Canadian Computer Museum Plans Special ‘Boot-up’ Day

By: Lee Rickwood

August 8, 2014

There was a time…

When mice were not wired or wireless – they were rodents!

When a bluish glow late a night meant the moon was full – or something even more romantic!

When 64 K was all you needed!

museum keyboardThe history of the personal computer is filled with missteps, mistakes and yes, milestones of significant accomplishment along the way.

Today, we carry computers in our pocket, or wear them on our wrist – but in the past, a really big desktop was needed.

One of the first personal desktop computers was shown at the 1964 World’s Fair: the early Italian job weighed like 35 kilos – 70 pounds – and cost more than $3,000 at the time, something like $30,000 today!

Nevertheless, it led to thousands of other models over the years, and many of them are represented in the collection of the Personal Computer Museum, based in Brantford, ON.

Started up by local computer enthusiast and professional IT specialist Syd Bolton in 2005, the Canadian PC Museum now has more than 25,000 artifacts in its holdings.

There are old VIC-20s and Commodore 64s, along with machines from Apple, IBM, Timex, Radio Shack and more – in fact, Bolton notes, not all the PCs in the collection can even be shown at one time, so a selection of most interesting, engaging and popular units are on display at any one time.

Bolton says he had the museum in mind for some 20 years, and that his collection is not only about computers: “It’s Canada’s only interactive computer museum,” he adds. “The museum not only preserves and shares the history of personal computers, but other technologies as well such as video games, cell phones and other electronic consumer devices.”

The operation is a volunteer-run (about 40 regulars contribute greatly) labour of love; as such, its hours of operation are limited, and days when the collection is open for public viewing are a special occasion.

Coming up in a week or so, on Saturday August 16, the Museum will be open from 10 AM to 4 PM. As a special bonus, Bolton noted that the day’s special plans include screening of a video-game related movie on the Museum’s giant screen – the movie starts at 2 pm.

Students from TriOS College of London visit the Personal Computer Museum in Brantford, during one of its recent open houses – the Museum is next open on Saturday, August 16, 2014.

Students from TriOS College of London visit the Personal Computer Museum in Brantford, during one of its recent open houses – the Museum is next open on Saturday, August 16, 2014.

The Museum’s open house is a great chance to see some of the technological predecessors of our current age, and to understand just what people had to go through ‘back then’ just to type and print a letter, much less share a personal video with folks half way ‘round the world.

Admission to the Museum is free, although Bolton encourages and appreciates financial donations “to help us keep the lights on” if not equipment donations that supplement the collection.

Of course, he’s looking for the rare and original, but Bolton says even PCs that are already well represented are good to have in the collection.

“Extra machines work well for us as spare parts since some of these machines break down easily. We are mostly looking for machines from the 70’s and 80’s, but will take anything,” he says, listing of course the PC itself but also original software programs, instruction books or other items that go with the machine.

“We also now collect things like cellular phones, manual typewriters, music players (like iPods), video games, laser & video discs and more.”

In return, Bolton gives any donor full recognition at the Museum, along with an honourary lifetime membership. Equipment can be dropped off during an open house, or he will even make arrangements for pick-up if and when convenient time.

In some cases, people can actually leave the Museum with a PC – Bolton operates a giveaway program that provides free computers for families that can’t otherwise afford one.

He noted that the Canadian PC Museum program has given out more than 2,000 computers to date.

Luckily for the users, they have more than 64 K on board!

(Of related interest, the U.S.-based Computer History Museum, established in 1996, is based in Mountain View, CA, where it works to preserve and present the stories and artifacts of the information age, and to explore the computing revolution and its impact on society. Less fixed in location but dedicated to a similar mandate are Vintage Computer Festivals, held around the world.

Also, a quick reference here to the TV Museum – a great collection of television sets and accessories amassed over the years by Canadian broadcaster and entrepreneur Moses Znaimer – it’s located in Toronto.)

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submitted by Lee Rickwood

 

 

 

 

Students from TriOS College of London visit the Personal Computer Museum in Brantford, during one of its recent open houses – the Museum is next open on Saturday, August 16, 2014.


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