The vacuum-tube computer developed by Mike uses old Eastern Bloc dual triodes. The device, which has an 8-bit von Neumann architecture and 16 instructions, was designed on a NOR basis, like the NASA computers used in the Apollo program. The wall-mounted compact computer is accompanied by an old British Rail flip-digit display and a control panel for a simple airship simulation.
Why it matters
By bringing together different layers of computer history in a single homemade setup, the project shows that old technologies are not merely objects to be put on display. The reuse of the architecture associated with the computers of the Apollo program and electronic components from an earlier era raises the question of how technical heritage can be interpreted by hardware enthusiasts and those interested in computer history. The wall-mounted structure and physical control system indicate that the user interface, alongside the computing unit, can also reflect the technological understanding of the era. However, the extent to which this approach can be sustained in the face of the availability and maintenance requirements of the tubes and other old components remains an unanswered question in the text.