back to article Escape from The National Museum of Computing

A group of The Register's writers (only just) escaped The National Museum of Computing's Escape Room Experience after learning a bit about cryptography and testing the patience of the museum's volunteers. We were invited to take part and four of us opted for the 1980s Challenge, mainly because the words "BBC Micro" were used, …

  1. Joe W Silver badge
    Pint

    You know you've got the right job...

    ... when you are getting paid to tell people about fun stuff you did! I'll keep that idea in mind, the kids show an inquisitive mindset - but are yet a bit too young for this stuff. Hm... maybe I can convince my brother?

    1. ShadowSystems

      Re: You know you've got the right job...

      If your brother doesn't want it, can I have it? Pretty please with a Micro on top? =-)p

    2. Charlie Clark Silver badge

      Re: You know you've got the right job...

      IIRC the museum is largely run by volunteers and, at least when I was there, the relationship with the Bletchley Park museum is not as good as it should be.

      It's well worth a visit, though you probably need to bring a bit of understanding of how computers work and how they've developed. Personally, I found looking at the electronic parts, some of which are now more than 40 years old but I remember from my childhood, less rewarding than the older stuff where you can see something's going on. Maybe that will change over the years.

      1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

        Re: You know you've got the right job...

        "Personally, I found looking at the electronic parts, some of which are now more than 40 years old but I remember from my childhood, less rewarding than the older stuff where you can see something's going on."

        I could take the case off my 40 year old Video Genie to show you. Then I could put the case back on and we can have a play with Galaxians, or Haunted House Adventure. At least it still worked last year when I dug it out. Sadly, all the expansions like disk drives got sold off, just the built in cassette deck to load tapes from, which surprisingly, still worked!!

        (Shit! Is it really 40 years old now?)

        1. Charlie Clark Silver badge

          Re: You know you've got the right job...

          I think this is why Tron hit such a nerve: an attempt to show what was going on in those new fangled electronic gizmos that were popping up everywhere.

          But there is something about seeing the various electric and mechanical memory devices that were trying to solve the problem of persistence for the state machine. It was only when my dad demonstrated the rebuilt Baby at MoSI that I understood how DRAM really worked. A classical boffin hack but good enough to still be in use, in principle, in all today's systems.

  2. Fonant
    Holmes

    Semantics

    "You can expect to pay £30 per person for 90 minutes (which includes admission) dropping to £55 for a pair of tickets."

    You can expect to pay £30 per person for 90 minutes (which includes admission) dropping to £27.50 each if you buy a pair of tickets.

    1. MatthewSt Silver badge
      Joke

      Re: Semantics

      I think if you're not able to work out that maths yourself then this may not be the right kind of activity for you

  3. original_rwg

    Even if you do not wish to partake of the escape room experience, I can recommend a visit to the NMOC and Bletchley Park at any time (yes, I have the t-shirt) Fascinating place.

  4. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

    "ap codes into a BBC Micro as the final seconds drift past."

    If you choose 1960s does that become punched cards and hours as you wait for the next batch run?

    1. MiguelC Silver badge

      Would you have to build your own machine in the 1940's experience?

      1. Roger Greenwood

        No, you will be given a calculator. She answers to the name of Daphne and can run rings round anyone in the building where numbers are concerned. Be polite as she also calculates your wages... :-)

    2. Shindles

      Escape Room Challenges

      The 1940s challenge involves punched cards.

      By the way the maths involved in all challenges is not that difficult.

  5. Skiron
    Thumb Up

    BBC micro

    That sounds really good, but I'll be stumped on the Beeb - I was a Spectrum 48K boy (ended up programming in Zaks Z80 - all forgotten now). I only used a Beeb twice - 1) was a 12 week computer course my dear old Mum bought for me on my 23rd birthday, and all that really went through was the basic programming and structures of BASIC programming - I didn't have the heart to tell my Mum I had already taught myself all of it on the Speccy and I didn't learn a thing.

    The second was one Xmas when I borrowed my Mates as he was going away and I played Elite for about 18 hours non-stop over Xmas day night and most of Boxing day - I done a big drug run, and after what seemed like days the Police gradually stopped attacking me where ever I went, so ended up with a better ship/weapons/add-ons etc. - never did make 'Elite' though :-(

    1. Sam not the Viking Silver badge
      Pint

      Re: BBC micro

      You're a good person for not letting on to your Mum that you were already competent in BASIC. -->

      I have been on many (too many) courses on topics where I considered myself competent, nay expert, and I confess that I have never failed to learn something new. Even on training courses where I was the trainer, I feel I have learned something from someone who has a different view/method on the problem/topic. It's only when you know a lot about something technical, you realise how little you know.

      It's those that know it all but in fact know nothing so cannot learn that are dangerous. Think PHB.

      1. Skiron

        Re: BBC micro

        No, it really was a basic course - designed for people that had never seen a computer, let alone turn it on.

    2. Shindles

      Re: BBC micro

      The programming on the Beeb is in BASIC not assembler so everyone will be able to cope with the challenges.

      1. Admiral Grace Hopper

        Re: BBC micro

        6502 Assembly was always available on a BBC if you wanted to use it. It was a good introduction to low level coding (although I'd tried my hand at Z80 Assembly before I was let loose on the University BBC machines).

    3. spireite Silver badge

      Re: BBC micro

      Do you need to solve the problem by collecting them on Chuckie Egg? Visit a new planet in Elite? Or perhaps collect them in pitstops in Revs?

      In which case, I'll happily do it....

  6. This post has been deleted by its author

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