for example. Most of these systems were things that humans interacted with in some way, and that interaction is hard to get from static images. Watching a video of Larry Tesler demonstrating the Alto is great - and even better if you can turn around and try an emulated Alto in your browser (of course operational hardware would be even better.)
* Also, not related to Oral Histories, but could CHM update their historical narrative to include the Vannevar Bush-designed computers that the NSA's predecessor OP-20-g used? https://www.governmentattic.org/8docs/NSA-WasntAllMagic_2002.... ; In so doing, I feel CHM needs to further neutralized its Silicon Valley centered-ness. Fred Terman may be the godfather of Silicon Valley, but even godfathers once needed thesis advisors, and his had the initials 'VB'.
This place is great, but my work had a function here and I walked around with one of our juniors and never have I felt so old. The pure astonishment and confusion when looking at a “floppy disk” aged me instantly.
I suppose that means the museum is doing its job then: educate people totally ignorant of the history of computing. Next time that younger person sees a floppy disk they will know what it is.
The oral histories they post are priceless. Pick any company or topic of significance and odds are good they've talked to somebody who was in the thick of it.
A similar experience for me was the Connections Museum in Seattle: I came just after opening, and time flew by such that I was surprised when they told me they were closing up
I was able to go to the Living Computer Museum and I got there when they first opened and wound up staying until closing time. I was just so into all the stuff there :-)
This is very welcome. Just a couple months ago I was down some interesting retro-computing rabbit hole and there was a story referenced in a couple articles and a book. The cited source was an original document that's in CHM's collection but it wasn't accessible on CHM's site nor was it available anywhere else online. Frustrating but understandable. They must get mountains of documents contributed from personal files of first-hand participants who created this history.
Sorting, scanning, indexing and tagging all those loose files must be a Herculean yet monotonously thankless chore. So thanks to all the volunteers and donors for enabling this invaluable resource to exist.
This is really awesome. The CHM is one of my favorite places in the world. I had applied for a web developer position there not too long ago, great to see them expand things online like this
Went for the first time a couple weeks ago while on a road trip — incredible! However I counted about two dozen items on display that I own, which tells me I should slow down on the collecting / ramp up the downsizing.
I'm a fan of CHM. That said there collections have (understandably) a rather Silicon-Valley-legacy-centric view of, erm, computer history. You'll find little mention, for example, of these tantalizing early mentions of alternative computer architectures (with pictures!) in NSA's predecessor OP-20-G, as posed alongside the then-nascent von Neumann architecture (also covered).
Actually that link was helpful, thanks. The fact that CHM's early progenitor was called Digital Computer Museum in a 1979 out of Boston actually explains a lot. They were fundamentally distinguishing lineage from the likes of differentia analyzers, and (to a more muddled degree), from Rapid Selectors / Rapid Comparators.
This is great, though every geek should visit this place in person. It gets better every year. Especially on the days where they demo the giant IBM 1401.
My buddy took me on a Silicon Valley tour when I lived there , we hit up the HP Garage, Apple Garage, Intel Museum & the Computer History Museum in one day.
Very cool stuff.
Vintage marketing of the future: https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/curator-picks/vi...
Lectures: https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/search-c...
Oral Histories: https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/search-c...
CHM employee here. Always great to see CHM on HN. Glad folks are excited about this -- as are we! There's so much cool stuff in the Collection.
Does the digital portal also link to emulators (and documentation) for historical systems? I've always enjoyed things like:
https://smalltalkzoo.computerhistory.org
for example. Most of these systems were things that humans interacted with in some way, and that interaction is hard to get from static images. Watching a video of Larry Tesler demonstrating the Alto is great - and even better if you can turn around and try an emulated Alto in your browser (of course operational hardware would be even better.)
Great initiative - so now let me throw a query:
* Why isn't the Lewis Terman OH https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/10265394... showing up in the main link?
* Also, not related to Oral Histories, but could CHM update their historical narrative to include the Vannevar Bush-designed computers that the NSA's predecessor OP-20-g used? https://www.governmentattic.org/8docs/NSA-WasntAllMagic_2002.... ; In so doing, I feel CHM needs to further neutralized its Silicon Valley centered-ness. Fred Terman may be the godfather of Silicon Valley, but even godfathers once needed thesis advisors, and his had the initials 'VB'.
The picture of the 4004 and 8008 are super low res
This place is great, but my work had a function here and I walked around with one of our juniors and never have I felt so old. The pure astonishment and confusion when looking at a “floppy disk” aged me instantly.
I suppose that means the museum is doing its job then: educate people totally ignorant of the history of computing. Next time that younger person sees a floppy disk they will know what it is.
Absolutely!
I've seen my own work in that museum. I felt super old!
You mean the real-life save icons?
One of the best days ever: took my boys to CHM where they got to play Space War on a PDP-1 against the man that programmed it!
I have come across (and enjoyed) many of the videos [1] they have posted to YouTube.
[1] https://www.youtube.com/@ComputerHistory
The oral histories they post are priceless. Pick any company or topic of significance and odds are good they've talked to somebody who was in the thick of it.
CHM is great, but I still lament the closure and liquidation of Paul Allen's Living Computers Museum + Labs, which I never got to visit.
If you're into this and you're ever in Bozeman Montana, check out the American Computer and Robotics Museum. It's excellent!
https://acrmuseum.org/
Google Maps says people spend 0.5-3 hours there. I spent 6.5 because it was so amazing. Highly recommended.
A similar experience for me was the Connections Museum in Seattle: I came just after opening, and time flew by such that I was surprised when they told me they were closing up
I was able to go to the Living Computer Museum and I got there when they first opened and wound up staying until closing time. I was just so into all the stuff there :-)
I hope to visit the ICM on my next trip to Seattle, though I suspect that won't be as grand as the original Living Computer Museum
Ooh check out the Discovery wall! I see a Furby, a Power Glove (call AVGN) and a Ninja Turtles NES Game: https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/discovery
This is very welcome. Just a couple months ago I was down some interesting retro-computing rabbit hole and there was a story referenced in a couple articles and a book. The cited source was an original document that's in CHM's collection but it wasn't accessible on CHM's site nor was it available anywhere else online. Frustrating but understandable. They must get mountains of documents contributed from personal files of first-hand participants who created this history.
Sorting, scanning, indexing and tagging all those loose files must be a Herculean yet monotonously thankless chore. So thanks to all the volunteers and donors for enabling this invaluable resource to exist.
This is really awesome. The CHM is one of my favorite places in the world. I had applied for a web developer position there not too long ago, great to see them expand things online like this
I've been to this museum ~10 times. It never gets old. I take everyone I know there. I like to see their reactions.
New portal looks kinda cool too.
Went for the first time a couple weeks ago while on a road trip — incredible! However I counted about two dozen items on display that I own, which tells me I should slow down on the collecting / ramp up the downsizing.
Link: https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog
The living computer museum used to have SSH access for their vintage systems.
The "interim computer museum" has some (most?) of that now: https://icm.museum/?faq
This is realllly cool. I have a rabbit hole to go down into tonight
I'm a fan of CHM. That said there collections have (understandably) a rather Silicon-Valley-legacy-centric view of, erm, computer history. You'll find little mention, for example, of these tantalizing early mentions of alternative computer architectures (with pictures!) in NSA's predecessor OP-20-G, as posed alongside the then-nascent von Neumann architecture (also covered).
https://www.governmentattic.org/8docs/NSA-WasntAllMagic_2002...
There's solid representation of Boston and DEC in particular, for example, as well as IBM, so not all /that/ "Silicon-Valley-legacy-centric".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Computer_Museum,_Boston#Co...
Actually that link was helpful, thanks. The fact that CHM's early progenitor was called Digital Computer Museum in a 1979 out of Boston actually explains a lot. They were fundamentally distinguishing lineage from the likes of differentia analyzers, and (to a more muddled degree), from Rapid Selectors / Rapid Comparators.
CHM was a fun visit in person, but type "TRS-80" into their online search catalog and you get:
NO RESULTS FOUND, PLEASE TRY BROADENING YOUR SEARCH OR SUBMITTING A NEW KEYWORD
I mean, come on folks, you need to up your game.
This one has always been a favorite: https://computerhistory.org/blog/the-two-napkin-protocol/
Related, of the more in-person variety:
Favorite Tech Museums
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46504220
This is great, though every geek should visit this place in person. It gets better every year. Especially on the days where they demo the giant IBM 1401.
My buddy took me on a Silicon Valley tour when I lived there , we hit up the HP Garage, Apple Garage, Intel Museum & the Computer History Museum in one day.