[OT] 1950's WITCH computer running again
 

Now that is a real man's computer :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20395212

at Bletchley Park - mostly original parts reassembled and now working.

Beautiful to watch - all clicking relays and dekatron tubes :)

--
Tim Watts Personal Blog: http://www.dionic.net/tim/

"It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent
moral busybodies."

[OT] 1950's WITCH computer running again
 

On Tue, 20 Nov 2012 09:46:17 +0000, Tim Watts wrote:

Now that is a real man's computer :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20395212

at Bletchley Park - mostly original parts reassembled and now working.

Beautiful to watch - all clicking relays and dekatron tubes :)

Have to take a look at that. Nearer to home for you....

http://www.ict1301.co.uk/

--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org

*lightning protection* - a w_tom conductor

[OT] 1950's WITCH computer running again
 

In article ,
Bob Eager wrote:
On Tue, 20 Nov 2012 09:46:17 +0000, Tim Watts wrote:

Now that is a real man's computer :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20395212

at Bletchley Park - mostly original parts reassembled and now working.

Beautiful to watch - all clicking relays and dekatron tubes :)

Have to take a look at that. Nearer to home for you....

http://www.ict1301.co.uk/

I see the website design is nearly as old as the computer ;-)

Gordon

[OT] 1950's WITCH computer running again
 

On 20/11/2012 09:46, Tim Watts wrote:
Now that is a real man's computer :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20395212

at Bletchley Park - mostly original parts reassembled and now working.

Beautiful to watch - all clicking relays and dekatron tubes :)

A friend (sadly now deceased) used to tell me about how his removal
company transported a computer of some sort from the south up somewhere.
As he lived and was based in Wolverhampton, and the dates make sense, I
am suspecting it was indeed WITCH. His description, so far as I can
remember, also tallies. He claimed that not a single part was damaged in
transit. So rather better than HDNL... :-)

--
Rod

1950's WITCH computer running again
 

On Nov 20, 9:46*am, Tim Watts wrote:
Now that is a real man's computer :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20395212

at Bletchley Park - mostly original parts reassembled and now working.

Beautiful to watch - all clicking relays and dekatron tubes :)

--
Tim Watts * * * * * * * * Personal Blog:http://www.dionic..net/tim/

"It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent
moral busybodies."

I thought they had an even older "Colossus" up and running?
I saw the "Bombe" running at Bletchley that predated even that.

1950's WITCH computer running again
 

On Tue, 20 Nov 2012 06:39:05 -0800 (PST), harry wrote:

Now that is a real man's computer :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20395212

at Bletchley Park - mostly original parts reassembled and now working.

Beautiful to watch - all clicking relays and dekatron tubes :)

I thought they had an even older "Colossus" up and running?
I saw the "Bombe" running at Bletchley that predated even that.

They aren't orginals though are they? They are modern reconstructions.
The WITCH is mostly orginal.

--
Cheers
Dave.

1950's WITCH computer running again
 

harry wrote:

On Nov 20, 9:46 am, Tim Watts wrote:
Now that is a real man's computer :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20395212

at Bletchley Park - mostly original parts reassembled and now working.

Beautiful to watch - all clicking relays and dekatron tubes :)

--
Tim Watts Personal Blog:http://www.dionic.net/tim/

"It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent
moral busybodies."

I thought they had an even older "Colossus" up and running?
I saw the "Bombe" running at Bletchley that predated even that.

The designs did but both were IIRC rebuilt from scratch.

WITCH is unique in that is was stored as an original kit of modules from the
original machine and apparantly most of the dekatrons still worked.


--
Tim Watts Personal Blog: http://www.dionic.net/tim/

"It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent
moral busybodies."

[OT] 1950's WITCH computer running again
 

On Tue, 20 Nov 2012 12:23:24 +0000, Gordon Henderson wrote:

In article ,
Bob Eager wrote:
On Tue, 20 Nov 2012 09:46:17 +0000, Tim Watts wrote:

Now that is a real man's computer :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20395212

at Bletchley Park - mostly original parts reassembled and now working.

Beautiful to watch - all clicking relays and dekatron tubes :)

Have to take a look at that. Nearer to home for you....

http://www.ict1301.co.uk/

I see the website design is nearly as old as the computer ;-)

Gordon

I know...very patchy! THe talk he gave to us was rather like that, but
worth it anyway!



--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org

*lightning protection* - a w_tom conductor

[OT] 1950's WITCH computer running again
 

I was up close with Colossus a few weeks ago, don't half throw out some heat
I can tell you.

Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"Tim Watts" wrote in message
...
Now that is a real man's computer :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20395212

at Bletchley Park - mostly original parts reassembled and now working.

Beautiful to watch - all clicking relays and dekatron tubes :)

--
Tim Watts Personal Blog: http://www.dionic.net/tim/

"It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent
moral busybodies."

[OT] 1950's WITCH computer running again
 

"Brian Gaff" wrote in message ...

I was up close with Colossus a few weeks ago, don't half throw out some
heat I can tell you.

Brian



So would that be a colossal amount of heat then ....... ok I'll get my hat
G

AWEM

[OT] 1950's WITCH computer running again
 

In article ,
Bob Eager wrote:
On Tue, 20 Nov 2012 12:23:24 +0000, Gordon Henderson wrote:

In article ,
Bob Eager wrote:
On Tue, 20 Nov 2012 09:46:17 +0000, Tim Watts wrote:

Now that is a real man's computer :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20395212

at Bletchley Park - mostly original parts reassembled and now working.

Beautiful to watch - all clicking relays and dekatron tubes :)

Have to take a look at that. Nearer to home for you....

http://www.ict1301.co.uk/

I see the website design is nearly as old as the computer ;-)

Gordon

I know...very patchy! THe talk he gave to us was rather like that, but
worth it anyway!

I'm off to Bletchly/TNMOC in a couple of weeks time too - looking forward
to seeing it!

Gordon

1950's WITCH computer running again
 

On Nov 20, 12:48*pm, polygonum wrote:
On 20/11/2012 09:46, Tim Watts wrote: Now that is a real man's computer :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20395212

at Bletchley Park - mostly original parts reassembled and now working.

Beautiful to watch - all clicking relays and dekatron tubes :)

A friend (sadly now deceased) used to tell me about how his removal
company transported a computer of some sort from the south up somewhere.
As he lived and was based in Wolverhampton, and the dates make sense, I
am suspecting it was indeed WITCH. His description, so far as I can
remember, also tallies. He claimed that not a single part was damaged in
transit. So rather better than HDNL... :-)

--
Rod

Wolves Poly (as was) did indeed have an early machine named "Witch"

http://www.computerconservationsociety.org/witch.htm

seems is same one.

Jim K

1950's WITCH computer running again
 

On Tue, 20 Nov 2012 11:06:57 -0800, Jim K wrote:

On Nov 20, 12:48Â*pm, polygonum wrote:
On 20/11/2012 09:46, Tim Watts wrote: Now that is a real man's
computer :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20395212

at Bletchley Park - mostly original parts reassembled and now
working.

Beautiful to watch - all clicking relays and dekatron tubes :)

A friend (sadly now deceased) used to tell me about how his removal
company transported a computer of some sort from the south up
somewhere. As he lived and was based in Wolverhampton, and the dates
make sense, I am suspecting it was indeed WITCH. His description, so
far as I can remember, also tallies. He claimed that not a single part
was damaged in transit. So rather better than HDNL... :-)

--
Rod

Wolves Poly (as was) did indeed have an early machine named "Witch"

http://www.computerconservationsociety.org/witch.htm

seems is same one.

Yes, that's right (I get their newsletter).

--
the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org

*lightning protection* - a w_tom conductor

1950's WITCH computer running again
 

On Nov 20, 5:13*pm, "Brian Gaff" wrote:
I was up close with Colossus a few weeks ago, don't half throw out some heat
I can tell you.


I have heard a story about the WRNS who operated Colossus stripping
down to their undies because of the heat. There's a lot to be said
against air-conditioning.

--
Halmyre

[OT] 1950's WITCH computer running again
 

On Tue, 20 Nov 2012 17:13:47 +0000, Brian Gaff wrote:

I was up close with Colossus a few weeks ago, don't half throw out some
heat I can tell you.

Yes - although the suspended ceiling's gone now, hasn't it, so it's
probably quite a bit better than it used to be!

1950's WITCH computer running again
 

in 1180661 20121120 205427 Halmyre wrote:
On Nov 20, 5:13=A0pm, "Brian Gaff" wrote:
I was up close with Colossus a few weeks ago, don't half throw out some h=
eat
I can tell you.


I have heard a story about the WRNS who operated Colossus stripping
down to their undies because of the heat. There's a lot to be said
against air-conditioning.

Colleague was called into a customer in London in the middle of the night
and when he got there the lights were out (only illumination was from lights
on the tape drives) and all the operators (both sexes) were in their undies
and sun-glasses.

1950's WITCH computer running again
 

On Nov 20, 6:36*pm, Gordon Henderson wrote:
In article ,
Bob Eager wrote:









On Tue, 20 Nov 2012 12:23:24 +0000, Gordon Henderson wrote:

In article ,
Bob Eager wrote:
On Tue, 20 Nov 2012 09:46:17 +0000, Tim Watts wrote:

Now that is a real man's computer :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20395212

at Bletchley Park - mostly original parts reassembled and now working.

Beautiful to watch - all clicking relays and dekatron tubes :)

Have to take a look at that. Nearer to home for you....

*http://www.ict1301.co.uk/

I see the website design is nearly as old as the computer ;-)

Gordon

I know...very patchy! THe talk he gave to us was rather like that, but
worth it anyway!

I'm off to Bletchly/TNMOC in a couple of weeks time too - looking forward
to seeing it!

Gordon

You can often speak to people that operated them during the war.

1950's WITCH computer running again
 

On Nov 20, 7:06*pm, Jim K wrote:
On Nov 20, 12:48*pm, polygonum wrote:









On 20/11/2012 09:46, Tim Watts wrote: Now that is a real man's computer :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20395212

at Bletchley Park - mostly original parts reassembled and now working..

Beautiful to watch - all clicking relays and dekatron tubes :)

A friend (sadly now deceased) used to tell me about how his removal
company transported a computer of some sort from the south up somewhere..
As he lived and was based in Wolverhampton, and the dates make sense, I
am suspecting it was indeed WITCH. His description, so far as I can
remember, also tallies. He claimed that not a single part was damaged in
transit. So rather better than HDNL... :-)

--
Rod

Wolves Poly (as was) did indeed have an early machine named "Witch"

http://www.computerconservationsociety.org/witch.htm

seems is same one.

Yes, the link in the OPs article told us that.

MBQ

1950's WITCH computer running again
 

In article , Tim Watts
writes

WITCH is unique in that is was stored as an original kit of modules from the
original machine and apparantly most of the dekatrons still worked.

I've followed all the links and read the articles - very interesting -
but want to know whether they have spare Dekatrons, and what they will
do when supplies run out. Anyone?

--
(\_/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

1950's WITCH computer running again
 

On 21/11/2012 12:48, Mike Tomlinson wrote:
In article , Tim Watts
writes

WITCH is unique in that is was stored as an original kit of modules from the
original machine and apparantly most of the dekatrons still worked.

I've followed all the links and read the articles - very interesting -
but want to know whether they have spare Dekatrons, and what they will
do when supplies run out. Anyone?


Use Pis to simulate them?

1950's WITCH computer running again
 

dennis@home wrote:

On 21/11/2012 12:48, Mike Tomlinson wrote:
In article , Tim Watts
writes

WITCH is unique in that is was stored as an original kit of modules from
the original machine and apparantly most of the dekatrons still worked.

I've followed all the links and read the articles - very interesting -
but want to know whether they have spare Dekatrons, and what they will
do when supplies run out. Anyone?


Use Pis to simulate them?

I expect someone is Russia still makes them...

--
Tim Watts Personal Blog: http://www.dionic.net/tim/

"She got her looks from her father. He's a plastic surgeon."

1950's WITCH computer running again
 

Spllllllllthththththththt off, misery

Jim K

1950's WITCH computer running again
 

En el artículo , Tim Watts
escribió:

I expect someone is Russia still makes them...

I did some digging. Dekatrons are still available in Russia, but with a
different base, so need an adapter. There's also a surprising amount of
the originals on fleabay.

The Dekatrons used by WITCH are the GC10A and GC10B, the Russian
compatible is OG-4.

From the restoration blog:

"I am looking at the possibility of using the more readily available
Russian OG-4 Dekatrons as a direct replacement for the GC10A. OG-4's
seem more similar to GC10A than GC10B (low strike voltage) although they
have a different pin-out. No problem - I adapted the base of an OG-4
with epoxy and an octal base from some unknown broken valve. An
advantageouas side-effect to this is that the OG-4 is now slightly
longer (but still not as long as a GC10A!)"

This is the blog of the restoration, up to May this year. They make
fascinating reading. I'm posting the direct links are they're hard to
find from the home page.

http://www.tnmoc.org/news/current-pr...ekatron-witch-
restoration-2009

http://www.tnmoc.org/news/current-pr...ekatron-witch-
restoration-2010

http://www.tnmoc.org/news/current-pr...ekatron-witch-
restoration-during-2012

There doesn't seem to be an entry for 2011.

--
(\_/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

1950's WITCH computer running again
 

On Tue, 20 Nov 2012 15:21:02 +0000, Tim Watts wrote:
I thought they had an even older "Colossus" up and running? I saw the
"Bombe" running at Bletchley that predated even that.

The designs did but both were IIRC rebuilt from scratch.

WITCH is unique in that is was stored as an original kit of modules from
the original machine and apparantly most of the dekatrons still worked.

The critical thing is that Colossus isn't a stored-program machine (which
upsets some of the purists who therefore don't class it a a computer),
whereas Witch is.

The rebuild nature of Colossus doesn't seem to generally bother people
IME - it's seen as a faithful-enough system that it's the best that can
be done under the circumstances (there might be a chance that GCHQ have
one or two originals in one of those warehouses like at the end of
Indiana Jones, but after so long it's probably unlikely ;)

I did take the trouble to ask, and the majority of Colossus is fabricated
from GPO parts that are identical to what the originals used - although
they came out of phone exchanges which were much later. There are some
modern resisors and capacitors in there, and the wiring is all modern
PVC; the originals would have had cotton-covered enamelled wire, but
apparently that stuff isn't particularly pleasant (particularly when
hauled out of rat-infested old exchanges :-)

cheers

Jules

[OT] 1950's WITCH computer running again
 

On Tue, 20 Nov 2012 12:23:24 +0000 (UTC), Gordon Henderson
wrote:

http://www.ict1301.co.uk/

I see the website design is nearly as old as the computer ;-)

Good grief, is it 1994 again?