13

I don't really know what the round object is, but it certainly resembles an old-time steering wheel.

This image was used as an example at this page. I don't know what its original source was, it is uncited.

enter image description here

I'm not even entirely certain this is even a computer. The gauges suggest it could perhaps be an industrial control system. On the other hand there is a keyboard "terminal" with some kind of printer output.

So, obviously I don't know much - but I am interested in what this computer is, and what that particular device is for.

7
  • 4
    The idea reminds me of the Rice R1’s debugging crank! (This photo is obviously not that.) The R1 is also famous for its RLH Condition Test. Mar 4, 2019 at 20:52
  • 5
    I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because the image is a hoax.
    – wizzwizz4
    Mar 4, 2019 at 21:31
  • 14
    @wizzwizz4 Questions should only be closed based on the content of the question, not what the answer is. The question is asking to identify something purported to be a computer, and it's not obvious that it's not one.
    – user722
    Mar 4, 2019 at 22:18
  • 1
    @RossRidge You're right. Sorry!
    – wizzwizz4
    Mar 5, 2019 at 7:09
  • I'm very tempted to vote close, But then again, Identify-This is quite valid on RC.SE, even tough it's obvious pointless. We got stay objective no matter how much it hurts on the inside :))
    – Raffzahn
    Mar 5, 2019 at 17:34

1 Answer 1

33

Via TinEye, I found this image on a Snopes FACT CHECK page: Claim: Photograph shows RAND Corporation’s 1954 design for a home computer.

It's a hoax image, a composite of a submarine maneuvering room console used in a FARK.com image modification competition in 2004.

The original and real image:

real image

2
  • 9
    And FWIW, the "teletype" looks like it's actually a DEC LA36 from the mid-1970s.
    – dave
    Mar 4, 2019 at 23:49
  • 2
    @another-dave Exactly! I stared at that for a minute and thought "that sure looks like a DECwriter, when the only thing matching the rest of the equipment would be, at best, a TTY 33. Oct 12, 2021 at 21:15

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .