Oldest machine

[Jules Richardson]

Chuck Guzis wrote:
> On 12/19/2005 at 2:53 PM Jules Richardson wrote:
> 
>> [1] Someone told me of one museum with an old machine where the core
>> memory had been torn out and replaced with modern DRAM, but I can't recall
> what 
>> machine or where - to me though it's non-original at that point because
>> it's not a restoration faithful to the original hardware.
> 
> Would that be the IBM 1620 at CHM?

Hmmm, not sure. Quite possibly :)

>  That's 1960 or thereabouts; not particularly old.

Reasonable age, though, considering how few machines prior to it are still (I 
expect) maintained in operational condition. Although see previous post - I 
wouldn't consider it original once a substantial element of the machine has 
been replaced with a modern part.

>  IIRC, the core was degraded beyond reclamation.

Hopefully there's a plan to rebuild it in the longer term though, using bits 
from a sacrificial core. Not a job I'd fancy, but doubtless possible (I've 
seen some unbelievably small cores!). It even seems like one of those oddball 
projects that IBM would be up for sponsoring...

Hopefully if it's also maintained in "running condition" there's a clear sign 
for the public that it's not completely original!

cheers

Jules