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Wednesday, July 1, 2020

On the closing of Living Computers: Museum+Labs

[5][20200630_002432445_iOS.jpg]
As you might have heard, Living Computers: Museum+Labs has shut down;
its doors will remain closed for at least the next twelve to eighteen
months, and the staff is off to find new adventures.
I have had the honor of being an engineer at LCM+L for the last five
years and I am still struggling to come to terms with this -- I've had
time to let the shock settle in since I heard the news a month ago and
I am still unable to really grasp the finality of the situation. I
don't know how to say goodbye.
These past few weeks I have been working on-site at the museum, helping
to shut things down in an orderly fashion. It feels like I'm preparing
to bury a close friend, building an ornate wooden box, polishing it,
lining it and driving the nails in. Digging a hole. Preparing some
final words.
And it really is a living, breathing entity that we're saying goodbye
to; this museum is an undertaking that spans decades and has involved
the blood, sweat, and tears of every person that has worked here. It
encompasses the souls and dreams and ideas of dozens of dedicated
individuals -- educators, engineers, guest services, archivists,
curators and benefactors. This museum that we built together has
touched many thousands of lives across the world and each of them in
turn has added something of their own. It is meaningful, and it is
important.
It hurts to let go, to bury all of this.
I helped shut the big systems down on Monday with the rest of the
engineering staff. I have never heard the computer room this quiet
before. I'd be lying if I didn't shed a tear when turning Rosencrantz
(the VAX, running perpetually for a decade) off, wondering when it
would run again.
Every artifact I look at as I wander through the rows of computers in
the museum's basement brings back memories, or a longing for potential
now out of reach. I remember some of the first things I did after
joining the team -- restoring the Interdata 7/32 and getting Wollongong
V6 UNIX running for the first time and being able to share that with
the world was really something else. Working on the Alto emulator, I
found myself chatting with legends from Xerox PARC, an experience that
will be tough to top. In the months before we closed, we all worked
together to get V0 UNIX running on our restored PDP-7 and in so doing
brought some truly important history back to life.
I almost got over my fear of public speaking doing our engineering
gallery talks and I came to realize that I actually enjoyed it. I
loved chatting with visitors, and the enthusiasm they all had for the
place was amazing.
We all did some amazing things here. We all have so many stories and
memories. We all have so much to be proud of.
I want to thank all the wonderful folks I worked with at LCM. This has
been the greatest job I've ever had and that's due in no small part to
the people I shared it with. I will miss you all. I also want to
thank everyone who came to visit the museum over these many years --
thank you for letting us share it with you. I have met so many new
people, shared so many stories and have learned so many extremely cool
things and I will never, ever forget it.
Today was my last day. At 5:45pm I walked out of the doors of the
museum for the last time. The hurt is still here in my heart as I
write this but I know things will get better and that I will be able to
move on.
And someday, I hope, the museum will live again.
.KJOB
.
Posted by [6]Josh Dersch at [7]7:37 PM
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3 comments:

1. [13]dcfree[14]July 1, 2020 at 8:25 PM
Sad day- many of the items were from my collection. Hope it
survives for technology sake. Sorry to see everyone leave but it
must have been a very special ride for you all- not many have had
the experience you have had. Thanks Paul (RIP) and hope we can
reconvene in the future.
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2. [16]petervee[17]July 1, 2020 at 10:33 PM
Really sad. Just heard about it. Will the equipment be store and
maintained during closure? I hope!!
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3. [19]Jim St[20]July 1, 2020 at 10:48 PM
Very sad, josh.
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