Virtual Objects as Historical Evidence

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Virtual Objects as Historical Evidence
Doron Swade April 2003
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Practical Origins

• The curatorial crisis of Windows 1.0
• Napoleons waistcoat button and the Finance
  Directors Question
• Computer simulation Ferranti Pegasus

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Collecting Software Issues(no surprises)

• Functional intactness and bit-perfect records
• Impermanence of the medium
• Generational obsolescence and continuity of
  hardware platforms
• Versioning and the interdependence of hardware
  and software

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Practical Origins

• The curatorial crisis of Windows 1.0
• Napoleons waistcoat button and the Finance
  Directors Question
• Computer simulation Ferranti Pegasus

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Virtual Object

• An electronic representation of a thing, real or
  imagined

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Charles Babbage (1791-1871) (Claudet, 1847-51)
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Design Drawing for Charles Babbages Difference
Engine No. 2 (1847-9)
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Design Drawing for Charles Babbages Difference
Engine No. 2 (1847-9)
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Charles Babbages Difference Engine No. 2 (2002)
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Difference Engine No. 2, Rear (detail) (2002)
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Difference Engine No. 2, Rear (2002)
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Difference Engine No 2, Rear (False Colour)
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Difference Engine No. 2 Demonstration
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DE2 Animation Single Figure Wheel
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DE2 Animation Odd Even Figure Wheels
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DE2 Animation Addition of Sector Wheel
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DE2 Animation Addition of third Figure Wheel
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DE2 Carriage of Tens Animation
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Difference Engine No. 2, Printing Section (2002),
Demonstration
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DE2 Printer Simulation
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DE2 Stereotyping Simulation (L-L)
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Stereotyping Two-digit detail
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Stereotyping Column Wrap Illustration
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Ferranti Pegasus Computer (1959)
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Ferranti Pegasus Computer (1959)
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Console of Pegasus Computer
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Pegasus Console Real and Virtual
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Pegasus Console Simulation
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Summary

• Virtual Objects do not threaten the original as
  evidentiary source
• Simulations have formidable didactic, explanatory
  and illustrative power
• In the case of computers, logical replication
  through emulation preserves the original
• Extension to inscriptional records and electronic
  texts.