Quarter classics (was: Big Iron Was:RE: Backwate

From: D. Peschel <dpeschel_at_u.washington.edu>
Date: Fri Jun 26 01:28:38 1998

> But seriously, since my workshop isn't open to the public, and almost
> nobody knows who I am, where should %random_person go to find out about
> real front panels, forerunners of Windows, etc. If not a science museum,
> then where?

Geez, this thread has become very gloomy very quickly.

I'm leaving for London tomorrow (so I won't get any replies to this message --
but flame me at Bletchley Park on Sunday!) so I'm remaining hopeful that
British museums are more informative than their American counterparts.

I've seen the process of decay at the Boston Computer Museum. I will give
them generous credit for setting up their California center, though I don't
know how that will turn out. I've seen the same change in miniature at the
Science Museum in London. The Pacfic Science Center here in Seattle has
resisted, but they're slipping too.

Personally, I'd place my bets on the small individually-operated computer
museums that are beginning to appear. But they probably don't have the
special qualities we need:

        - Attract a connoisseur audience;
          provide it with meaty information.

        - Attract a curious (or un-curious!) neophyte audience;
          spark its interest in hopes of its becoming a connoisseur audience.
          Expect that the change will not happen to many people.

        - Don't waste money. Don't sneer at opportunities.
          Don't accept opportunities and then sneer at them afterward.

        - Do all this on a large scale.

A couple of these points stem from a recent conversation I had with Jim
Willing. He knows it can happen on a very small scale -- it's dealing with
masses of people that is the formidable aspect of this sort of management.

-- Derek
Received on Fri Jun 26 1998 - 01:28:38 BST