Apparently they're "interested", they just can't get the funding and resources to do it. They have a HUGE warehouse full of old stuff that all needs attention and resources. You can actually go tour their warehouse too[0], which I'm planning to do either tomorrow or next week.

It's exactly the sort of thing I wish more tech millionaires would support. Digital Dark Age[1] is a real thing, and it's already nearly impossible to find a lot of early computers and software, let alone iconic stuff like this. We're so quick to just delete old programs, throw old hardware in the bin, let old computers rot away.

It's quite sad actually, because computers changed the world, and people don't really care about their history much. By the time people do care, it'll be too late. Old hardware/software won't be as easy to dig up and restore as stone tablets and pots were.

[0]https://museumsvictoria.com.au/scienceworks/whats-on/collect...

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_dark_age

It can be really hard to source vacuum tubes and proper parts in general.

Here in Denmark we have a GIER 40/42 bit computer from 1961 which is kept in running order by volunteers. This is the first generation without tubes.

I made a few short videos (the last 3 on the page) of Henrik repairing the interface for the punched tape reader: http://datamuseum.dk/2013/04/torsdagsaktive-2013041/

Somewhere I have a video of it playing music via the console - but I cannot find it right now. They are truly fun beasts to play around with.

keeping something like this restored, working and maintained is seriously expensive- in electrical consumption, parts cost and labor. thousands of vacuum tubes, if any one blows, the computer will not function.