Slashdot Mirror
Retro-Futuristic Computing
HawaiianMayan asks:
"Sure, if you're a collector you might have a working computer from the
60s or even the 50s in your basement or garage. But what about from the
20s or 30s? Lately I've been dreaming of a retro-futuristic computer, with
all the convenience of a modern desktop (I don't want to deal with
punchcards!), but styling from the early part of the 20th century. I'm
wondering if any of the hardware hackers out there are working on
anything like this. It would need an
appropriate case,
a manual typewriter keyboard,
a black and white screen,
preferably enlarged by a nice
freznel lens,
and lots and lots of nixie tubes,
knobs,
and blinkenlights.
Would it be too much if the numeric keypad was a
rotary
dial?" Think about the computer props used from such classics like
Max Headroom (both
the movie and the TV series) and Brazil,
and you'd be very close to what the submittor is looking for. I must admit, making a
computer in this fashion would certainly be a break from the beige box and
monitor!
To all the other suggestions I would add a chunk of core memory from an old IBM 360 mainframe or a DEC pdp mini, and a morse code key like my late uncle used to DX shortwave around the world back in the 1930's to 50's. The use of core memory is self-explanatory, but the morse key might be nice as a special "numeric keypad data entry key" that you would have to learn the proper morse code equivalents for, in order to get the numbers into your system!
"I figure you're here 'cause you need some whacko who's willing to stick his finger in the fan. So who are we helping?
Checck around at hamfests and other sources for old and ancient electronic gear. See if you can find an old Model 14 teletype machine. It was current high-tech during the period you're interested in.
If you can live with a rather limited character set, all you have to do is interface it to your serial port and write a small (almost trivial) daemon to convert the 5 bit Baudot code to ASCII.
utter rubbish