Programming the Harwell Dekatron Computer, aka The W.I.T.C.H.

The National Museum of Computing (TNMOC) is home to the world's largest collection of working historic computers.Follow the development of computing: from the Turing-Welchman Bombe and Colossus of the 1940s through the large systems and mainframes of the 1950s, 60s and 70s, to the rise of personal computing and the rise of mobile computing and the internet.Recognised as one of England’s top 100 ‘irreplaceable places’, we welcome corporate and group visits, schools and individuals from all over the world.We are normally open Tuesday to Friday 10:30 -17:00, Saturday & Sunday 10:30 – 17:00. Please check tickets for actual opening days and times.TNMOC operates independently of Bletchley Park Trust, although we are located on the Bletchley Park Estate.To visit us, go through the main Bletchley Park entrance, through the barrier, walk or drive bearing left beyond the main car parks, to our separate entrance located at the top of the Park.Visit their website here for more information.https://www.tnmoc.org/Sat Nav users: please use the postcode for the railway station MK3 6DS on Sherwood Drive and then follow signs. The postcode for Bletchley Park will actually take you to an old entrance which is closed.

tnmoc

A TNMOC Talk given by volunteer Jerry M, exploring the intricacies of programming on the world's oldest working original digital computer.

Virtual Talks and Lectures

Can't get to us in person? You don't have to miss out! Delve into an enticing and varied selection of tech-based topics, learning from brilliant experts in the comfort of your own home, with our programme of live virtual talks.

Join TNMOC volunteer Jerry M as he elaborates on one of TNMOC's oldest residents - the Harwell Dekatron Computer, affectionately known as "The WITCH". In this talk, Jerry will explore the history and significance of this incredible machine, before explaining how the W.I.T.C.H. is programmed today.

The presentation will begin with an introduction to the W.I.T.C.H., offering insights into its origins, functionality, and its role in computing history. Jerry will then dive deeper into how the computer is programmed, with a demonstration of a specially designed emulator written by Jerry himself.

About the speakerJerry used to write software during his day job, in areas such as retail systems, cryptography and internationalisation, for a global computing company. Since his retirement, he now volunteers at The National Museum of Computing (TNMOC), which is situated within the Bletchley Park Campus. There, he talks to visitors about, inter alia, EDSAC, the W.I.T.C.H., and the Museum’s slide rule collection. He takes an interest in other early computers and also crypto systems such as Enigma and the Lorenz SZ42 and the breaking thereof.

Our {communityGuidelinesLink} describe the sort of content we prohibit on Eventbrite. If you suspect an event may be in violation, you can report it to us so we can investigate.

To report other categories of prohibited or illegal content, submit {link}

Programming the Harwell Dekatron Computer, aka The W.I.T.C.H.

More events from tnmoc

Discover more events from tnmoc, from Science & Tech to other experiences you might love.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all online events to browse and filter by date, category, and more.

Programming the Harwell Dekatron Computer, aka The W.I.T.C.H.

More events from tnmoc

Discover more events from tnmoc, from Science & Tech to other experiences you might love.

More Science & Tech events

Browse more Science & Tech events with different dates, prices, and formats to find your next great experience.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all online events to browse and filter by date, category, and more.