# Tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1899!



## Dave (Oct 14, 2010)

Is this a fabulous idea, or is it a bit of a waste of money?

It is hardly cutting edge technology, but I find the idea interesting. 



> *Campaign builds to construct Babbage Analytical Engine*
> 
> By Jonathan Fildes Technology reporter, BBC News
> 
> ...


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## PTeppic (Oct 15, 2010)

I'd love to get ten thousand volunteers and try to build a "real" pyramid. But would take a LOT of money (and planning permission - so maybe somewhere not in the UK)


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## Dave (Oct 15, 2010)

PTeppic said:


> volunteers


It couldn't be done without slave labour. Health & Safety would make it impossible - too many deaths.

An Analytical Engine, conversely, ought to be easier. Modern machines with exact tolerances would make mass production of the parts simple.


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## chrispenycate (Oct 15, 2010)

I'm working on the screen driver card. In St. Croix, in the Swiss Jura, there is a museum  of music boxes and automata, with a Pierrot holding a quill pen, which he dips into the ink, and handwrites one of a selection of different messages; all run on watch parts.

Certainly screen refresh is a touch slow, but he's entirely clockwork, and comes with a sound driver that plays "Au clair de la lune".

This was the only video I could find; I have a better one, but uploading it onto You-tube?

*_starts working on the tin can and taut string modem_*


Le Pierrot écrivain (vidéo) - Turbo.fr


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## J-WO (Oct 17, 2010)

A Victorian computer is all very well, but if you Googled for porn all you'd get would be table legs.


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## Dave (Oct 17, 2010)

J-WO said:


> A Victorian computer is all very well, but if you Googled for porn all you'd get would be table legs.


And ankles!

At least you wouldn't get spam for Telegrams and Liver Tonics.


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## PTeppic (Oct 17, 2010)

Dave said:


> At least you wouldn't get spam for Telegrams and Liver Tonics.



No, but just think of all the interesting things that WERE still for sale, instead, legally or semi-legally...


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