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Australia's Largest Private Computer Collection In Pictures

Da Massive writes "UNIX PDP-7, a classic DEC PDP-8, the original IBM PC, Commodore's C64, Apple's Lisa, a MITS Altair 8800 made famous by Bill Gates, through to a working PDP-11 that plays the ADVENTURE and DUNGEON games. Max Burnet has got it all. Burnet has turned his home in the leafy suburbs of Sydney into arguably Australia's, if not the world's, largest private computer museum. Since retiring as director of Digital Equipment Corporation a decade ago, Burnet has converted his home into a snapshot of computer history. Every available space from his basement to the top floor of his two-storey home is covered with relics from the past. On top of his hardware collection are numerous punch cards, tape machines (including the original paper tape) and over 6000 computer reference books. So in demand is his collection that one Australian film called on him to recreate a computer setting (PDP-9) for a movie about the moon landing in 1969."

11 of 131 comments (clear)

  1. Even with all that notoriety... by retech · · Score: 5, Funny

    He's still struggling to justify all of it to his wife. It's a daily battle and hopefully, one day, she'll think it's cool having all that gear in the house. Just remember to wipe your feet if you visit.

  2. That page loads so slow.... by KozmoKramer · · Score: 4, Funny

    That page loads so slow. It might be running on one of the relics on display in the museum. The pics are cool.

    --
    My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my Father! Prepare to die!
  3. Re:Oh, for Idol's sake! by Enter+the+Shoggoth · · Score: 3, Funny

    Sure! No problem!

    As long as we get an American free day as well.

    Can't we go even one day on Slashdot without an Australian "story"?

    Why don't you Aussie /. editors just launch slashdot.org.au and be done with it?

    Oh, right, of course... Because you know that only Australians (if anybody) would give a shit about slashdot.org.au, and the whole point of spamming this Slashdot is so that Americans will "notice" you.

    --
    Andy Warhol got it right / Everybody gets the limelight
    Andy Warhol got it wrong / Fifteen minutes is too long.
  4. I have my old zx spectrum. by thermian · · Score: 4, Funny

    I showed it to my son last year. He looked at it for a moment then asked me where the dvd drive was....

    There are, it seems, some things a parent is best not sharing with a child.

    --
    A learning experience is one of those things that say, 'You know that thing you just did? Don't do that.' - D. Adams
    1. Re:I have my old zx spectrum. by Chrisq · · Score: 4, Funny

      I know what you mean. I said "before they had mobile phones" to my daughter and some of her friends the other day. They looked at me as though I had said "before they invented the wheel"

    2. Re:I have my old zx spectrum. by bazorg · · Score: 4, Funny

      did you explain what CGA was? and why of those 4 colours, 2 were pink and light blue?

  5. Re:Oh, for Idol's sake! by Whiteox · · Score: 2, Funny

    That's a brilliant idea!
    We can do all the countries, not just Aus and USA.
    Tomorrow could be 'Nigerian Free Week' where no stories on, about, referring to, alluding to, reflective upon and commented would a start.
    So much for Net neutrality!

    --
    Don't be apathetic. Procrastinate!
  6. Re:One Australian Film? by Whiteox · · Score: 3, Funny

    After all, we know that nothing really exists outside the US, don't we?

    Except the World Series! Oh wait.....

    --
    Don't be apathetic. Procrastinate!
  7. Who cares about these computers ? by naden · · Score: 3, Funny

    No wireless. Less space than a nomad. Lame.

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    Funtage Factor: Purple
  8. Ah, mammaries, I mean memories... by BrokenHalo · · Score: 2, Funny

    The only time my wife objects is when she stubs her toe on the old 029 card punch holding my study door open.

    I used to use it with a Burroughs B3700 like this back in the '70s. Them were the days, when men were men, and small furry things with teeth were small furry...

    Ah yes, as I was saying, get off my lawn. [snore]

  9. Most of Europe and Asia by Weaselmancer · · Score: 2, Funny
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    Weaselmancer
    rediculous.