First Generation Computing Loggers

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The First Generation Computing Loggers, more formally known back in their prime as logger1.ury.york.ac.uk and logger2.ury.york.ac.uk, are two servers known as achieving amazing feats during their time in production, the most notable of which being that they were first put into use in the 2000-2001 academic year by a team including Mat Fortune, Alan Raison and Gavin Atkinson.


Pre-Computing Loggers

Before we implemented a digital log recording system using hard disks, all our output was logged using VHS tapes that were changed every 12 hours by a dedicated committee position. The name of this position is currently difficult to retrieve due to it being before the days of digital committee management, but it is well known that James Brookes held the position for some time.

Multiple boxes of these tapes still exist in URY's stores, although playback of any of these has not been attempted in living history. With the increasing proliferation of "Computers" in everyday life, it was decided that maybe there was a way of automating this historic task.

Introducing logger[12]

When specifying the hardware specification of the loggers, with advice from Tom Whitehouse (serious, try and find a wiki page *without* his name on it), two systems were build with similar overall power, but with hardware sources as different as possible to reduce the possibility of a design flaw in one causing a failure in another.

Specifications of logger1

  • Operating System: FreeBSD 5.2-RC (Installed 2003)
  • Processor: AMD-K6 3D (350.80MHz)
  • Cores: 1
  • Architecture: i386
  • Memory: 27MB available (32MB installed)
  • PSU: xxW AT power supply
  • HDD: 40GB (8379 Power-On Hours)

Last known updating advice for this server: "Don't update this server. It works just fine."

Specifications of logger2

  • Operating System: Debian 2.4.18-1-k6 (Installed 2004)
  • Processor: AMD-K6 3D (350.80MHz)
  • Cores: 1
  • Architecture: i386
  • Memory: 29.8MB available (32MB installed)
  • PSU: xxW AT power supply
  • HDD: 40GB

Last known updating advice for this server: "Don't update this server. It works just fine."

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