A Chernobyl Computer Turns On Again 40 Years Later
It is often said that things, whether clothing, utensils, or technological devices, were once created to last longer. While it is difficult to evaluate this, examples such as the Game Boy burned in the Gulf War that still works suggest that this is true, and today’s case could be another argument to use in that conversation. A Chernobyl computer that had been off for 30 years has come back to life.
The PCs of 1986 were very different from the ones we have now, and even more so those used in the Soviet Union. Now, through this piece of history and electronic collecting, we have a small time capsule that takes us 40 years into the past, and it’s all thanks to a Slovak YouTube channel: Chornobyl Family, a project dedicated to electronic devices of the USSR.
The History of Computing in Soviet Times
Before continuing, it is necessary to understand the history of computing in Soviet times. Without contact with the West due to the obvious restrictions of the time, clones of popular computers were manufactured in the Soviet Union. They used a clone of MS-DOS typical of that region, based on the American Intel 8086. These machines were manufactured in very limited quantities, making them highly sought after by collectors.
A Glimpse into the Chernobyl Era
Chernobyl Family has obtained an ES1841, the clone of the Intel 8086, with one mission: to show us what a PC from the Chernobyl era is like. The surprising thing is that, 40 years after its manufacturing date, the device turns on perfectly. The video not only showcases the functioning of the computer but also highlights the differences between computers based on MS-DOS from back then and what they used in the Soviet regime.
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