[hackerspaces] Museo dell'Informatica Funzionante - Press release

[asbesto]

Freaknet Medialab, Dyne.org, Poetry Hacklab and Museo
dell'Informatica Funzionante

APPLE 1 PROJECT
---------------


- It will be fantastic to have an Apple 1 at our Museum 
-  yep!
- But it cost way too much.
- Well  we can  rebuild it 
- What? Rebuild it?s
-  I know a guy in the States that made a copy of the
- motherboard; a perfect copy. We only need the chips 
- Hey, this is a FANTASTIC IDEA!
-  maybe searching vintage chips  here in our shelves we have a
- lot of them . looking online auctions  doing some search 
- Fantastic!
-  check datacodes, analyzing original board pictures to check
- what kind of components are used  a crazy work, crazy like
- hell!
- Let’s do it! Let’s do it NOW!

- asbesto & ram, July 2012


Why rebuild an APPLE 1?

This work, starting from scratch, becomes primarily
a creative performance. There will be several experts involved
in the search for suitable components to make a working copy
with the right features to be a museum reproduction: we want to
use components of the same age and form, with properties equal
or almost similar to the standards of that time.

A copy for a Museum (there are dozens of copies in Museums
around the world) should be made according to strict scientific
criteria, and its purpose is to allow visitors however, in the
absence of the original, to observe and appreciate a piece of
our history. This is our goal, and we are proud to produce a
result virtually indistinguishable from the original, a big
challenge for the more experienced visitors 

Education and entertainment

Phases of the development, which began months ago with the
search of the first components, are documented in every detail,
so will be documented all the phases of construction, testing
and commissioning. Every single choice is weighted and
calculated on the basis of precise working methods that favor as
much as possible a faithful reconstruction that reflects the
original sense of the original piece and that communicates the
same feelings.

The goals are multiple: to have fun, to create a very
interesting piece for an exhibithion, to learn new things and
possibly to involve other fans to play and share with us this
educational journey, that will lead us to fully understand how a
computer works in 1976, studied in detail and then rebuilt with
parts of the period.

Support this project

To achieve this latest project we are working hard, using
economic and personal resources; some components have become
very rare and can not be replaced with new components without
affecting the final result of the reconstruction. But we are
close to success, we know we can do it! For this reason we ask
for your help: become a supporter of the Museo dell’Informatica
Funzionante and help us to realize a part of the Apple 1, which
will be exhibited there!

You can help making a donation, or finding some components that
we’re looking for:

WARNING: EVERY PART LISTED HERE MUST HAVE A DATECODE OF 1976, R
BEFORE, OR NEAR (1977, 1978, 1979). Quantities are not
specified, the more we collect, the better!

LM320MP-5 Negative voltage regulator, -5V, case TO202
LM320MP-12 Negative voltage regulator -12V, case TO202
LM340MP-12 +12V Voltage Regulator, case TO-220
NE555 by SIGNETICS
LM323K Voltage Regulator, +5V  made by NATIONAL, GOLD VERSION
TTL chips: 7400, 7402, 7404, 7408, 7410, 7427, 7432, 7450,
74123, 74154, 74157, 74160, 74161, 74166, 74175, made by
SIGNETICS or FAIRCHILD
TTL chips 74S257 made by FAIRCHILD, in CERAMIC CASE
MOTOROLA 6820 or SIGNETICS SY6820/6520
CPU 6502 by SIGNETICS in white ceramic case
CPU 6502 by SIGNETICS in plastic case
DRAM 4Kx1 4096-11 by MOSTEK, plastic case
DRAM 4Kx1 4027 300nS by MOSTEK, plastic case
DRAM 4Kx1 4096-11 by MOSTEK, purple ceramic + gold case

Come build with us!

Every Wednesday afternoon, from 15 to 19, you will find us, as
always, in our Museum, in Via Carnevale 17 in Palazzolo Acreide,
near Siracusa, ITALY

http://museum.freaknet.org/en/apple-1-creation