Subject: Re: Oldest computer still in current use

From: chris <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri May 16 10:20:13 2003

>The science being addressed is something we have no other way of observing
>in situ (remote observing missions are being planned) so it's still in
>practical use if you regard basic scientific research as "practical" (I do,
>but then, I would).

After seeing the mission status report on Vyger, I'd have to revise my 
previous notion that I didn't accept it as an answer. Since it is still 
sending data, and we are still receiving it, and it is still carrying out 
its original mission (ie: it isn't doing it simply because it can't be 
turned off, but rather is doing it because we WANT it to do it regardless 
of our ability to shut it off).

I'd have to say that I now DO accept Vyger as an answer. So the question 
is, when was it launched (1977) and is there something older in regular 
use (I would think so).

But this also brought to my attention something I had previously not 
know. That Voyager 1 and 2 were both launched at the same time. I had 
always thought 2 was years after 1 (I thought 2 was late 70's, and 1 was 
early 70's). I'm not sure why I thought that, maybe it was because it 
took a different course and was more recently in the news sending back 
data about the outer planets.

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

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From: "John A. Dundas III" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri May 16 10:20:31 2003

At 8:20 AM -0700 5/12/03, chris wrote:
>So the question

My first "real job", that is a non-school job, was as a programmer for the
Ground Data Systems group of Voyager at JPL.  360s and such.  My memory is
hazy, but approximately August, 1977.  VGR2 went ahead of VGR1.

John

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