super-in-depth treatment to exactly how mercury delay lines, drum storage, and core memory works. I have a few punched cards, and some other strange devices (pixie tubes, etc).

However, I always look for information on Babbage - so it surprised me the other day to be browsing at a local Bookstar and seeing this book - I had to have it, as my collection is "sparse" when it comes to Babbage (there really isn't much out there about his machines, at least in paper form - Fourmilab is actually the best resource online). A quick thumbing through told me this was a book worth getting. It was actually kinda strange finding that book, because I also managed to stumble upon the only copy they had of Leonardo's Notebooks Volume 1 (I already had Volume 2), which is all of his treatises about art and the human form. Anyhow, I purchased the Babbage book and started reading it last night.

But have you ever given thought to what it would take to build a mechanical calculating machine? It is really quite a complex task. Even if you had a machine shop, it would be a daunting endevour. I have always wondered if it were possible to build such a machine using Lego. I have never really taken the idea past the conceptual stage. I know about the (MIT?) tinkertoy based tic-tac-toe "computer" - so building a computer from a toy system is feasible, in some manner. Lego seems perfectly suited.

I only know of one individual who has managed to go from concept to at least partial reality, using Lego:

Lego Computing

More images (these are better)

I have had email conversations with this individual, and have gained a little insight into how he is doing things - but it has been a long while since I have emailed him - so I don't know if he has gotten any further, or what. He seems to have some idea of what it would take, though.

Does anyone know of any other similar construction efforts?

Also, if anyone cares - on themes.org I have a Babbage "tribute" wallpaper...

You'd better not use VRML, vi, linux, or a computer for that matter!

I wonder who else was "into" homosexuality, paganism, drugs, and general irreverence.

Such a bad rap these people had...

and they're such horrable people...

--Proud to be a Pagan Programmer!--