EDSAC Computer To Be Rebuilt 97
nk497 writes with this bit from PCPro: "The first working stored-program computer is set to be rebuilt at Bletchley Park, home to the UK's National Museum of Computing. The Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator ran its first programme in 1949, and was two metres high. Its 3,000 vacuum tubes took up four metres of floor space, and it could perform 650 instructions per second. All data input was via paper tape. The EDSAC used mercury-filled tubes for memory, but in the interests of safety, the replica will use an alternative non-toxic substance. Rebuilding it will take four years, and the public can visit to watch the work as it happens."
I'm sorry, I disagree... (Score:4, Informative)
The first stored program computer was the Manchester Baby
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_Small-Scale_Experimental_Machine [wikipedia.org]
National Museum of Computing is well worth a visit (Score:5, Informative)
I was at Bletchley Park a couple of months ago and by chance the National Museum of Computing [tnmoc.org] was open that day. They've got some interesting displays of old computers, and their goal is to get them all running again. They cover everything between EDSAC and modern computers. Their oldest computer is a Harwell WITCH from 1951 (a decimal computer), this is being restored at the moment. Other fun stuff includes a collection of calculators, and a BBC micro with a working BBC Domesday Project laserdisc installation.
It's a separate museum on the Bletchley Park grounds, and its opening times are a bit limited (esp. in winter), so check before you go.
Re:4 years to build? (Score:5, Informative)
I think you're not far from the truth. The museum is run by volunteers, and depends on donations for income. They operate on a shoestring budget; this particular build will have dedicated funding, though.
Re:4 years to build? (Score:4, Informative)
Probably. Also, elfin safety requires them to develop a new type of memory that simulates the mercury tubes used in the original.
Re:first computer with stored programs? (Score:5, Informative)
None of the early Zuse machines were stored program computers - they had a relay memory for data and got their instructions from punched tape. The table in the Wikipedia page about the Z3 seems about right:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z3_(computer) [wikipedia.org]
The Manchester Baby was the first stored program machine, quickly followed by the modified ENIAC (the original used patch panels and cables) and then the EDSAC. Since the Baby was created to explore ideas for the EDSAC rather than as a usable machine on its own, I guess if you squint enough the article is right in an Obi-wan kind of way :-)
Re:FFS don't run Windows on it! (Score:4, Informative)
With 650 IPS and 512 18 bit words of memory I doubt much of any kind of monitor, much less OS could be implemented. Still, if anyone would like to give it a shot, there is an emulator available at
http://www.dcs.warwick.ac.uk/~edsac/