Guess what this is! (link to pic)

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#1 Post by **gator** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 6:14 pm

Who can guess what is in the pic below?

http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/7375/guesshf8.jpg

Purcy · #2 Post by **Purcy** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 6:23 pm

Whoa, I don't know, but it has tubes - Mike will like that!

I'm going to guess the insides of our early computers.

#3 Post by **KristianJ** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 6:24 pm

I can guess, but nearly definitely will be wrong...is it some sort of primitive "part" of an electric motor or engine?

Second guess is that somebody has too much time on their hands and made it as a coffee table centrepiece

#4 Post by **gator** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 6:29 pm

Pattye, you got it almost right ... what part is it?

Purcy · #5 Post by **Purcy** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 6:33 pm

gator wrote:Pattye, you got it almost right ... what part is it?

The processor?? I was married eons ago to a computer analyst when they still used punch cards. I remember an entire room with floor to ceiling cabinets held their one computer! And the AC always had to be kept at like 60 in that room due to the heat generated.

#6 Post by **gator** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 6:34 pm

Purcy wrote: The processor??

Nope!

Purcy · #7 Post by **Purcy** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 6:40 pm

There look to be quite a few capacitors too, one more guess and I struck out - an ancient hard drive.

#8 Post by **gator** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 6:43 pm

Purcy wrote:There look to be quite a few capacitors too, one more guess and I struck out - an ancient hard drive.

Absolutely right!

This was the actual core memory of the UNIVAC 1 (we still talk about 'core dump', it stemmed from the fact that early memories actually used magnetic cores to store information).

btw, how does "Core Dump" sound for a band name (if I ever form a band that is, lol!)?

Purcy · #9 Post by **Purcy** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 6:45 pm

Absolutely incredible, can you give the dimensions so I can visualize it's size. You won't want to walk past that thing with your credit cards - wiped nice and clean.

#10 Post by **Kyocera** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 6:50 pm

Sri, that is totally awesome, Pattye, good detective work, I was leaning more to what kristian said

It must be 20 or 30 million zillion gigabites

Purcy · #11 Post by **Purcy** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 6:53 pm

Kyocera wrote:
It must be 20 or 30 million zillion gigabites

I'll bet it was a dog, but hey, in those days a computer was a miraculous thing. When you think about it, it wasn't really that long ago when they were using this thing, look at the progress!!

#12 Post by **gator** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 7:01 pm

Purcy, you can buy it on ebay if you want!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Sperry-Univac-CORE- ... dZViewItem

There are some real life pics there, have a look!

Purcy · #13 Post by **Purcy** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 7:04 pm

Okay, and it's never been used! I don't even own a coffee table to put that on, but someone should buy it, for $3.25.

The tubes alone would be worth more than that.

Gator, I loved those photos, those are the type of cabinets I viewed back in the 70's where my ex worked - and they were IBM!

#14 Post by **Kyocera** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 7:13 pm

Speaking of big things, i just bought myself a 20.1 inch flat panel today, it's a Starlogic (i know not up to par with some) WSXGA+, ohh it's so nice!! I feel like i'm at the Drive In movie!!

Sorry to hijack Sri

#15 Post by **gator** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 7:17 pm

Kyocera wrote:Speaking of big things, i just bought myself a 20.1 inch flat panel today, it's a Starlogic (i know not up to par with some) WSXGA+, ohh it's so nice!! I feel like i'm at the Drive In movie!!

What a coincidence! I am considering purchasing Yak's 17" IBM L170!

#16 Post by **Kyocera** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 7:22 pm

Go for it, I had to get something big and inexpensive and this was on sale today so I snatched it up, it really is amazing compared to my old analog monitor

#17 Post by **gator** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 7:24 pm

I mostly will buy it Mike.

btw, that pic is from this month's IEEE spectrum. There is another very interesting article about cellphone tapping that happened in Greece recently - reading that was like reading a detective novel. Anyone wants a copy?

Purcy · #18 Post by **Purcy** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 7:43 pm

Kyocera wrote: I feel like i'm at the Drive In movie!!

That's great, enjoy your new monitor. I have seen, once, a flat panel that size and geez, I just sat mesmerized at the thing. It was for a doctor I worked for and she also had another computer set up with 3 monitors side by side. I loved that place!

#19 Post by **tomh009** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 7:49 pm

gator wrote:btw, that pic is from this month's IEEE spectrum. There is another very interesting article about cellphone tapping that happened in Greece recently - reading that was like reading a detective novel. Anyone wants a copy?

It's a good story -- I agree.

#20 Post by **Kyocera** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 7:50 pm

That's great, enjoy your new monitor.

Thanks Pattye, no more scrolling left to right or squinting for me!

#21 Post by **KristianJ** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 8:15 pm

gator wrote:
Absolutely right!

This was the actual core memory of the UNIVAC 1 (we still talk about 'core dump', it stemmed from the fact that early memories actually used magnetic cores to store information).

btw, how does "Core Dump" sound for a band name (if I ever form a band that is, lol!)?

Wow - I'd be keen also to know exactly how big something like that is! I knew I was wrong

Purcy · #22 Post by **Purcy** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 8:16 pm

Kyocera wrote:no more scrolling left to right or squinting for me!

I hate to tell you, but the squinting comes from OLD eyes

#23 Post by **Kyocera** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 8:20 pm

kind of looks like something with a bunch of fireworks stuck in it.

leoblob · #24 Post by **leoblob** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 10:40 pm

I actually saw people making core memories at the old Western Electric plant in Chicago (back when that technology was still being used). They were "stitched" by hand, just like knitting or crochet.... but done thru a giant magnifying glass.

Guess what this is! (link to pic)

Guess what this is! (link to pic)

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