Connection Machine

From: William Donzelli <aw288_at_osfn.org>
Date: Sun May 23 14:32:57 2004

> I helped build the CM-1!

I put a bid into buying the remains of TMC (Connection Machine Service,
Inc.), but only won a small portion. I remember seeing "the pile" - maybe
50 CM-5 cabinets, a few CM-2s, and lots of junk.

I did get a CM-5, plus one of the units used in Jurrassic Park (there were
two - the other went out west, I think for "Jurrasic Park: the Ride"). I
needed the panels, so I parted the thing out. I have the panels (some are
available - contact me off list), and the frame went to one of the RCS
guys.

If you look at the movie, sharp eyes will notice that the lights are not
right! The props people mounted the panels on the side of the frames, not
the ends as they should be. They also put them in sideways. To top it off,
most of the LEDs are actually blacked out with gaffers tape - apparently
too many blinkenlights!

The frames were never supercomputers - they were never populated, and
never received serials. No power supplies, no cables, no backplanes, no
nothing! They were simply surplus frames left over after CM-5 (all CM,
actually) production stopped.

William Donzelli
aw288_at_osfn.org
Received on Sun May 23 2004 - 14:32:57 BST