I have an opportunity to swing by tomorrow (Thursday) morning.
Can anyone tell me if they are still clearing stuff out?
... the Olivetti Programma 101, at 2:40 min, the first desktop computer evva! Released in 1965.
Source: Wikipedia.
Man, I'd give an arm and a leg to have the chance to be in front of one of those landmarks of computing.
More on that. They were able to determine where it went. A restorer down the coast. So it's hopefully going to be treated well, and eventually come back to the ACMS.
More on that. They were able to determine where it went. A restorer down the coast. So it's hopefully going to be treated well, and eventually come back to the ACMS.
Now here's the amusing part. Every day I went there, there was a different set of pallets of random boxes of supposedly low grade junk (magazines, cables, etc) out the front in the parking area. They had to move these out of the entrance passageway, to get into the building.
I and everyone else rummaged a bit in these piles. Gradually they diminished.
Tonight I've been going through a few boxes of stuff I saved from there. Guess what I just found?
The manuals for the Olivetti Programma 101. Looks like a full set.
How lucky was that? Those piles were as close to trash as can be, without actually being in a dumpster. Chances these manuals would have gone forever, were way higher than 50%.
I'll let them know.
bsfeechannel, since you knew of the 101, do you know if all these manuals exist online?
More on that. They were able to determine where it went. A restorer down the coast. So it's hopefully going to be treated well, and eventually come back to the ACMS.
Meno male! But I hoped Dave, you or someone else in the forum could get it and show us more details about it.
You don't think "Vintage Computing" would be a better place? I'd suggest not mixing everything into one big thread.
Museum's have very specific requirements for what restoration is appropriate. Sometimes preserving the original patina is better and tampering with that is ill advised. Preventing loss and further degradation might just be sufficient for now.
The biggest and most ambitious restoration for me, would be the IBM 026 card punch machine, that is in an extremely poor state. Missing and broken parts, totally filthy & corroded, it's a tragic sight.
I saw an IBM 059 verifier when I was there on Thursday. I couldn't check out the condition very closely, but it was dirty and missing a cover panel next to the card hopper. It would be good to get that next to the card punch. It would be even nicer if they had an IBM 029 card punch next to it as it has the same styling of keyboard.
That area is amazingly clear compared to when I was there. They did have a couple of back rooms, but they seemed to contain larger pieces which would be quicker to clear, as long as they had the manpower and destinations.
I still have to photograph the items I took and email them. I had to empty the car and stash them quickly, so I'll have to get onto that.
QuoteI still have to photograph the items I took and email them. I had to empty the car and stash them quickly, so I'll have to get onto that.Ideally they'd like a text list, with descriptions, models and serial numbers. Searchable. Photos are nice too, but I can imagine how awkward that would be to actually track down items.
I saw an IBM 059 verifier when I was there on Thursday. I couldn't check out the condition very closely, but it was dirty and missing a cover panel next to the card hopper. It would be good to get that next to the card punch. It would be even nicer if they had an IBM 029 card punch next to it as it has the same styling of keyboard.They had three 026 punches, and one of the latter (transistors) 029 punch.
I didn't try going inside.
I didn't try going inside.
This forum needs a chicken emoticon.
So I went today (Monday) to get photos of the bulldozing start, for closure. No sign of bulldozers.
John Geremin also turned up, for a last check-over. It's now an empty/trash zone, already with resident homeless.
Afterwards I invited him round to my place for a chat. One rather sad point, is that so far, I'm the ONLY person who actually gave ACMS any kind of list of items taken. And mine is just a photoset, not yet a text list.
It will be interesting to see if that situation improves as people get themselves organized. ie what proportion of people actually intend to do the right thing as opposed to those who just grabbed stuff to keep.
I'm pretty cynical about human nature. I think I know what the outcome will be.