Computers Make History

By Theresa Condon

It’s ironic that in an industry so concerned with memory, how quickly we forget.
                                                                                                    -Museum Flyer

Display of personal robots
In order to ensure we do not forget, the Computer History Museum in Mountain View is dedicated to preserving the history of the movers and shakers who transformed the quiet orchards of Santa Clara Valley into the bustling, world-renowned hub of technology it is today.

    Located on Shoreline Boulevard next to the Microsoft campus, the Computer History Museum is home to numerous exhibits and displays that chronicle the humble beginnings of some of Silicon Valley’s most powerful tech leaders.

   

IBM 7030 Supercomputer
The main exhibit is the Visible Storage room. Here, visitors can see “artifacts” from the tech revolution’s early days such as the IBM 7030 ‘Stretch’ supercomputer and the Cray supercomputer. Just 40 years ago, the idea of a personal desktop machine was an alien concept. These first models filled entire rooms and required several people to manage. A display case near the door of the exhibit is filled with early versions of desk calculators and the walls are lined with personal computer prototypes that were responsible for pushing the boundaries of technology in their heyday. Today, we look at them and think, “Man, that thing is ancient,” but one day people will say the same thing about the iPhone and the Xbox.

    An interactive display to the left of the Visible Storage Room teaches visitors about the strategies used by computer chess programs. Along the back wall are displays that describe the histories of some of Silicon Valley’s tech giants such as IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Intel and Fairchild Semiconductor.

   Display of calculators
A visit to the Computer History Museum would be fascinating for anyone even remotely interested in technology, or even simply interested in learning about the history of Silicon Valley. Rapid changes in the Valley’s character over the past 50 years are largely due to the technological advances that take place here on a constant basis. Even if tech gadgets are not your ‘thing’ you might still enjoy learning something new at the Museum.

    Admission is FREE. Museum hours are Wednesday-Friday, Sunday 12:00p.m.-4:00p.m and Saturday 11:00a.m.-5:00p.m. Visit the website for more information at www.computerhistory.org.



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Posted by donna on Nov 26th, 2008 and filed under Business, History, Local News, People. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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