Homemotion_picturescinemawhat is that?
Comments
  • 風露 Monday, 8th October 2012 at 21:53

    No idea what movie it’s from, but has it something to do with decrypting Enigma?

    • zephyrin_xirdal Monday, 8th October 2012 at 22:00

      No, the contraption depicted played no role whatsoever in braking the Enigma cypher, but it is from the same era. And it did play a role in the history of the computer as we know it today. In fact, the machine we can see in the screencap is not a movie prop, but the real thing.

  • mäci Monday, 8th October 2012 at 23:05

    it looks lika a Zuse Z1

    • zephyrin_xirdal Monday, 8th October 2012 at 23:32

      No, sorry, it is not—correct era but wrong continent. Above that the depicted machine, on the level of basic principles, is fundamentally diverging from the Z1.

  • Alexander Rabitsch Tuesday, 9th October 2012 at 07:25

    This machine is an Differential Analyzer ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Difference_engine ). Movie: Earth vs. Flying Saucers a/k/a >>Fliegende Untertassen greifen an<< 1956

  • Alexander Rabitsch Tuesday, 9th October 2012 at 07:31

    Oh yes, it is used for translating the Aliens´ message ….

    • zephyrin_xirdal Tuesday, 9th October 2012 at 12:04

      This, of course, is absolutely correct—congratulations! Well done, I have to say. I’ll update the post accordingly.

  • Alexander Rabitsch Tuesday, 9th October 2012 at 12:24

    ;) Your article on the difference engine was the spring board :D This machine (and its sad history) was so fascinating … I really absorbed anything connected with this thing. First of all Gibsons and Sterlings novel … and the Lego-thing. I mean if you even think of the Antikythera mechanism 60 b.c. … but those things weren´t developed further … amazing what the mind can bear and how easy ignorance can destroy it ….

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