Subject: Re: Oldest computer still in current use

From: chris <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon May 12 08:46:00 2003

>> On another list I am on, we were discussing why DOS is still used today 
>> (basic answer, because its working just fine, so why upgrade).
>> The following questions were posed that I don't know the answer to, but 
>> someone here might.
>
>The questions are meaningless without clarification and/or parameters.

 I was trying to leave it vague, specifically because I WANTED to elict 
discussions like "Does Voyager count?". I wanted to see what the general 
opinions of list members were regarding what they felt was the oldest 
computer or computer system still in regular use. If I tried to clarify 
it too much, then I risked people not answering because they felt it 
didn't qualify (I'll be the judge of what I feel doesn't qualify for 
myself, but I wanted all opinons regardless).

>> 1: What is the oldest computer or comptuer system still in normal 
>> operational use
>
>You havn't even clarified whether you mean individual machine, or design.
>Individual machine: stonehenge
>design: abacus

Although both are valid, I was really after an electronic computer 
(although I don't care if it is digital or analog).

Actually, answers like these are why I left it vague. I hadn't even 
thought about either answer, and both are fully valid. They are old 
"computing" systems, still operating today. Had I clarified my question 
with specific parameters, then you might not have suggested them as 
possible answers.

>> 2: What is the oldest that is connected to the internet
>
>Continuously connected?  or just the oldest machine that is now connected?
>For example: if today somebody connects a Univac, would that count?
>Are you really after which machine is the oldest of those that are
>connected? or are you REALLY after whgich machine has been connected
>longest?

I'm just curious what the oldest someone has gotten connected to the 
internet is. So someone finding a way to connect a Univac, even if it is 
just for 10 minutes to see if it can be done would be acceptable to me.

This question had a 2nd part to it that asked what was the oldest that 
was hosting a web site (although in rethinking my own question, I would 
accept any kind of public accessable internet connected server be it web, 
ftp, telnet, or whatever). So this part would imply a longer duration 
connection.

BUT, you also bring up an interesting 4th question... what computer has 
been connected to the internet the longest (and in addition, which one 
has the longest single continious uptime of internet connection and how 
long is/was that)

-chris
<http://www.mythtech.net>

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From: "Andy Holt" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon May 12 10:17:00 2003

> with specific parameters, then you might not have suggested them as

I suspect - but have no evidence to confirm - that some third-world
countries have tanks and artillery with ballistics computers made in the
1950s.

Andy

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From: "Fred Cisin (XenoSoft)" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon May 12 19:41:01 2003

Does anybody happen to know the pinout of the serial port of the "Storey
Systems PROM programmer"?  Dallas Texas

It has a 180 degree 5 pin DIN connector.  What machines used that for
serial?

--
Fred Cisin                      [email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked] (Tony Duell)
Date: Tue May 13 19:31:00 2003

> It has a 180 degree 5 pin DIN connector.  What machines used that for

Several machines have used DIN connectors (of various numbers of pins) as 
the serial port, but AFAIK there was no standard for them. Well, there 
was a sort-of standard for 8 pin DIN serial ports, but...

Cna you trace inside the programmer to at least determine which lines are 
inputs and outputs? Finding the ground(s) should be easy too.

-tony