Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

PGP Leads Corporate Efforts To Save Bletchley Park

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the night-at-the-museum dept.

blake182 writes "CNET reports that PGP, together with IBM and other technology firms, is mounting a fundraising effort to benefit the ailing Bletchley Park, home of the Station X codebreaking efforts in World War II. 'We're calling attention (to the fact that) Bletchley is falling into disrepair, and that, probably, the world owes a debt of gratitude to that place,' said Phil Dunkelberger, chief executive of PGP."

3 of 83 comments (clear)

  1. the big problem by thermian · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why do they have so few visitors? Because the site is presented in what I have to say is a very boring fashion. Yes, I have been there.

    If you know your history, and if you can carry your own commentary round in your head, then it rocks seeing a place that's so important historically, but if not then its not even slightly appealing as a location for a day trip.

    When I was there I saw a lot of extremely bored kids. If they'd added in some enthusiastic guides with a flair for storytelling they would have been able to draw on enough information to keep those kids engaged, but there was only a very sedate and, to be honest, bland, tour on offer.

    I'm not denying that its important to preserve this historical location, but what they really need is to make it more interesting to visitors.

    Historical importance alone is not enough, it has to be fun too if they want to survive as a tourist location.

    --
    A learning experience is one of those things that say, 'You know that thing you just did? Don't do that.' - D. Adams
  2. Re:Ah... The irony of IBM helping Bletchley Park. by thermian · · Score: 5, Insightful

    And? There was a lot of this going on, not just IBM. Coca Cola invented Fanta so they could continue to sell soft drinks in the European market during the War, Nissan were working with Nazi Germany to build their own V1/2 rockets. There are no doubt more examples.

    Businesses do this, that's because they are businesses, not governments. To be frank, they probably realise that more than a few wars are started for less than honest reasons, and they likely see no reason to stop doing what they do because of it.

    --
    A learning experience is one of those things that say, 'You know that thing you just did? Don't do that.' - D. Adams
  3. Oh the shame of it .... by Alain+Williams · · Score: 5, Insightful
    as a Brit I feel ashamed that we can let something like this rot. If it had been an arts museum there would have been an outcry in the press, but something technical and the lovies in the media don't understand and their eyes glaze over.

    Little point in asking the govt for funding - they are too busy pouring cash into a 3 week sports festival in 2012 -- a complete waste of money.