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Computer History Museum - San Francisco

Trip Details

So I recently went on a trip to San Francisco around late January. This was a spontaneous trip where my buddy was able to go for a work conference and everything else was paid for, so I thought why not just tag along.


I had the first 2 days to just do my own work and chill. I was pretty close to the Computer History Museum so I went inside.


I have to say, this Museum was the most insprational moment in my tech career so far. I always loved tech as a kid and I got to see the old floppy discs that I got to play with and see what those originated from.

I’ve attached a bynch of photos from my time at the Museum and I hope that anyone who gets a chance can go and really experience how the technology they are using today came to be!

Pictures

Some highlights, I’ll figure out how to put a nice grid later on.

Front of Museum
Entrance
IBM Key Punch
IBM Key Punch
IBM Computer
IBM Tube Computer

This machine is so big, that it takes up a bedroom and with multiple comptuers it will take up a whole computer lab.


Optical Storage
Optical Storage

Who here rememebers the CD, I used to use these all the time. Infact who even remembers the Floppy Disc. I feel pretty lucky to have been able to use one. I think if I had the Space I would be hoarding all of this, alas we don’t have infinte storage space……..correction physical storage space ….. see what I did there?


Japan Chips
Japanese Chip Dumping

If you have the time, then you should loko into the chip dumping and into “Fujio Masuoka”, who invented Flash Memory. Basically why we now don’t have to carry around a whole hard drive everywhere

Software
Software&IBM

Look at the article in the back right, looks familiar to what we have been seeing in the news a lot right? Keep your data safe kids.

Rockets
War and Rockets

Ever Wondered how rockets knew how to find their trajectory and well… hit the target. Computers that’s how and lots of math

Super Computer
Super Computer

The first super computer looked like this…. Pretty cool right? Its called the CRAY-1, unveiled by seymour Cray in 1976



Now its time for some nostalgia

Robots
Robots

Compare these robots of the AI that you have today.

AIBO
Pet Dog AIBO, Sony

Ever wanted a pet dog, well you could have one in 1999 for $2000

Robot Term
Robot Term

Tilt your Head to read where the term “robot” originated from

IBM Computer
IBM Computer

Take at look at one of IBM’s first family computers

Pixar
Pixar Machine

Ever wondered how your favorite, Pixar movies were made, they used this machine to do all of the computation.

Playstation
Playstation 1

I loved Playing on the PS1 as a kid, we hacked the system and were able to play a bunch of normal games on CD’s.

At the time of writing this, I have the latest PS5. Its been a long time eh…


Playstation Sony
PlayStation Creation

Read this cool fact, I bet you didn’t know that.


Web
Web

Some web history

MRI
MRI

I have a background in Medical Physics, so seeing what we learned in school and how to turn magnetic waves into images has been a great inspiration to me.

MP3
MP3

Ever wondered how MP3’s work, take a look.

I highly recommend anyone who’s interested in tech to visit the museum.

Also a little hint, as of 2023 they close at 5PM so if you go at 3 PM the entrace fee is discounted to $11.

This post is licensed under CC BY 4.0 by the author.
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