da auf antville mal wieder gar nichts läuft: das kellerkind wohnt ab heute hier.

Victorian computing, invented by Charles Babbage. Instead of using mathematical tables, Babbage wanted to build a machine capable of calculating series of numerical values with automatically printing the results. He never finished it, though. There's a comprehensive Swiss website about his machine, along with a JAVA 'Analytical Engine Emulator'; and of course the exhibit at London's Science Museum.

"Charles Babbage (1791-1871) is widely regarded as the first computer pioneer and the great ancestral figure in the history of computing. Babbage excelled in a variety of scientific and philosophical subjects though his present-day reputation rests largely on the invention and design of his vast mechanical calculating engines. His Analytical Engine conceived in 1834 is one of the startling intellectual feats of the nineteenth century. The design of this machine possesses all the essential logical features of the modern general purpose computer. "

Eine wunderschöne Sammlung alter Werbefilme für Zigarettenmarken aus der Zeit, als Zigarettenwerbung im Fernsehen noch erlaubt war. [via swr]

Ein "Must see": vom 14.3. bis 3.5. zeigt das Bilderbuch-Museum Troisdorf in der Burg Wissem (nahe Bonn) die Ausstellung "Dem Ingenieur ist nichts zu schwör" mit Nachbauten berühmter, wenn auch sinnfreier Erfindungen großer Querdenker der Comicwelt wie Daniel Düsentrieb, Professor Knox oder Supermann. [via itw]