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The Interim Computer Museum

164 points by mulmen 14d ago

dang 14d ago
Discussed (only?) once before: The Interim Computer Museum - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37304983 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37304983 - Aug 2023 (15 comments)
- mulmen 14d ago
  Yes, I’m surprised it has not been discussed more. I submitted this because it appears to be something of a successor to Paul Allen’s Living Computers museum which I occasionally see mentioned in comments. I think we were all disappointed at how that ended so I was relieved to see this project is carrying the torch.
simfree 14d ago
ICM on a Saturday and Connections Museum on a Sunday is a delightful pairing! Close to the airport too if your just popping by on a layover, though plan on 2 to 4 hours for each
incanus77 14d ago
A fantastic collection and restoration effort. I highly encourage a visit. I was in Seattle last year and had recently joined and pinged about maybe getting a tour. It was right before a vintage computer festival and despite being busy getting ready, Stephen, the director, encouraged me to drop in. I would've been happy just looking (and not even touching) by myself for 15 or 20 minutes given the circumstances, but Stephen spent 1.5 hours with me in a hands-on tour, including playing Spacewar. He genuinely cares about these machines, their preservation, and spreading enthusiasm about them. I only wish I was a little closer (3 hours away in Portland) or I'd spend more time on-site helping with the effort.
ChrisArchitect 14d ago
Somewhat related discussion about developments with the Living Computer Museum, whose collection is connected to this: Living Computers Museum to permanently close, auction vintage items https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40789179 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40789179
- xhkkffbf 14d ago
  Did this collection come from the LCM? It was sad to see that one go along with Paul Allen.
  - mulmen 14d ago
    Partially. > Is this the Living Computer Museum? > We are not Living Computers, but in May of 2024 the Living Computers Remote Vintage Systems were acquired and transfered to us. https://icm.museum/?faq https://icm.museum/?faq
  - pinewurst 14d ago
    I believe it's the LCM items that either didn't sell or were not considered worthy of auction by Jody Allen and her droogs.
    - mulmen 14d ago
      Jody Allen is the executor and trustee of Paul Allens estate. She is simply complying with his wishes.
      - kragen 14d ago
        If his wishes were to shut down the LCM+L, fire all its staff, and auction off its collection, why didn't he do that while he was still alive? To me it seems like the actions of a vindictive family member who wanted to destroy the best things her brother had created in his life.
        mulmen 13d ago
        This conversation is tiresome. It comes up every time the LCM is mentioned. Jody Allen is simply respecting her brother’s wishes. Paul Allen had many projects. Only a handful were ever intended to outlast him. LCM was not one of them. He wanted his fortune liquidated and donated. That’s exactly what his sister is doing.
buyverifiedcash 14d ago
[dead]
CircuitSeuss 14d ago
If you’re in the area, check out the Connections Museum too! https://www.telcomhistory.org/ConnectionsSeattle.html https://www.telcomhistory.org/ConnectionsSeattle.html
- matthewpick 12d ago
  This is such a cool museum. Calling it a museum doesn’t do it justice though: it’s more of an interactive experience, with many generations of communications equipment under one roof.
Founderarcstone 14d ago
hey great work !
ricksunny 14d ago
I want to see models of Vannevar Bush's rapid analytical machine computers supplied to the proto-NSA. See Colin Burke and Pieces of the Action
theycallmeritik 14d ago
It's awesome seeing physical computing history preserved like this, especially the lesser-known enterprise machines that usually just get scrapped when a company shuts down.
einpoklum 14d ago
That looks like a very useful way to convert one's obsession with holding on to old computers and tinkering with them to a socially-education experience. But who will keep the keyboards clean from all of the crud that collects over the years? :-P
leoc 14d ago
Its YouTube channel has some nice video, including footage of the KL-10: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZSXexPtkcnmJ59mPoeZyGDWQMewPkWbl https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZSXexPtkcnmJ59mPoeZyGDWQ... .
contingencies 14d ago
In the same vein if you're in Sydney check out the Australian Computer Museum https://acms.org.au/ https://acms.org.au/ https://maps.app.goo.gl/UKtUrrDpDnfAWn6d6 https://maps.app.goo.gl/UKtUrrDpDnfAWn6d6
justbits 14d ago
Hi that's fantastic collection, I love it. It actually kind of pair with a project about source code, no hardware: https://www.programmingmuseum.com/ https://www.programmingmuseum.com/
formvoltron 14d ago
cool. the orange glow reminds me of the first time i used a networked computer.... the Plato system. I was about 12 and some dude on the dungeon game said he was in california. I was in northern Michigan. That broke my brain for the day.
nipmi 14d ago
Really awesome looking collection! I want to go next time I visit Seattle. I know there's a great museum near Atlanta for those interested in vintage computing who live on the other side of the country -- https://mimmsmuseum.org https://mimmsmuseum.org I believe both of these museums got lots of artifacts from the LCM, so its legacy lives on
ilaksh 14d ago
Click on the Recollections page, it has a bunch of real vintage Unix (etc.) computers you can log into.
sdf_pubnix 14d ago
Just heard about this post. Interim Computer Museum is an extension of the SDF Public Access UNIX System's Vintage Systems program. Thank you to all who have supported our efforts over the years! ICM will allow SDF.ORG to continue to be a UNIX platform for implementing new and interesting community ideas and Interim Computer Museum will handle the retrospective aspect of the amazing computer history in our collective recent past.
ChristmasTomer 13d ago
This is sick. Way cooler than just looking at old computers behind glass. The fact you can actually log into some of the old Unix machines is awesome lol. If I’m ever in Seattle I’m 100% checking this place out.

164 points by mulmen 14d ago

dang 14d ago

Discussed (only?) once before: The Interim Computer Museum - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37304983 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37304983 - Aug 2023 (15 comments)

mulmen 14d ago
Yes, I’m surprised it has not been discussed more. I submitted this because it appears to be something of a successor to Paul Allen’s Living Computers museum which I occasionally see mentioned in comments. I think we were all disappointed at how that ended so I was relieved to see this project is carrying the torch.

simfree 14d ago

ICM on a Saturday and Connections Museum on a Sunday is a delightful pairing! Close to the airport too if your just popping by on a layover, though plan on 2 to 4 hours for each

incanus77 14d ago

A fantastic collection and restoration effort. I highly encourage a visit. I was in Seattle last year and had recently joined and pinged about maybe getting a tour. It was right before a vintage computer festival and despite being busy getting ready, Stephen, the director, encouraged me to drop in. I would've been happy just looking (and not even touching) by myself for 15 or 20 minutes given the circumstances, but Stephen spent 1.5 hours with me in a hands-on tour, including playing Spacewar. He genuinely cares about these machines, their preservation, and spreading enthusiasm about them. I only wish I was a little closer (3 hours away in Portland) or I'd spend more time on-site helping with the effort.

ChrisArchitect 14d ago

Somewhat related discussion about developments with the Living Computer Museum, whose collection is connected to this: Living Computers Museum to permanently close, auction vintage items https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40789179 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40789179

xhkkffbf 14d ago
Did this collection come from the LCM? It was sad to see that one go along with Paul Allen.
- mulmen 14d ago
  Partially. > Is this the Living Computer Museum? > We are not Living Computers, but in May of 2024 the Living Computers Remote Vintage Systems were acquired and transfered to us. https://icm.museum/?faq https://icm.museum/?faq
- pinewurst 14d ago
  I believe it's the LCM items that either didn't sell or were not considered worthy of auction by Jody Allen and her droogs.
  - mulmen 14d ago
    Jody Allen is the executor and trustee of Paul Allens estate. She is simply complying with his wishes.
    - kragen 14d ago
      If his wishes were to shut down the LCM+L, fire all its staff, and auction off its collection, why didn't he do that while he was still alive? To me it seems like the actions of a vindictive family member who wanted to destroy the best things her brother had created in his life.
      - mulmen 13d ago
        This conversation is tiresome. It comes up every time the LCM is mentioned. Jody Allen is simply respecting her brother’s wishes. Paul Allen had many projects. Only a handful were ever intended to outlast him. LCM was not one of them. He wanted his fortune liquidated and donated. That’s exactly what his sister is doing.

buyverifiedcash 14d ago

[dead]

CircuitSeuss 14d ago

If you’re in the area, check out the Connections Museum too! https://www.telcomhistory.org/ConnectionsSeattle.html https://www.telcomhistory.org/ConnectionsSeattle.html

matthewpick 12d ago
This is such a cool museum. Calling it a museum doesn’t do it justice though: it’s more of an interactive experience, with many generations of communications equipment under one roof.

Founderarcstone 14d ago

hey great work !

ricksunny 14d ago

I want to see models of Vannevar Bush's rapid analytical machine computers supplied to the proto-NSA. See Colin Burke and Pieces of the Action

theycallmeritik 14d ago

It's awesome seeing physical computing history preserved like this, especially the lesser-known enterprise machines that usually just get scrapped when a company shuts down.

einpoklum 14d ago

That looks like a very useful way to convert one's obsession with holding on to old computers and tinkering with them to a socially-education experience. But who will keep the keyboards clean from all of the crud that collects over the years? :-P

leoc 14d ago

Its YouTube channel has some nice video, including footage of the KL-10: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZSXexPtkcnmJ59mPoeZyGDWQMewPkWbl https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZSXexPtkcnmJ59mPoeZyGDWQ... .

contingencies 14d ago

In the same vein if you're in Sydney check out the Australian Computer Museum https://acms.org.au/ https://acms.org.au/ https://maps.app.goo.gl/UKtUrrDpDnfAWn6d6 https://maps.app.goo.gl/UKtUrrDpDnfAWn6d6

justbits 14d ago

Hi that's fantastic collection, I love it. It actually kind of pair with a project about source code, no hardware: https://www.programmingmuseum.com/ https://www.programmingmuseum.com/

formvoltron 14d ago

cool. the orange glow reminds me of the first time i used a networked computer.... the Plato system. I was about 12 and some dude on the dungeon game said he was in california. I was in northern Michigan. That broke my brain for the day.

nipmi 14d ago

Really awesome looking collection! I want to go next time I visit Seattle. I know there's a great museum near Atlanta for those interested in vintage computing who live on the other side of the country -- https://mimmsmuseum.org https://mimmsmuseum.org I believe both of these museums got lots of artifacts from the LCM, so its legacy lives on

ilaksh 14d ago

Click on the Recollections page, it has a bunch of real vintage Unix (etc.) computers you can log into.

sdf_pubnix 14d ago

Just heard about this post. Interim Computer Museum is an extension of the SDF Public Access UNIX System's Vintage Systems program. Thank you to all who have supported our efforts over the years! ICM will allow SDF.ORG to continue to be a UNIX platform for implementing new and interesting community ideas and Interim Computer Museum will handle the retrospective aspect of the amazing computer history in our collective recent past.

ChristmasTomer 13d ago

This is sick. Way cooler than just looking at old computers behind glass. The fact you can actually log into some of the old Unix machines is awesome lol. If I’m ever in Seattle I’m 100% checking this place out.