dekatron computing [and other stuff]

[yen...@internode.on.net]

   

Saw this link elsewhere:-

http://freelance.halfacree.co.uk/2014/01/disharmony-at-bletchley-park/

 

John K.

[Nick]

On Friday, 31 January 2014 00:15:20 UTC, johnk wrote:

Saw this link elsewhere:-

http://freelance.halfacree.co.uk/2014/01/disharmony-at-bletchley-park

This is so sad - I, and others, have had their ups and downs with this lot - we supplied some of the dekatrons they used for the Witch project... 

They really need to get their act together - having the BBC there filming when the guide was fired was fortuitous, if only in that it made the issue public... it's all over the UK press...

Elderly Bletchley Park volunteer sacked for showing Colossus exhibit to visitors

Volunteers slam plans to turn Bletchley Park into 'geeky Disneyland'

Nick

[Tidak Ada]

Her a link to the Bletchley Park site/News: [ http://www.bletchleypark.org.uk/news/ ]

 

eric

---

From: neoni...@googlegroups.com [mailto:neoni...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Nick
Sent: vrijdag 31 januari 2014 11:36
To: neoni...@googlegroups.com
Cc: yen...@internode.on.net
Subject: [neonixie-l] Re: dekatron computing [and other stuff]

On Friday, 31 January 2014 00:15:20 UTC, johnk wrote:

Saw this link elsewhere:-

http://freelance.halfacree.co.uk/2014/01/disharmony-at-bletchley-park

This is so sad - I, and others, have had their ups and downs with this lot - we supplied some of the dekatrons they used for the Witch project... 

They really need to get their act together - having the BBC there filming when the guide was fired was fortuitous, if only in that it made the issue public...

Nick

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[Sture Nystrom]

Tidak Ada skrev 2014-01-31 13:56:

Her a link to the Bletchley Park site/News: [ http://www.bletchleypark.org.uk/news/ ]

 

eric

---

There is a mini series about Bletchey Park. Very exciting, I thought when I saw it on TV.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bletchley_Circle

[Alex]

I went up and visited Bletchley in around October last year and, until I got there, assumed the NMOC and Bletchley were one and the same. I parked up in the only obvious parking lot and followed the large signs to the entrance like a good little visitor. I paid £15 entry and another fiver for a fancy souvenir book and wondered through the fairly small couple of galleries Bletchley actually has - mainly a handful of Enigmas and a very nice Lorenz, as well as a nicely rebuilt Bombe. They are very much what I call "National Trust" style, which unlike the competing English Heritage organisation, specialise in tours, gift shops and making everything into an experience rather than being passionate about the items themselves. 

After ending up outside and wondering where all the computers are, I discovered that most of the buildings on the Bletchley site are privately rented to various companies, there is also a selection or boarded up huts, an open hut full or random Winston Churchill paraphernalia and another on pigeon racing (I kid you not).

Finally, after reaching the outer extremes of the site, I find the bletchley house where you can wonder through about 4 fairly bare rooms (the upstairs is rented out) and then, right on the top of the site, the actual Museum of Computing. This is a separate affair not even mentioned on bletchleys map and is well worth a visit, £3 entry and more stuff then Bletchley itself. Proper "English Heritage" style exhibits (piles of stuff and little notices describing it rather than audio tours, tedious guides who just tell you their opinions etc..

There is also a HAM radio station hidden on site, another separate affair. They genuinely look taken aback when you find them and will keep you talking for hours. 

If I was running NMOC I would make a prompt exit and take Colossus with me.

- Alex

On Friday, 31 January 2014 00:15:20 UTC, johnk wrote:

[Alex]

Also, Here are some pictures for you,

Worthy of note is the large building on the north size of the site that has many legs, this is a derelict building that, strangely, is full of exciting looking computers (last two pictures). I asked at the NMOC and they use it as a temporary store room but I spent a happy amount of time peering in the windows :-)

"Boys Own Foundry" was in a toy museum that is hidden on the Bletchley site - again I doubt you have to follow the leader into Bletchley to see this.

- Alex

[Tom Harris]

I sent some trigger tubes to the NMOC via my sister in law who lives nearby, and the c***s at Bletchley made her pay the entry fee even though she had a letter from me and the NMOC saying that she was delivering them personally. She said that the BP people made her feel like she was trying to get in without paying. Contrast that with the NMOC persons, who she chatted with for an hour when she met an old DEC head, she still misses working on DEC computers.

The NMOC should just cut the cord and go elsewhere. Maybe they could get their snouts in the trough of government money, since at least they do something with it, like rebuilding the oldest working digital computer in the world. And if that isn't amazing, I don't know what is.

Tom Harris <celep...@gmail.com>

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[Nick]

I'm with you on this - however, I gave a bunch of dekatrons to the NMOC WITCH project and never even received an email back acknowledging that that had them (I know that they do) - I'm not alone in this - others had the same experience.

I think that regardless of the helicopter view from above & outside the actual situation between the two parties, both sides have more than a bit to do on the PR front.

Nick

[lai...@wcoil.com]

Kind of rotten to not even get an E-mail. I would say this outfit isn't
run very well, or just doesn't care. Commonly I see places that have fund
raisers or appeals for other help put bricks with people's and company's
names in the walkway or patio that was built etc. Or why not a brass
plaque on or next to the machine that shows the hardware donors?? Or a
nice letter and a Nice Tee shirt that says "Ask me about Witch Dekatron I
donated!" Or stick a bad tube on a little wooden base with a brass plate.
Basically it comes down to poor management and a lack grateful
acknowledgment or gratitude. It is not too late to do any of these
things, especially since this has been called to their attention. What
are they going to do when they need replacements or other parts. With the
web the word gets out. In fact this is the kind of thing that ends up
showing up in web searches forever.
Tim L.

>
> ---------- 1 of 1 ----------
> From: Nick <ni...@desmith.net>
> Date: Feb 07 02:08AM -0800
> URL: http://groups.google.com/group/neonixie-l/msg/1ca0cae10ab2135d

[Quixotic Nixotic]

On 8 Feb 2014, at 12:15, lai...@wcoil.com wrote:

Kind of rotten to not even get an E-mail.  I would say this outfit isn't
run very well, or just doesn't care. 

If you recall, on behalf of those here who donated I had dialogue with them as follows and by the way, Kevin never did get back to me about why it happened.

John S

----old snippage---

Dear John

Thank you for your email and for pointing out this lapse on our behalf.

Firstly, I must apologise for not being aware of the kind donations
from your members, but I am absolutely sure all of these donations is
valued and welcomed.  Please do pass on my thanks to your members.

I will investigate why we didn't respond sooner and get back in touch
as soon as I can.

I hope we will see you at the museum and see the machine in full working order!

Kind regards and many thanks.


Kevin Murrell - Trustee
07939 471765
The National Museum of Computing - www.tnmoc.org


On 20 November 2012 12:54, Quixotic Nixotic <nixc...@jsdesign.co.uk> wrote:

Hi Kevin,

While we are all happy that the Harwell Witch computer is now working again,

it seems that members of the neoni...@googlegroups.com group that donated

their rare tubes to your project never received so much as an acknowledgment

for their parting with them. Their rarity and value constituted a financial

donation as well as a sacrifice of people's personal collections.

I wasn't one of the donors, I don't have rare dekatrons, but there are some

disgruntled people who think that some kind of thanks or even a note to say

they were received safely might have been in order, Nick de Smith and

Grahame Marsh being two of them.

It seems to me a bit short-sighted not to have said something - people may

be more circumspect about donating any more tubes to your project(s) in

future.

You would be most welcome to join the group and say a brief collective

thanks. Failing that, a quick note from you I could pass on to the group

would go down well.

Well done for a happy result though.

Regards,

John Smout

---end snippage---

[jf...@my-deja.com]

I made the pilgrimage to Bletchley Park.  It may have been because it was Remembrance Day, but it seemed to emphasize the war memorial aspects with an acknowledgment to the origins of electronic computing.

 

I did not see the Disneyland aspects, and there were no actors in period clothes speaking English from the mid-20^th century.  There were helpful and friendly people who answered visitors’ questions.  They also had videos and mockups of the Colossus.

 

I also went to the National Museum of Computing, also on the grounds of Bletchley Park, but with a separate admission.  The collection is extensive, but the display was constrained by the pre-existing layout of the building.  Also, I do not remember seeing any non-electronic calculation devices like Napier’s bones, abacuses, slide rules, etc.

 

They had a number of early electronic calculating devices including Bombe, EDSAC, and Colossus (although this may have been a reproduction instead of a restoration). 

 

Of particular interest to this group is the Harwell WITCH, consisting of relays and dekatrons.  It seemed to be running when I was there (flashing lights and clunking relays), but I did not talk to anyone with an intimate familiarity of the machine.  The point is that the dekatrons you guys donated went to a good home.  It felt like a volunteer operation manned by people interested in the technical aspects of the restoration, and relatively little interest in the administration of the project.  This is not an excuse, but it may explain why they were remiss in expressing their gratitude.  My peripheral concern is that they may be consuming the useful life of the dekatrons and replacements may become more difficult to acquire.

 

Overall, I found this to be a worthwhile day trip from London.