*These re-created historical computers have been known to bring in a healthy flow of gawking tourist dollars. With the revived Commodore 64, we're even seeing a consumer version of this phenomenon.
*So maybe we need a new term of art for this kind of pastiche computer-historical costume drama. "Undead Media"? How about "cyber-punk?"
http://www.tnmoc.org/36/section.aspx/154
"Plans for visitors to The National Museum of Computing to see the recreation of world-famous 1940’s stored-program computer
13 January 2011
"A working replica of the first fully operational stored-program computer has been commissioned by the Computer Conservation Society (CCS) in recognition of the achievements of the pioneering computer scientists at Cambridge University in the 1940s, to inform the general public about Britain’s illustrious computer heritage and to inspire future students of engineering and computing. The CCS, a special interest group of the BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, has a 20-year track record in successfully recreating pioneering computers. (((Maybe the Germans will hire them to build a Zuse Z3, then.)))
"The Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator (EDSAC) was a general purpose research tool at Cambridge University and also led directly to the first business computer. It is planned to recreate EDSAC in full public view at The National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park. The project, which is expected to take three to four years, is being funded by a consortium led by computing entrepreneur, Hermann Hauser. (((Aw, that's nothin'; Myhrvold's got a custom Babbage Difference Engine in his living room.)))
"David Hartley, Chairman of CCS and a former president of the BCS, said: "The EDSAC was a brilliant achievement that laid the foundations for general purpose computing and introduced programming methods adopted worldwide and still in use. By recreating EDSAC where the public can watch the process, we aim to enthuse a new generation of computer science and engineering students with the genius of those post-war pioneers at Cambridge University."
"EDSAC was originally built by a team led by the late Professor Sir Maurice Wilkes, then Director of the Mathematical Laboratory at Cambridge University and now widely regarded as the ‘father’ of British computing. Wilkes’ objective was to produce a practical and reliable computer using proven hardware and imaginative software programming techniques.
"Professor Andrew Hopper, Head of the Computer Laboratory at Cambridge University, said: "EDSAC set computing standards for academia and commerce. It was so successful that in the nine years following 1949 it was used by Cambridge University researchers in studies such as genetics, meteorology and X-ray crystallography and even helped two researchers win Nobel prizes. EDSAC also led directly to the first commercially applied computer, the LEO, that broke new ground by enabling the catering company J Lyons & Co Ltd to perform payroll calculations in 1953."
"Kevin Murrell, a director and trustee of The National Museum of Computing, said: "Recreating a fully-functioning EDSAC computer is quite a challenge, but our experience in rebuilding the Colossus computer gives us confidence and insight. The project is fortunate in having the advice and support of Chris Burton who managed the reconstruction of the Manchester Baby, another CCS project. Professor Martin Campbell-Kelly, computer historian at the University of Warwick, will provide an historical and academic perspective for the recreation of EDSAC."
"The recreation will be as authentic as possible and true to the spirit and technology of the time...."
