Sunday, July 11, 2010

Willy Wonka and the Siemens System 4004

Last night, the family watched Willy Wonka. Willy Wonka and Charlie and Chocolate Factory are my 8-year old son's latest fascinations -- he has a pension for classics, preferring Hansel and Gretal, Rumpelstiltskin, Alice and Wonderland etc., over newer literary endeavours -- although he does love modern remakes of the classics. I noticed an old computer in the movie called the Siemens System 4004. Here is a reference for this computer: Siemens System 4004, Zentraleinheiten 4004/35, 45, 55, Beschreibung und Befehlsliste. Order no. 2-2600-305. Siemens AG, Bereich Datenverarbeitung, Munich, Germany, 3rd edition, July 1968. And, here is a link to the Maestro 1. was curious about this and Googled and Wikied the computer. It seems that it was part of the original Maestro I series of computers which seem to be some of the first computers with internal memory. Prior to these were punchcard computers whereby the programmer needed to break his mode of thought by inputting another card into the computer to read. I couldn't help but think what an enormous contribution to technology was memory. Now a programmer could pre-program his thoughts and a computer could implement these ideas from a stream of consciousness, rather than the human's thought processes being interrupted by inserting separate punch cards into a computer. I believe the Siemens System 4004 was licensed to companies for about 1000 DeutscheMark per month, about the equivalent of the cost of to reside in a small home in Germany at the time.

41 comments:

  1. ha! I'm so glad i read this.

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  2. My family was watching Willy Wonka tonight, and I did the same thing - I Googled it and ended up here!

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  3. Same as above.. thank you

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  4. same today UK - itv haha

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  5. Watching it now and just Googled it.

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  6. Ha! I too am watching WillY Wonka and was wondering if this was a real computer. I Googled it, and here I am!

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  7. Same as i did..... On mar 10, 2012

    Eric in fresno california

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  8. I'm in London, England. I just rented it from Love film. I'm still watching it now and googled it on my iPhone. 1st April 2012.

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  9. im in Sheffield, uk and am watching it now googled
    it to see if it was real and ended up here

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  10. And now it's on ITV today (07/04/12)

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  11. Same as above, watched this with my three year old and working for Siemens, decided to google. Looks like loads of others do the same.

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  12. Same as above... anyone remember a time when we watched movies and WEREN'T able to Google oddball trivia on the spot? LOL!

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  13. Brooklyn checking in. Loving that it's really real. Thanks, Joseph.

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  14. Watching it with my son in Wisconsin and noticed the Siemens. I instantly googled it as well!

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  15. Auckland, New Zealand and it's Christmas Day, so of course Willy Wonka is on TV. Spotting the computer I wondered if it was a real one and so I ended up here...

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  16. Lol... My daughter and I are watching Willy Wonka, and of course I had to Google the Computer. Thanks for saving me some time and embarrassment, as I am glad to see I'm not the only one! :)

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  17. Think this chain of comments saying the thing will continue to the end of time....watching on May 12 with my 4yo with the rain pouring outside (glasgow, uk)

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  18. love the 70's tech so oldschool. Wonder if there are any left

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  20. Watching it on UK TV right now and Googled my way here!

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  21. Aaaah the thought that others have thought!
    Chicago!!
    Thanks!

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  22. wound up here..long live the classics.

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  23. My family and I are watching it. 3 am. Lol. Curious about the seimens 4004!

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  24. Lol did the same thing s everyone

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  25. me too
    Nottingham, UK
    14 Sept 2014
    Channel 5

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  26. Same here. Delaware USA

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  27. Same here. watching it now with my kids. South Florida

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  28. yep same here, watching it in Madison, Alabama

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  29. There is something seriously wrong with all of us. We all watched this movie we have seen 100 times before, finally noticed the computer, and Googled it.

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  30. I'm going to watch Groundhog day next.

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  31. I'm watching the 1971 original Willy Wonka on Netflix and paused it to check the 4004's history.

    Greetings from Brasília-DF.

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  32. Same here ended up here. Hello

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  33. haha crazy, watching it too on DVD, seen the computer & after a google search ended up here as well haha, funny how technology brings everyone together.

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  34. Channel 5 in UK today. We are just like computers repeating the search process on Google

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  35. Here from Battle Creek, Michigan. The Cereal Capital of the world. Kelloggs and Post used to have tours like Willy Wonka.

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  36. One more brazilian watching the 1971 original Willy Wonka on Netflix . I paused it to check the 4004's history too.
    Greetings from fortaleza - ceara

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