World’s oldest digital computer is back in action

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World’s oldest digital computer: WITCH in its new home

The Harwell Dekatron computer first ran at Harwell Atomic Energy Research Establishment in 1951. By 1957, the computer had become redundant at Harwell, but an imaginative scientist at the atomic establishment arranged a competition to offer it to the educational establishment putting up the best case for its continued use. Wolverhampton and Staffordshire Technical College won, renamed it the WITCH.

At The National Museum of Computing (TNMOC) volunteers started work on the restoration in 2009.

Read the full story on Computer Weekly here.

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