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cappy2112
Joined: Dec 24, 2004 Posts: 2465 Location: San Jose, California
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Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 11:18 pm Post subject:
Babbages Difference Engine #2 |
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After an interesting presentation on Babbages Difference Engine at the Computer History Museum, I took some pictures of Engine #2.
There are only 2 of these known in existence. This one was recently completed and took many years to finish.
I was hoping to find a link to the audio from the presentation I saw on the Difference Engine, but you'' have to settle for this video ;(
GEAR PORN ALERT
Here's a link to a small video of it actually moving.
http://www.computerhistory.org/babbage/
Jeez- look at those cams moving in sequence. Just amazing!
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This is the part of printer mechanism |
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_________________ Free Tibet. Release the Panchen Lama from prison. Let the Dalai Lama return to his home. Last edited by cappy2112 on Tue May 13, 2008 12:42 pm; edited 4 times in total |
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blue hell
Site Admin
Joined: Apr 03, 2004 Posts: 24075 Location: The Netherlands, Enschede
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Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 4:19 am Post subject:
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Wow, beautiful computer ... I thought none of these were ever built, apparently wrong _________________ Jan
also .. could someone please turn down the thermostat a bit.
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Uncle Krunkus
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Joined: Jul 11, 2005 Posts: 4761 Location: Sydney, Australia
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Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 4:52 am Post subject:
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My God!
That takes my breath away.
Absolute beauty, delicate and exacting.
These are the reasons I would one day travel the world. _________________ What makes a space ours, is what we put there, and what we do there. |
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cappy2112
Joined: Dec 24, 2004 Posts: 2465 Location: San Jose, California
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Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 7:32 am Post subject:
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Blue Hell wrote: | Wow, beautiful computer ... I thought none of these were ever built, apparently wrong |
These pictures really don't do it justice.
The difference engine is capable of working with 7th order polynomials!
It's intriguing that anyone would conceive that capability at the time it was designed. _________________ Free Tibet. Release the Panchen Lama from prison. Let the Dalai Lama return to his home. |
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cappy2112
Joined: Dec 24, 2004 Posts: 2465 Location: San Jose, California
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Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 7:36 am Post subject:
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Uncle Krunkus wrote: | These are the reasons I would one day travel the world. |
I've already been to Oz- so it's your turn now _________________ Free Tibet. Release the Panchen Lama from prison. Let the Dalai Lama return to his home. |
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DrJustice
Joined: Sep 13, 2004 Posts: 2114 Location: Morokulien
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 6:08 am Post subject:
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A stunning piece of engineering! And the next must-have device for steam punks
Do they do demonstration runs of the machine, or is it only a static exhibit?
DJ
-- |
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mosc
Site Admin
Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 18195 Location: Durham, NC
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 6:45 am Post subject:
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Wikipedia wrote: | * Babbages's distaste for commoners ("the Mob") included writing "Observations of Street Nuisances" in 1864, as well as tallying up 165 "nuisances" over a period of 80 days; he especially hated street music, and in particular the music of organ grinders, against whom he railed in various venues. The following quotation is typical:
It is difficult to estimate the misery inflicted upon thousands of persons, and the absolute pecuniary penalty imposed upon multitudes of intellectual workers by the loss of their time, destroyed by organ-grinders and other similar nuisances. |
_________________ --Howard
my music and other stuff |
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Stanley Pain
Joined: Sep 02, 2004 Posts: 782 Location: Reading, UK
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 8:02 am Post subject:
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one of my favourite novels is "The Difference Engine" by William Gibson (and someone else) and it imagines a world where steam and not electricity had driven the information age's genesis. it's very interesting and a must for all you steam punk fans. _________________ there's no I in TEAM, so let's all act as individuals instead |
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cappy2112
Joined: Dec 24, 2004 Posts: 2465 Location: San Jose, California
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 10:17 am Post subject:
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DrJustice wrote: | A stunning piece of engineering! And the next must-have device for steam punks
Do they do demonstration runs of the machine, or is it only a static exhibit?
DJ
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I think they have limited demonstrations, but I haven't seen any myself.
There are very strong forces in action when it is running, as a result it can easily break. With 8000+ parts you can imagine what troubleshooting a problem would be like. Fortunately Babbage, designed in "mechanical fuses" to help force failures to a known location.
Whatever happened to inventors of this caliber (Marconi, Tesla, etc)???
They just don't seem to "make them liked they used to" ;( _________________ Free Tibet. Release the Panchen Lama from prison. Let the Dalai Lama return to his home. |
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v-un-v
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Joined: May 16, 2005 Posts: 8933 Location: Birmingham, England, UK
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 12:35 pm Post subject:
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What an absolutely beautiful thing!
Thanks very much for posting these pix _________________ ACHTUNG!
ALLES TURISTEN UND NONTEKNISCHEN LOOKENPEEPERS!
DAS KOMPUTERMASCHINE IST NICHT FÜR DER GEFINGERPOKEN UND MITTENGRABEN! ODERWISE IST EASY TO SCHNAPPEN DER SPRINGENWERK, BLOWENFUSEN UND POPPENCORKEN MIT SPITZENSPARKSEN.
IST NICHT FÜR GEWERKEN BEI DUMMKOPFEN. DER RUBBERNECKEN SIGHTSEEREN KEEPEN DAS COTTONPICKEN HÄNDER IN DAS POCKETS MUSS.
ZO RELAXEN UND WATSCHEN DER BLINKENLICHTEN. |
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v-un-v
Janitor
Joined: May 16, 2005 Posts: 8933 Location: Birmingham, England, UK
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 12:47 pm Post subject:
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Wasn't it true that Alan Turing's computer built to crack the Nazi Enigma machine was an electronic version of difference engine no. 2? _________________ ACHTUNG!
ALLES TURISTEN UND NONTEKNISCHEN LOOKENPEEPERS!
DAS KOMPUTERMASCHINE IST NICHT FÜR DER GEFINGERPOKEN UND MITTENGRABEN! ODERWISE IST EASY TO SCHNAPPEN DER SPRINGENWERK, BLOWENFUSEN UND POPPENCORKEN MIT SPITZENSPARKSEN.
IST NICHT FÜR GEWERKEN BEI DUMMKOPFEN. DER RUBBERNECKEN SIGHTSEEREN KEEPEN DAS COTTONPICKEN HÄNDER IN DAS POCKETS MUSS.
ZO RELAXEN UND WATSCHEN DER BLINKENLICHTEN. |
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EdisonRex
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Joined: Mar 07, 2007 Posts: 4579 Location: London, UK
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Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 12:39 am Post subject:
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Engine No 2 was commissioned by Nathan Myhrvold (of Microsoft fame). The "original" reproduction sits in the London Museum of Science, along with half of Babbage's pickled brain in a jar. Babbage did not have the machining technology or the money to complete one on his own, he was a rather cantankerous old coot who, although he had his followers, had many more enemies than friends. His biography is a good read.
I recently saw some pictures and a story about Engine No 2, and how it's being lent to the museum in California for exhibit.
There have been numerous other realizations using various mechanical toy parts. _________________ Garret: It's so retro.
EGM: What does retro mean to you?
Parker: Like, old and outdated.
Home,My Studio,and another view |
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cappy2112
Joined: Dec 24, 2004 Posts: 2465 Location: San Jose, California
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Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 5:02 pm Post subject:
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EdisonRex wrote: | Museum of Science[/url], along with half of Babbage's pickled brain in a jar.
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Flashbacks to Young Frankenstein (abby-normal) ...
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I recently saw some pictures and a story about Engine No 2, and how it's being lent to the museum in California for exhibit.
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The post and the pictures (and later, a link to a video showing the thing running) which started this thread are from the Computer History Museum, where #2 is on display. _________________ Free Tibet. Release the Panchen Lama from prison. Let the Dalai Lama return to his home. |
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cleatus
Joined: Jul 10, 2009 Posts: 22 Location: WI
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Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 5:48 am Post subject:
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cappy2112 wrote: | DrJustice wrote: | A stunning piece of engineering! And the next must-have device for steam punks
Do they do demonstration runs of the machine, or is it only a static exhibit?
DJ
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I think they have limited demonstrations, but I haven't seen any myself.
There are very strong forces in action when it is running, as a result it can easily break. With 8000+ parts you can imagine what troubleshooting a problem would be like. Fortunately Babbage, designed in "mechanical fuses" to help force failures to a known location.
Whatever happened to inventors of this caliber (Marconi, Tesla, etc)???
They just don't seem to "make them liked they used to" ;( |
thats cause they are spending their time texting, emailing, twittering, facebooking, WoW-ing...etc.. |
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