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Information Age Gallery: Web

Computer networks criss-cross the planet, transmitting vast amounts of data at high speed. Explore the objects that have revolutionised the flow of information on display in the Information Age Gallery.

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NeXT cube computer, 1990

Temporary Exhibitions

1990

"NeXTcube," a NeXT computer, including screen, keyboard and mouse, made by NeXT, Redwood CIty, California, United States, 1990. Used by Tim Berners-Lee to design the World Wide Web, at CERN, 1990.

main frame, for Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) pilot model, 1949

Computing & Data Processing

1949

Main frame, for Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) pilot model, made at the National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, London, England, and some of the valves by Osram, Germany, 1949. The construction of the (ACE) pilot model was based on designs by Alan Turing.

replica of the first transistor, 1947-2003

Computing & Data Processing

1947-2003

Replica model of the first transistor, made by UKAEA Harwell, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom, 1947-2003.

Hollerith 45 column horizontal electrical sorting machine, 1920-1930

Computing & Data Processing

1920-1930

Hollerith horizontal electrical sorting machine, no.7407, 45 column, invented by Herman Hollerith, and made by British Tabulating Machine Company Limited, Letchworth, Hertfordshire, England, 1920-1930

IBM 5151-02 computer monitor, 1983

Computing & Data Processing

1983

Green screen monochrome monitor Model 5151-02, made by IBM USA, Taiwan, 1983. Serial number 5500156

IBM 515X-55-07714 keyboard, 1983

Computing & Data Processing

1983

IBM model 515X-55-07714 keyboard, made by IBM, British, 1983.

iMac G3 'Bondi Blue' personal computer, 1998

Computing & Data Processing

1998

Apple Inc. iMac G3 'Bondi Blue' personal computer, manufactured by Apple Inc., probably United States, 1998. Serial Number CK3441WBEUL.

computer mouse prototype, 1963 (replica)

Computing & Data Processing

2011

Replica of original computer mouse prototype designed by Douglas Englebert in 1963 and patented in 1970, made by the Stanford Research Institute, California, United States, 2011.

IBM ThinkPad 365e laptop computer, with Russian Cyrillic alphabet stickers on the keyboard keys

Computing & Data Processing

1997

IBM ThinkPad 365e laptop computer, with Russian Cyrillic alphabet stickers on the keyboard keys, by IBM, Taiwan, 1997. This laptop computer was used in Helsinki, Finland.

Deccafax Viewdata terminal, 1979-1994

Telecommunications

1979-1994

Deccafax Viewdata Terminal Model VP1, Serial No 170948, manufactured by Decca Radio and Television, London, England, 1979-1994

Sinclair ZX Spectrum microcomputer, 1982-1985

Computing & Data Processing

1982-1985

Spectrum microcomputer with 48K RAM , serial number 148-455954, manufactured by Sinclair Research Limited, assembled in Portugal, 1982-1985

Logic door from a Ferranti Mark I computer, 1951

Computing & Data Processing

1951

Logic door from a Ferranti Mark I computer with 3 transformers and 42 valves in place, manufactured by Ferranti Limited, Moston, Manchester, England, 1951.

IBM 5150 personal computer

Computing & Data Processing

1983

IBM model 5150 System Unit with integral twin 5 1/4 inch disk drives, made by IBM, Greenock, Scotland, 1983. 64K memory, single-sided double density 5 1/4 40 tpi 106K drives

Westrex teletype terminal, 1960-1980

Telecommunications

1960-1980

Westrex teletype terminal, Type ASR/KSR33, made by the Westrex Company Limited, London, England, 1960-1980.

BBC model B microcomputer

Computing & Data Processing

1982-1984

BBC model B microcomputer, designed by Acorn Computers Limited and manufactured by ASTEC Components Limited, British, 1982-1984. Serial number 1,000,000

BESM-6 Supercomputer, 1968-1987

Computing & Data Processing

1968-1987

BESM-6 Supercomputer: Registers Cabinet type BRUS with two glass doors, control panel and desk; Control Unit type UU with two glass doors, control panel and desk; Arithmetic Unit type AU with two glass doors, control panel and desk; Peripheral Control Cabinet, type UVU with two glass doors, control panel and desk; possibly manufactured by Moscow Calculating Analytical Plant Machines, Russia, 1968-1987

Commodore VC20 microcomputer, 1980-1985

Computing & Data Processing

1980-1985

Commodore VC20 microcomputer, manufactured by Commodore Business Machines (UK) Limited, British, 1980-1985

Sinclair ZX 81 microcomputer, 1981-1985

Computing & Data Processing

1981-1985

ZX81 microcomputer, manufactured by Sinclair Research Limited, British, 1981

sub unit from LEO II computer, 1958

Computing & Data Processing

1958

Metal sub-unit containing valves and other electronic components mounted as presentation souvenir from LEO II, made by the English Electric Company, British, 1958

Altair 8800b computer system, 1977-1982

Computing & Data Processing

1977-1982

Altair 8800b Working System, made by Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems (MITS), United States, 1977-1982.

'National' laserdisc, used as part of the BBC Domesday system

Computing & Data Processing

1986

'National' laserdisc, used as part of the BBC Domesday system, made by BBC Enterprises Limited, England, 1986.

Alcatel Minitel communication terminal, France, 1983

Computing & Data Processing

1983

Alcatel Minitel communications terminal, made by Alcatel Business Systems, France, 1983. Communications terminal distributed by the French Telecom system as part of their attempt at an internet, 1983.

keyboard and mouse for Apple Lisa computer, 1983-1991

Computing & Data Processing

1983-1991

Keyboard amd mouse for Apple Lisa computer, Apple, United States, 1983-1991. Keyboard model no.A6MB101, serial no. 1007252

Oric Atmos computer, 1984

Computing & Data Processing

1984

Oric Atmos computer, manufactured by Oric (previously Tangerine), Cambridgeshire, England, 1984

Cherry editing keyboard, 1979-1994

Telecommunications

1979-1994

Editing Keyboard Type UB80-0023, by Cherry GmbH, possibly Germany, 1979-1994. Serial No 4486.

BBC Domesday system 'Community' Laserdisc

Computing & Data Processing

1986

'Community' laserdisc, used as part of the BBC Domesday system, made by BBC Enterprises Limited, England, 1986.

Apple 'Hypercard' software, 1987

Computing & Data Processing

1987

Factory-sealed version of Apple's Hypercard software, made by Apple Inc, United States, 1985

Cisco Catalyst 1200 switch, 1994

Computing & Data Processing

1994

Cisco Catalyst 1200 switch, made by Cisco Systems, Inc., United States, 1994. Serial number: 62007011. London Internet Exchange

control unit for Honeywell DDP 516 computer, 1966-1970

Computing & Data Processing

1966-1970

Control unit for Honeywell DDP 516 computer, designed by the Computer Control Company Inc and manufactured by Honeywell Computer Control Division, United States, 1966-1970

Receiver unit from the ENIAC computer, 1943-1945

Computing & Data Processing

1943-1945

Receiver unit from the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC), designed by John Mauchly and J Presper Eckert, made at the Moore School of Electrical Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, United States 1943-1945

module from SAGE computer, 1963-1984

Computing & Data Processing

1963-1984

Module from SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment), the United States airforce early warning system computer, containing 5 valves and 7 printed circuit boards (P.C.B.s), and numbered 87583, made by IBM, United States, 1963-1984

'One Laptop per Child' computer, 2007-2011

Computing & Data Processing

2007-2011

'One Laptop per Child' Computer, manufactured by Quanta Computer, China, 2007-2012

BBC model B second processor

Computing & Data Processing

1982-1984

Second processor for BBC model B microcomputer, designed by Acorn Computers Limited and manufactured by ASTEC Components Limited, British, 1982-1984.

End plate assembly for a battery of mercury delay tubes from EDSAC 1, 1946-1958

Computing & Data Processing

1946-1948

End plate assembly for a battery of mercury delay tubes from the electronic computer EDSAC 1, designed by Maurice Wilkes and made by the Cambridge University Mathematical Laboratory, Cambridge, England 1946-1958

PDP 10 operators console, 1966-1970

Computing & Data Processing

1966-1970

Operators Console from PDP 10 (system 1050) mainframe computer, made by Digital Equipment Company Limited, Massachusetts, United States, 1966-1970

Main portion of short mercury delay tube from the electronic computer EDSAC, 1946-1958

Computing & Data Processing

1946-1958

Main portion of short mercury delay tube from the electronic computer EDSAC 1, made at the University of Cambridge Mathematical Laboratory, Cambridge, England, 1946-1958.

name plate from Leo I or II computer, 1951-1960

Computing & Data Processing

1951-1960

LEO computer name plate from LEO I or II, made by J Lyons and Company Limited, England, 1951-1960

NorthStar Horizon computer, 1979

Computing & Data Processing

1979

NorthStar Horizon computer, made by North Star Computers, Berkeley, California, United States, 1979.

Panel 1 unit from EDSAC1, 1946-1958

Computing & Data Processing

1946-1958

An example of the unit known as panel 1 from the electronic computer EDSAC 1, designed by Maurice Wilkes and built at the University of Cambridge Mathematical Laboratory, Cambridge, England, 1946-1958.

coil of 7mm fibre optic cable on cable drum, 1977

Telecommunications

1977

Coil of 7 mm fibre optic cable, wound on to a cable drum, as used on the Hitchin-Stevenage fibre optic telephone link, made by Standard Telephones and Cables Limited, Harlow, Essex, England, 1977

Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) simulator, 1950

Computing & Data Processing

1950

Slow-speed relay operated simulator of the National Physical Laboratory's automatic computing engine (ACE), by the National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, Middlesex, England and components by Bosch, Germany, 1950

Hard disk unit for Apple Lisa computer, 1983-1991

Computing & Data Processing

1983-1991

Lisa Profile 5Mb hard disk unit for Apple Lisa computer, Apple, United States, 1983-1991. Model no. A9M100S, serial no. 127936

Apple 'iPad 2', 2011-2012

Computing & Data Processing

2011-2012

Apple iPad 2, Black, 16GB, Wi-Fi, Model A1395, designed by Apple in California, assembled in China, 2011-2012

Apple Lisa processor unit, 1983

Computing & Data Processing

1983

Apple Lisa Processor Unit, with integral twin disk drives and monitor, Apple, Cupertino, California, 1983. Model no.A6SB100P, Memory option A6SB108, Serial no. B08B831240025, Applenet no. 00102025, Manufactured: 83124.

paper tray for Westrex teletype terminal, c. 1970

Telecommunications

1960-1980

Paper tray for Westrex teletype terminal, Type ASR/KSR33, made by the Westrex Company Limited, London, England, 1960-1980.

Cisco AGS Router, 1986

Computing & Data Processing

1986

The first Cisco AGS Router, made by Cisco Systems Inc, Palo Alto, California, United States, 1986

operating console for IBM System 360/195 computer, 1971-1978

Computing & Data Processing

1971-1978

Complete operating console for IBM System 360/195 computer, manufactured by IBM, United States, 1971-1978.

valve from Colossus project, 1940-1945

Computing & Data Processing

1940-1945

Valve in holder, from Colossus project, designed by Tommy Flowers, made at the Post Office Research Station and used at the Government Code and Ciphers School at Bletchley Park, 1940-1945

Original packaging for the Microsoft Windows Operating System, Version 1.0

Computing & Data Processing

1985-1994

Original packaging for the Microsoft Windows Operating System, Version 1.0, by Microsoft Corporation, United States, 1985-1994

White Soviet Sinclair Spectrum clone, 1980-1990

Computing & Data Processing

1980-1990

White Sinclair Spectrum Clone with Russian characters, unknown maker, Russia, 1980-1990