Recently I found out that the fourth computer in the world to be built was designed and built in Australia. In 1949 a young scientist at CISRO proposed and got funding for a project to build a computer. The project was successful and the computer was built. It took about a year and soon after it was complete it was donated to Melbourne University where it was used to execute programs and calculations for about a decade. The computer is now at the Museum of Melbourne where it can be seen in its reassembled state. As I walked through the room hosting the computer I could not help but think back to Reiknistofnun and the old geeks I used to work with over there. They would have fitted perfectly in these settings as young men, with hair. There are even pictures at Reiknistofnun where it looks like they are in that very room. In fact, I think that might be Maríus’s chair in the picture!
