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The search for the lost Cray supercomputer OS (2014)

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Re: The search for the lost Cray supercomputer OS (2014)

#11
post #2

Reading this makes me wonder what is being done to preserve other, more recent, and less popular systems. If the material relating to Cray-1, probably one of the most iconic computers ever made, has been preserved this poorly I don't have much hope. Old web pages suffer from a similar fate. The fast pace of technological advancement make things difficult but we really should be doing more.

Who's gonna preserve that stuff? Even if you have the media, it's non-trivial to play it and get the data off of it. Moreover, the actual owners of it, the almost rush to end of life stuff when they can, they don't want to carry the legacy and they OWN it.

Back in the 70s and early 80s it was like the 'hey day' of alternative hardware and software. There were dozens and dozens of systems, all with their own micro architecture, there are probably a bunch that are completely defunct, even if you had working hardware the software might be extinct. Wang, Kaypro, CDC, there were bunches of them...

The real warning shot this should be to everybody is for your personal media. The video and photos of your family. If you don't actively take part in archiving them (like regularly checking in on them, backing them up, copying them to new media, etc..) it is very possible, some would say likely that in 20, 30, maybe 50 years, you won't even be able to read the stuff. It's already a real chore to play a VHS tape.

Re: The search for the lost Cray supercomputer OS (2014)

#12
post #4
post #2

Reading this makes me wonder what is being done to preserve other, more recent, and less popular systems. If the material relating to Cray-1, probably one of the most iconic computers ever made, has been preserved this poorly I don't have much hope. Old web pages suffer from a similar fate. The fast pace of technological advancement make things difficult but we really should be doing more.

That is really hard to answer. Wikipedia says "Over 80" Cray-1s were sold, so they weren't all that common, despite being the iconic representation of a supercomputer. The answer is different for each machine. There are emulators for some of the older machines. See http://simh.trailing-edge.com/ and http://simh.trailing-edge.com/links.html for some. Here's an HP-2000 emulator: 1. Telnet to mickey.publicvm.com (yes, t…

This is bullshit. I immediately died of pneumonia, even after spending amply on food and oxen.

Re: The search for the lost Cray supercomputer OS (2014)

#13
post #2

Reading this makes me wonder what is being done to preserve other, more recent, and less popular systems. If the material relating to Cray-1, probably one of the most iconic computers ever made, has been preserved this poorly I don't have much hope. Old web pages suffer from a similar fate. The fast pace of technological advancement make things difficult but we really should be doing more.

The great irony of the Information Age is nothing will be remembered.

Then how was John Titor able to reboot society with an IBM 5100.

Re: The search for the lost Cray supercomputer OS (2014)

#14
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is really hard to answer. Wikipedia says "Over 80" Cray-1s were sold, so they weren't all that common, despite being the iconic representation of a supercomputer. The answer is different for each machine. There are emulators for some of the older machines. See http://simh.trailing-edge.com/ and http://simh.trailing-edge.com/links.html for some. Here's an HP-2000 emulator: 1. Telnet to mickey.publicvm.com (yes, t…

This is bullshit. I immediately died of pneumonia, even after spending amply on food and oxen.

Added to http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Fun:Real_Gamers

Re: The search for the lost Cray supercomputer OS (2014)

#15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is bullshit. I immediately died of pneumonia, even after spending amply on food and oxen.

Added to http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Fun:Real_Gamers

Haha. After a really stressful day, this made me laugh out loud. Thanks.

Re: The search for the lost Cray supercomputer OS (2014)

#16
post #2

Reading this makes me wonder what is being done to preserve other, more recent, and less popular systems. If the material relating to Cray-1, probably one of the most iconic computers ever made, has been preserved this poorly I don't have much hope. Old web pages suffer from a similar fate. The fast pace of technological advancement make things difficult but we really should be doing more.

Who's gonna preserve that stuff? Even if you have the media, it's non-trivial to play it and get the data off of it. Moreover, the actual owners of it, the almost rush to end of life stuff when they can, they don't want to carry the legacy and they OWN it. Back in the 70s and early 80s it was like the 'hey day' of alternative hardware and software. There were dozens and dozens of systems, all with their own micro arc…

"Who's gonna preserve that stuff?" There are dedicated groups attempting to do what they can, getting the word out so that more eyes can scan the landscape and sight historical ephemera to be preserved helps too:

http://www.computerhistory.org/groups/spg/ https://archive.org/details/software

My list which has many items still to be found:

http://www.retrocomputingtasmania.com/home/projects/spg

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