Oldest computer still in current use

From: Bryan Blackburn <oldcomp_at_cox.net>
Date: Sun May 11 03:12:00 2003

Roger "Merch" Merchberger wrote:

> tree falls in the woods, and no-one is around to hear it, does it
> make a _sound_. Sound is merely a disturbance in a medium (in this
> instance, air) within an audible range. The fact that the tree
> disturbed the medium is all that matters, so the answer is "yes..."


Yes, but do you know what the definition of the word "is" is? :o)

>
> the gubbermint contracted sites were still working with 2-3 MIPS
> machines for daily business... and prolly still are.
>
I worked as a contractor for the U.S. Forest Service up until August of
2000, they were still regularly using tube based radio equipment built
in the early to mid 1960's! I don't recall the model or make of computer
used, but the last time I heard, our national airline radar system was
still using tubes in the mainframe computers! The scandal had something
to do with the millions of dollars spent to improve the system, that
never actually does. Tubes were being ordered from Russia to meet the
demand as the required tubes were no longer made in America. Anyone know
more facts about that? I seem to remember the mainframes being IBM?

-Bryan
Received on Sun May 11 2003 - 03:12:00 BST