Museum exhibit reveals the intricate workings of a knackered Dell

Today's entry in the catalog of bork comes from Coventry's Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, where an information terminal is showing more about the hardware behind the scenes than the objects on display. Register reader Jeffrey Borinsky spotted the panel, which should have demonstrated a Jacquard loom in action but was instead displaying a warning about its host PC's failing battery. The Jacquard loom was a clever device dating back to the dawn of the 19th century. It used punched cards to control a loom's weaving patterns. The result was complicated and repeatable textile designs that reduced the need for skilled humans. Register readers of a certain age are doubtless nodding sagely at the mention of punched cards, which would go on to become foundational in the world of computing. Borinsky reported that several screens at the museum were in distress. Ribbon weaving was Coventry's main industry from the early 1700s until the 1860s, so a demonstration of Jacquard weaving fits right in, even if the bleating about the BIOS battery was probably not what Joseph Jacquard had in mind. The device running behind the scenes is a Dell OptiPlex 755, likely from around 2007. Not quite centuries old like a Jacquard loom, but certainly getting on a bit in the IT world. The first iPhone arrived in 2007, and a PC of a similar vintage likely shipped with Windows XP or Windows Vista. The CMOS battery is on the way out. Dell specifies a CR2032 coin cell, so replacement should be straightforward after disconnecting the power and taking anti-static precautions. Rather less traumatic than the head-in-hands moment when a retro enthusiast discovers a leaking battery has eaten through delicate circuit traces. A fresh battery and restored BIOS settings should be enough to get the loom demonstration weaving again. Given how important punched cards became in the history of computing, we'd recommend visiting anywhere that shows how a Jacquard loom operated. At least it didn't need a battery-backed BIOS to do its thing. ®