Quote: billwill @ 21st September 2015, 3:39 PM BSTI went to the Science Museum yesterday and found a computer just like my 3rd computer. That's a quarter of it behind me in the photo; the desk with two tubes is merely the console.
Nice one. Must have been a great day for you.
Can I use this picture when we reach "6600" in the BCG Count To Million-thread? 
Quote: billwill @ 21st September 2015, 3:39 PM BSTI went to the Science Museum yesterday and found a computer just like my 3rd computer. That's a quarter of it behind me in the photo; the desk with two tubes is merely the console.
It looks like it is sleeping...
Quote: Gordon Bennett @ 21st September 2015, 4:03 PM BSTCan I use this picture when we reach "6600" in the BCG Count To Million-thread?
Rule 46: No reserving of numbers 
Like we'll ever get that far
Quote: playfull @ 21st September 2015, 4:13 PM BSTIt looks like it is sleeping...
that computer has major bewbs
is it an EJP 36DD?
Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 21st September 2015, 4:14 PM BSTRule 46: No reserving of numbers
Like we'll ever get that far
Well I doubt you will.
Quote: playfull @ 21st September 2015, 4:13 PM BSTIt looks like it is sleeping...
It sort of is, because the Science Museum have only put 3 of the 4 big bays of electronics on display. So they have made a T shape instead of a Cross. They have done this to put a Russion computer of the same era in front of it. A really poor decision I think.
The display also misleads visitors into thinking that these 'supercomputers' were only used for strategic planning in the cold war, wheras to the best of my knowledge most of the CDC 6600s were in fact in Univerities of the 'west' and mostly used for research and weather prediction.
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The blank console in the picture reminds me of an incident of mine around 1971-74 ish. The 6600 was the main computer of the University of London and the (physically large) hard disks contained programs and data files for many hundreds of students. I worked for the University Conputer Centre and got to use the machine to myself after the day's work was done. So one evening I was working away at some modifications to the operating system.
In the photo you can't see it but underneath the keyboard, they was a big power switch to turn the console on/off. While reading some notes, I leaned back in the operators chair and accidentally kicked the console switch off, without realising it.
When I looked up the screens were blank, so I thought I had crashed the system. When nothing at the console revived it I reluctantly restarted the entire computer, when that also did nothing I thought the disks were corrupted so I reluctantly did a clean-start which wipes the disks. 
When that too did nothing 
I finally realised that the initial problem was merely that I had switched the console off... 
So I switched that back on, but now I had removed all the student's files !
Aaargh... We did have provision for that of course, but it took me all night, alone in the huge computer room, to reload all the backup tapes so that the students could have normal service at around 9 am in the morning.
My brain at work today: I'm so sleepy.... I can't concentrate. If I stare at the screen I might stay awake and hopefully no one notices I'm not get any work done.
My Brain now at 10.48pm: Why sleep? I want to read and watch DVDs. Let's think about what to cook for dinner tomorrow night.
My Brain in 6.5hr when my alarm goes off: SHHH! sleepy time now.
It's going to be a fun week.
Having a slice of pizza and a few beers at the airport before my flight to Denver for the Great American Beer Festival.
Quote: DaButt @ 23rd September 2015, 8:52 PM BSTHaving a slice of pizza and a few beers at the airport before my flight to Denver for the Great American Beer Festival.
Nothing like getting in a bit of training. 
It was just suggested that Maggie Philbin may be a suitable person for me to keep in touch with on LinkedIn. I give up. WTF?
Got my money back plus (almost) the cost of a pint in the pub quiz tonight with Joanna Lumley being in sitcom Perfect Skin.
I know Joanna Lumley is idolised, so tell me why she gives me a pain in the arse.
Maybe it's the 'jorries I the mooth' Tory impression.
She is just born clarse and being Scotch you don't know anything about that sort of thing.
Nice lady. 
5000 feet over Denver. Almost beer time!
