Steampunk helped win WW2

[Sarongman]

This may be old news to some here but check out the Universal Tide Predicting Machine. Hope it's of interest!

http://www.pol.ac.uk/home/insight/doodsonmachine.html

[Kirbstone]

Fascinating stuff, and it was all so 'hands on' in those days.

In the same vein I have recently finished reading a book about Bletchley Park, whose team of dedicated geniuses cracked the Axis communication codes and immeasureably contributed to shortening WW2. They built & operated vast computer prototypes there which looked not unlike your submission.

T.

[crfriend]

In the same vein I have recently finished reading a book about Bletchley Park, whose team of dedicated geniuses cracked the Axis communication codes and immeasureably contributed to shortening WW2. They built & operated vast computer prototypes there which looked not unlike your submission.

Indeed, Colossus and the Bombes were remarkable achievements in their day; however, they, and some of the machines from the "other side" are merely the kernels at the heart of the "iceberg" that is computing history. That history is as compelling, interesting, and full of twists, turns, blind alleys, and fate as any one will find! And it did not start with Bill Gates and Microsoft, despite what the modern media will have you believe. Intrigue, skullduggery, allegation, theft, and even arson? It's in there. It reads like a well-written spy novel, but with the added bonus that it actually happened!

Oops. Sorry. Wrong forum. (Sometimes my passion does run away with me.)