During Construction....

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Wow - an actual reason to go to Mountain View!

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I tried to go see this in Boston in 2000. I am ALL OVER IT.

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That and the fact that it's the only city in the South Bay which has inconsistently flouted laws and cut corners to establish an Uninsured Migratory Workers' Center. We'll I'm not sure if they're calling it that exactly but it's early. But if you need your Los Altos Hills mansion "landscaped" (tended) then pick a few up on your truck on the way back from the museum.

Anyway, I want to know whether Nate ever special orders stuff that isn't retro.

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Thanks for the tip. When I have a Los Altos Hills mansion, I'll be sure to remember that helpful tidbit.

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Field trip!

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I remember seeing the other Engine in the British Museum a few years back. They were installing a peripheral - a printer - that pressed raised reverse metal type on a tank tread like loop into paper pulp. -Really- olde skool.

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"[It] will open May 10, and stay in the museum in Mountain View for one year -- after which it will take up residence in Myhrvold's living room."

Seriously? This is not a fucking coffee table nick nack. Leave it in the museum.

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Hey, he paid to have to have the thing built! Best coffee table ever.

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I can only hope he plans to make his accountants use it.

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I guess he never learned how to click Start>Programs>Accessories>Calculator.

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I have a mini-difference calculator sitting on my desk.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curta

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I really hope some bored billionaire has the Analytical Engine built some day.

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I was at the London Science Museum several months ago and recall seeing the work-in-progress of this unit being built. It would appear they were doing the assembly of this engine in the public areas of the computing section of the science museum. You can view pictures of some of the Babbage kit online here:

http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/onlinestuff/museum_objects/computing.aspx

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Of course, this machine was a huge technical leap forward from the far less successful Sameness Engine.

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Not to mention the Indifference Engine.

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ah, but the machine has to be taught to care before it can choose to be apathetic.

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And let us not forget the French attempt --the "Vive la Difference" Engine.

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Apple will be releasing one soon.

Think Difference.

*groan*

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HAR! --although I object to the poor grammar. Everyone knows it should be "Think Differencely."

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Reminds me of a book I once saw at the library.

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There's a nice video to it on wired.com.

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