Not retro but when the Goodwill Computer Museum (in Austin) had a
knowledgeable team running it they spun off into the Museum of Computer
Culture and had created a relay computer the RC3. (They did this while at
goodwill but right before the museum got shutdown as it wasn't making the
goodwill owners enough money). Unfortunately now the MCC site is also down
but a nice reference with a running video (it was loud) but impressive can
be found herehttps://austin.makerfaire.com/maker/entry/709/
There's another relay computer here (I'm not as familiar with) but read
that it was a good amount of information around it, maybe it references an
early book somewhere.http://web.cecs.pdx.edu/~harry/Relay/index.html
Confusing myself as I thought about it, what category is a relay computer?
It's electric and I would say mechanical but then not sure if mechanical
can be electric. Is it still analog?
- John
I would say digital a common relay has two states open or closed, when
you energize the coil it draws in the armature which will open or close
the relay's contacts.
Konrad Zuse built his first digital computer using largely relay logic
in 1940, but his work was not widely known until well after WWII due to
him working mostly by himself in Germany. He was aware that vacuum
tubes could be used as logic elements, even having one demonstrated to
him by a friend, but stuck with relays as they where easier to obtain.
On a trip to Japan CuriousMarc was shown a Japanese relay computer FACOM
128B built in 1958 and still operational.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j544ELauus
Paul.
