Making Old Computers Count To A Million
The National Museum of Computing created the Million Measure, a simple benchmark to test the speed of counting to a million on various computers, from early 20th-century machines to modern devices. The test helps assess the performance of historical computers and has been used to identify functional machines in the museum's collection. Early computers took minutes to complete the task, while a 1995 BeBox finished it in 0.004 seconds, showing significant improvements in computing power over time.
A project called the Million Measure tests how quickly different computers, from old wartime machines to modern devices, can count to a million.
It helps compare computer performance across eras and identifies working machines in historical collections.
It highlights the value of preserving and understanding computing history through simple, accessible benchmarks.
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