The University of Saskatchewan Computer Museum, founded in 2002, exists to preserve, display, and interpret computing history, on behalf of the University of Saskatchewan.
While we are mostly a virtual museum at this time, our museum does have existing exhibits that we encourage you to visit. However, we do NOT have a museum to visit with tours and staff. Please be aware of this if you choose to come to campus to see our items!
Other events for Technology Week 2009:
Free Laptop Security Clinic for UofS Students:
October 28th: 9:30-3:30 p.m., Arts & Science Students' Lounge
October 29th: 9:30-3:30 p.m., Agriculture Atrium
Visit http://www.usask.ca/technologyweek/laptop-clinic.php for more details!
Come and check out some old computers during our latest exhibit: Tuesday October 27 to Thursday November 5 2009. Our theme this year is Technology in Research at the UofS. The exhibit will be located in the Gordon Snelgrove Gallery. Grand opening will be Tuesday October 27th at 3:30 where we will formally launch UofS Technology Week 2009 at the same time. Please join us. Free admission.
Bring your Lunch and listen in on our first Fireside Chat!
On Friday October 30th, from 1130 to 130pm, a few UofS computing pioneers will regale us with stories and recollections from the past. Location: Gordon Snelgrove Gallery. Free Admission. Bring your lunch!
Greg (one of our knowledgeable curators) has directed me to a slideshow of a magnificent private computer collection in Australia. Max Burnet (retired CEO of Digital Equipment Corporation) has converted his Sydney home into a museum showcasing his collection.
The article on CIO Australia is a little slow loading, and you'll need cookies to avoid seeing an interstitial ad before each picture, but the slideshow is well worth the wait times.
What's your favorite piece? Comment below, and let's get the discussion going!
"That '80's Show!"
-A display of Computing products from the 80's. Snelgrove Gallery (right behind Place Riel) November 3-14th 2008.
-Kick off Technology Week at the Snelgrove - Tues November 4th @ 3:30 PM. Everyone Welcome!
-Check out the earliest UofS computer in our collection - the Digital PDP8, 1st floor College Building display case. Nov 3-14th 2008.
A note from Rick Bunt, the Associate VP of Information and Communications Technology:
The birthday celebration for "50 years of computing at the U of S" that was planned for Friday, November 9, has been postponed to a later date so that all members of the University community can celebrate this event together.
So, watch this space for updates. We'll let you know when the celebration / pong tourney is on!
Going to the record books, it looks as if this academic year is the 50th anniversary of computing at the U of S. The University purchased its first computer back in October of 1957. This computer, an LGP-30, was purchased with the National Research Council's Prairie Research Laboratory.
So, as we are wont to do here at Computer Museum Central, we're throwing a party!
First off, we've got a some exhibits happening. First, we've got an exhibit featuring the Altair 8800. We've also gone and refreshed our Thorvaldson exhibits. Finally, we've got ourselves an exhibit at the Gordon Snelgrove Gallery, that we call Blast From the Past, from October 29th to November 9th.
And, the party that you were promised is happening Friday, November 9th, to wrap up Technology Week here. It runs from 10am to 12pm, with classic video games, prizes, and cake!
We'd be right pleased if you'd come out to the exhibits and check them out... there's plenty of interesting bits to see. And it would tickle us PINK if you'd come to our party. We hope to see you there!
Yes, we're still alive, here at U of S Computer Museum Central. We had been traveling back in time to 1975 to pick up a mint-condition IBM 5100. Unfortunately, our flux capacitor short circuited and returned us to the present before we could collect the computer, so we're still on the lookout for one.
Stay tuned for more news and interesting links and articles from around the web.
Rob Merritt of Saskatoon donated a Radio Shack TRS-80 Pocket Computer system to the museum. This collection of artefacts included the Pocket Computer, docking station with thermal printer, and software.
The museum received a donation from Ken Van Rees of saskatoon consisting of a Zenith Data Systems computer system. This collection of artefacts includes the Zenith Data Systems computer, montior, keyboard, original boxes for the system, original software including WordPerfect and Quatrus, orignal manuals and paperwork, along with many 5-1/4" diskettes containing software.
Laurie Bader of Saskatoon was kind enough to donate a complete Apple ][e computer system to the museum. This collection of objects included several pieces of hardware including a Koala pad, many 5-1/4" diskettes with software, several books and manuals, as well as original Apple posters.
Looking back at our previous posts, it may seem that I have a slight bias towards Apple history. This is correct. I'm completely fascinated by the creation and growth of this computer and company. As such, when I found the book A Technical History of Apple Operating Systems: Introduction, I was intrigued.
This is a very technical history lesson. If you're not particularly interested in reading about why particular chips were chosen, the specifications of ProDOS's filesystem, or other details like that, then this read isn't for you. However, if you ARE interested in knowing that Apple SOS was named for an engineer's daughter Sara, that Hypercard and Smalltalk came out of research from Palo Alto' XEROX Parc labs, and other neat details, then give it a read.
Here at the Computer Museum we are finally starting the massive task of cataloguing the objects in our existing collection. This does not only entail the actual listing of objects in the museums posession but actually developing and implementing all the procedures, documents, and guidelines related to the proper cataloguing of collection objects.
This effort is expected to take several months to "catch-up" on all the donations that have been made to the museum over the past few years. Newly acquired items are processed as they come in so as not to fall further behind. As objects are catalogued they will be noted in the Additions sub-category of the blog.
Every computing enthusiast from the '80s knew about Commorode. It was one of the most popular personal computing companies of the era, with some estimates putting sales of their Commodore 64 at the 30 million mark.
What you might not have known about is the history of the company. The book "On the Edge: The Spectacular Rise and Fall of Commodore" details the history of the company, from the rise with the PET, through the VIC-20, the famous C-64, and the not as popular C-128, to the Amiga, and the fall of the company. And best of all, you can read several sample chapters at the website: commodorebook.com.
