Nixdorf Computer Museum - Paderborn Germany

[BrunoD]

I went to the Nixdorf Computer Museum in Germany today. It took me a 4-hour drive and I was a bit disappointed for several reasons:

- It's targeted at people who know little about computer history so it gives a general image of the history without entering into tech details. That doesn't seem logical to me as I told a few people about the museum and it seems like the 'target group' is not at all interested while the people who are interested (vintage computer fans and collectors) are not being served.
- half of the exhibition room (= 1 of the 2 floors) is taken by everything pre-computer, from 2000 BC to print presses to telephone switches. Although I agree that it should be shown, I think the emphasis should be more on real computers. BTW: even on the second floor, a part of the space is taken by cell phones, robots, etc.
- there are some interesting things like for example a CPM/86 and Windows 1 emulator. Unfortunately they come without explanation so either you already know the OS'es (I know, Win 1 is not an OS...) and then the emulator is useless for you, OR you don't know them and then you can't do anything with them because you don't know what to do.

Conclusion: nice to see if you're in the neighbourhood but no more.
Bruno

 

[Ole Juul]

Thanks for the report Bruno. Although I won't be heading over that way any time soon, I find it interesting nevertheless. It does sound like the museum missed the point. A good curator should try to communicate both the technical significance and the social implications.

My take, is there is even less interest in computers than there was 40 years ago. It's becoming very obvious to me since I moved to the country just how few people care one hoot about what's in the machine or where that came from, because the closest person to me who knows anything about this lives almost 2 hours away. In the city it becomes less obvious because you can pick the people you hang out with. Hanging out on forums like this also gives a false impression.

 

[MaTel]

here is the link to their website