# 19th Century-Style Computers **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 12, 2011, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/19th-century-style-computers/571150 "2011-02-12T19:09:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ronald\_C.Semone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Ronald\_C.Semone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_C.Semone)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/19th-century-style-computers/571150/1 "2011-02-12T19:09:30Z")
Several years ago I saw an online ad for modern computers which had been encased in contraptions that looked like they had been designed by the same person who designed the fancy time machine in the movie of that name or who had seen the movie \*\*Brazil \*\*too many times. I’ve been trying to track down the ad or ads for similar old-fashioned looking computers and haven’t been successful. Can anyone help me? ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/19th-century-style-computers/571150/2 "2011-02-12T19:14:41Z")
Do you mean one of the many “steampunk” inspired case mods? I enjoy those myself, so here’s a link: > **[Steampunk Keyboard Mod](http://steampunkworkshop.com/keyboard.shtml/)** At any rate, you have a starting point for a google search ---
**Author:** ![Ronald\_C.Semone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Ronald\_C.Semone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_C.Semone)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/19th-century-style-computers/571150/3 "2011-02-13T15:07:18Z")
> [@Arkcon](#): > > Do you mean one of the many “steampunk” inspired case mods? I enjoy those myself, so here’s a link: > > [Steampunk Keyboard Mod](http://steampunkworkshop.com/keyboard.shtml) > > At any rate, you have a starting point for a google search Thanks for this lead. It is not exactly what I was looking for, but I will see what I can find using it as a starting point. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/19th-century-style-computers/571150/4 "2011-02-14T06:11:04Z")
“Steampunk” is what you are looking for. “[Mutant Chronicles](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0490181/)” is largely steampunk. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/19th-century-style-computers/571150/5 "2011-02-16T01:15:26Z")
Steampunk, definitely. In a nutshell, it’s a Science Fiction What-If style where you consider: 1. Following and enhancing the visions of 19th century SF writers such as H.G. Wells. 2. Imagining what technology would look like if 19th century engineers had designed items that are ubiquitous today or are the realm of SF, e.g. if the Industrial Revolution had proceeded much faster than it actually had, but with raw materials and basic engineering practices of the day. 3. Imagining if 19th century styles, culture, and means of power stayed the same over time. (e.g. if the internal combustion engine, plastics, and integrated circuits never became ubiquitous, and the world wars and the social upheavals of the 20th century never occurred, leading to a AD 2400 with steam powered starcruisers crewed by Victorian types. etc… Of course, some of the items above may overlap to some degree… Some things that are Steampunk: Wild Wild West Some of the works of Hayao Miyazaki Steamboy A Series of Unfortunate Events The Difference Engine ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/19th-century-style-computers/571150/6 "2011-02-16T01:36:40Z")
Obligatory [video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0anIyVGeWOI) of the most awesome steampunk computer ever. You’ve got to see it in real life to believe it. ---
**Author:** ![NCDane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecccb3/32.png) [@NCDane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NCDane)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/19th-century-style-computers/571150/7 "2011-02-16T02:09:50Z")
19th century style computers? WTF do they teach in school these days? There is one and only one name that means anything as far as 19th century computers go, and that name is Charles Babbage. Let me spell the name in **BOLD CAPS** for the retarded masses of late 20th-early 21st century education: **CHARLES BABBAGE** Got it now, retards? I guess I should put the great Charles Babbage just a click away, so the retarded masses won’t think they actually have to do any real work to learn anything: [Babbage #1](http://www.computerhistory.org/babbage/) [Babbage #2](http://ei.cs.vt.edu/~history/Babbage.html) [Babbage #3](http://www.zyvex.com/nanotech/babbage.html) ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/19th-century-style-computers/571150/8 "2011-02-16T03:15:54Z")
> [@NCDane](#): > > 19th century style computers? > > WTF do they teach in school these days? > > There is one and only one name that means anything as far as > 19th century computers go, and that name is Charles Babbage. > > Let me spell the name in **BOLD CAPS** for the retarded masses > of late 20th-early 21st century education: > > **CHARLES BABBAGE** > > Got it now, retards? > > I guess I should put the great Charles Babbage just a click away, > so the retarded masses won’t think they actually have to do any > real work to learn anything: > > [Babbage #1](http://www.computerhistory.org/babbage/) > > [Babbage #2](http://ei.cs.vt.edu/~history/Babbage.html) > > [Babbage #3](http://www.zyvex.com/nanotech/babbage.html) Did you read the OP? ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/19th-century-style-computers/571150/9 "2011-02-16T03:59:36Z")
SyFy’s _ **Warehouse 13** _ also has some cool steampunk props. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/19th-century-style-computers/571150/10 "2011-02-16T04:02:11Z")
There’s this beautiful [Steampunk Laptop](http://www.datamancer.net/steampunklaptop/steampunklaptop.htm) too. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/19th-century-style-computers/571150/11 "2011-02-16T04:38:09Z")
> [@NCDane](#): > > Let me spell the name in **BOLD CAPS** for the retarded masses > of late 20th-early 21st century education: > > **CHARLES BABBAGE** > > Got it now, retards? > > I guess I should put the great Charles Babbage just a click away, > so the retarded masses won’t think they actually have to do any > real work to learn anything: **Moderator Warning** **NCDane** , insults are not permitted in General Questions. This is an official warning. Do not do this again. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Ronald\_C.Semone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Ronald\_C.Semone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_C.Semone)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/19th-century-style-computers/571150/12 "2011-02-16T21:33:07Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > There’s this beautiful [Steampunk Laptop](http://www.datamancer.net/steampunklaptop/steampunklaptop.htm) too. That computer is awesome. I appreciate all the people who responded to my original question. But now I realize that if I want a computer like the ones in the links, I’ll have to build it myself. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/19th-century-style-computers/571150/13 "2011-02-16T21:43:30Z")
Noticed the prices, eh? Yeah, nothing like handworked components to cost more than my whole life. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/19th-century-style-computers/571150/14 "2011-02-16T21:43:59Z")
> [@NCDane](#): > > 19th century style computers? > > WTF do they teach in school these days? > > There is one and only one name that means anything as far as > 19th century computers go, and that name is Charles Babbage. > … Apart from the retarded parts, this is really a useful contribution to the debate, because Babbage’s difference engines look like the epitome of steampunk (apart from not being driven by steam, of course). [A replica of the difference engine.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Difference_engine.JPG) ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/19th-century-style-computers/571150/15 "2011-02-16T21:52:52Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > **Moderator Warning** > > **NCDane** , insults are not permitted in General Questions. This is an official warning. Do not do this again. > > Colibri > General Questions Moderator Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/19th-century-style-computers/571150/16 "2011-02-28T14:23:37Z")
I just picked up a copy of _Victorian Homes_ magazine for the sole reason that it had an article in it about [these people](http://www.modvic.com/). It has a sidebar about [these people](http://www.steampuffin.com/). The item in the large picture on the latter page is a desktop computer made of a _Victorian pipe organ_. Boston area dopers, the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation in Waltham has an exhibit called “Steampunk Form & Function: An Exhibition of Innovation, Invention and Gadgetry” going on through May 10. Go now. When come back, bring zeppelin.