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UK's Oldest Computer To Be "Rebooted"

Posted by timothy on from the just-like-star-trek dept.

Smivs writes with this interesting piece of computer history, excerpted from the BBC: "Britain's oldest original computer, the Harwell, is being sent to the National Museum of Computing at Bletchley where it is to be restored to working order. The computer, which was designed in 1949, was built and used by staff at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment in Harwell, Oxfordshire. It first ran in 1951 and was designed to perform mathematical calculations. It lasted until 1973. When first built the 2.4m x 5m computer was state-of-the-art, although it was superseded by transistor-based systems. The restoration project is expected to take a year. Although not the first computer built in the UK, the Harwell had one of the longest service lives. Built by a team of three people, the device was capable of doing the work of six to ten people and ran for seven years until the establishment obtained their first commercial computer. 'We didn't think we were doing anything pioneering at the time,' said Dick Barnes, who helped build the original Harwell computer."

10 of 153 comments (clear)

  1. obligatory Simpsons quote by Drakkenmensch · · Score: 5, Funny

    "In the future, I predict computers will be twice as powerful, ten times larger and be so expensive only the five richest monarchs of Europe will be able to afford them." - Professor Frink

  2. hindsight by Lord+Ender · · Score: 5, Insightful

    We didn't think we were doing anything pioneering at the time

    This is why the article we had yesterday, which argued that technological growth is slowing down, was a total hogwash. Technological growth is speeding up! What is constant is our inability to recognize great technological advancement except in hindsight.

    --
    A slashdotter who didn't build his own computer is like a Jedi who didn't build his own lightsaber.
  3. Re:Vaccum Tubes? by MrKaos · · Score: 5, Informative

    Where are they going to get vaccum tubes or other antiquated apparatuses from? How much will they cost?

    I think many vacuum tubes are being manufactured in Russia right now, I know this from buying guitar amplifier tubes so I suspect that is where they will be sourced.

    --
    My ism, it's full of beliefs.
  4. Shutting down older hardware... bad idea. by marciot · · Score: 5, Informative

    I've found that for older hardware that is running fine 24x7, the worst thing is to shut it down. It invariably fails to start up again.

  5. A joke my Dad told... by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 5, Funny

    Okay.. I know that the premise of this joke is totally wrpng and UK scientists were computing pioneers, but it reminds me my favorite joke my father ever told me:

    Q: Why didn't the British never make a computer?
    A: They couldn't figure out a way to make it leak oil.

    (I think the joke is incorrect... probably on both counts).

  6. UK's oldest computer? by solevita · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I thought that Colossus would take this title? Not only is it older and British, but it's also (I'm told) the World's oldest electronic computer.

    1. Re:UK's oldest computer? by TobascoKid · · Score: 5, Informative

      The Harwell is still in one piece, the Colossus no longer exists (the Colossus at Bletchly is a replica). Also, the Harwell is a stored program computer (like all modern computers), Colossus isn't.

      --
      At some point, somewhere, the entire internet will be found to be illegal.
  7. Re:Vaccum Tubes? by rubycodez · · Score: 5, Interesting

    the thing uses dekatrons (ten cathode tube where pulse on guide electrode next to a cathode makes conduction jump to next cathode), which though not produced anymore are widely available. A computer made from them is much like a mechanical cash register with counting wheels. they are used by many hobbyists for clocks and other counting applications. no problem getting them

  8. Re:One word by MrKaos · · Score: 5, Funny
    Imagine a beowulf custer, it's easy if you try Idle time available, while calculating pi Imagine all the systems, we'd cluster today Imagine there's no OS wars, It isn't hard to do Nothing to kill or ps for, And no zealotry too Imagine all the systems,computing their piece Whooo Hooo You may say that I'm a schema, But I'm a zero and a one I hope someday you'll join us, And the cluster will be as one Imagine divide by zero, I wonder if you can No need for greedy matching, A motherboard that can Imagine all the processes, Sharing memory You may say that I'm a schema, But I'm a zero and a one I hope someday you'll join us, And the cluster will be as one

    With apologies to john Lennon

    --
    My ism, it's full of beliefs.
  9. You are entirely correct by Kupfernigk · · Score: 5, Informative
    The original US tube-based computer (I forget the acronym) had about 5000 tubes, each of which had a MTTF of around 2-3000 hours. Many people thought that it would break down too often to be of any use. But the designers had realised that what kills tubes is turnon (when the filament carries more current because it is low resistance) causing filament damage and thermal shock damage to the envelope. If the tubes were warmed up slowly and then left on all the time, there would be an infant mortality phase but then the machine would get more reliable with time as the tubes got into the depths of the bathtub life curve.

    Pedant note: although "all the time" or "always on" have more letters than "24x7", they are quicker to say and more meaningful. Why do we have this horrible cypher?

    --
    From scarped cliff or quarried stone she cries "A thousand types are gone, I care for nothing, no not one."