Comment by cr0sh | Hacker News Reader

Comment by cr0sh | Hacker News Reader

Note: I haven't watched the video in full, so what I say below may already have been answered in it...

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Part of me thinks this should be in the Computer History Museum and not in this guy's garage - simply from a preservation standpoint.

At the same time, I'm not sure if this could be considered "computer history" or not - though it certainly has elements of analog computing.

The Scanimate was one of those iconic machines that ultimately helped to lead us to where we are today with computer graphics - if this is really the only operating one in existence (I don't necessarily doubt it, from the history I have read about it and early graphics), then proper preservation should be paramount.

But I can understand if the guy didn't want to give it up.

On a side note - how many here have seen this?:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj9pbs-jjis

Basically - computation of fractals using analog video feedback...kinda amazing that (in theory) something like could have been done in the 1950-60s using Eidophor projectors of the era (amazing analog tech in its own right)...

Watch the video and note the condition of the equipment. I'd say he's doing a fine job preserving it.

I also haven't watched the whole thing :/ but I have worked in many areas of film/video production. I have always been amazed at how these machines and their operators performed this magic for decades but were overlooked by both their audience and industry. This studio and this machine are glorious wonders of 20th century media technology and art history but almost nobody realizes this. Very sad. :(

It is similar to the CGI industry's hard work being overlooked over the years, but maybe that is changing retrospectively as more people come to realize the feats they accomplished on antique hardware.

He addresses this at about 4:05 into the video. Basically he wants it working, not as a standing display

Thats probably my biggest complaint about CHM, is they have no living displays - thats what I love so much about the LCM in Seattle, its all living, breathing tech, that you can touch.

When did that happen? When I was living in the bay area, I'd visit every few months, and they always had scheduled demos of some of the big equipment. Hell, you could see the Babbage engine running every weekend.

But, they also had a working PDP-1 with Space War that you could play, demonstrated and described by some of the people who'd built some of the original software and the game itself.

Admittedly, most of the equipment was display-only, but I think that's reasonabe...given the cost and effort to restore even one such device of that complexity, in an era when parts have to be scavenged from NOS or from donor machines or built from scratch using spotty design docs, it's entirely reasonable to focus on the devices that are either of notable significance (the first of a thing, or whatever), or things that the most expertise is readily available for (a lot of the docents and people who work/volunteer at CHM are computing pioneers, usually with a history of working with specific devices).

I love CHM, and think they do a great job, and have always really enjoyed my visits. I used to drag every visitor I had out to the CHM even if they had no interest in computers. Most people still enjoyed it. There's something wonderful about seeing the scale and intricacy of early computers.

I've been twice, and they had nothing of note that was interactive when I visited.

They're scheduled events, so you have to sort of plan ahead.

Check the section labeled "Demonstrations": http://www.computerhistory.org/hours/

There's a PDP-1 lab, an IBM 1401 lab (that's new to me), and a RAMAC demonstration.

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