Second World War Code-cracking Computing Hero Colossus Turns 70 110
DW100 writes "The Colossus computer that helped the Allies crack messages sent by the Nazis during the Second World War has celebrated its 70th birthday. The machine was a pioneering feat of engineering, able to read 5,000 characters a second to help the team at Bletchley Park crack the German's Lorenz code in rapid time. This helped the Allies gather vital information on the Nazi's plans, and is credited with helping end the war effort early, saving millions of lives."
MOVIN’ ON UP. (Score:1, Insightful)
More like movin' on out to Reddit and Ars if they follow through with the threat to force us onto Beta.
Fuck Beta.
first save classic /. (Score:0, Insightful)
live fast die young
It's a replica. (Score:5, Insightful)
The machine at Bletchley Park is a working replica, not the original.
If it aint broke, don't fix it (Score:5, Insightful)
The Nazis would've won if the Allies used Colossus Beta.
Beta Sucks Hilter's Balls.
Dice just killed Slashdot (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:It's a replica. (Score:5, Insightful)
The machine at Bletchley Park is a working replica, not the original.
Yes, but it's a lovingly crafted completely functional working system that preserves both the spirit and the full capabilities of the original, and the project team has worked very hard to avoid unnecessary deviations from its (highly successful) 20th Century specification. Pretty much the opposite, then, of Slashdot Beta.
Re:MOVIN’ ON UP. (Score:5, Insightful)
I got Karma to burn. Make my day.
It's not like I need it much longer.
Re:the millions of lives (Score:5, Insightful)
You can't blame the British, they kept fighting.
The French on the other hand surrendered.
BTW I haven't gone to the Beta site, but it sounds like shit. Has anyone asked Obama? "If you like your Slashdot classic you can keep it"
Re:the millions of lives (Score:4, Insightful)
I love ACs who make these inflammatory statements without any knowledge on the subject. The German war machine was allowed to grow because of the complacence of its neighbors. Throughout the Nazi regime before there was any aggression there were treaty violations that none of Germany's neighbors did anything about. Was it up to the US to deal with that? If you have a guy building a war machine in the house next door the time to stop it is when you first see it, not let him build it to see how good it looks in final paint. There was also ample time for the European leaders to see just how effective the German war machine was in the Spanish Civil War, did anybody not see the German Air and Armored divisions not go into Spain in 1936 to support Franco? It was all training folks for Germany, live fire no doubt, but still training and when Germany was finally ready there wasn't much that could stop them except a little strip of ocean. That was also 4 years before the invasion of Poland. When war finally did break out the US did lend its support, in March 1941 the Lend Lease act was passed to provide material support for those fighting Nazi aggression. If that hadn't been enacted, what would the outcome have been in Europe?