Version: 2008
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Image that duped McNealy

At the Oracle OpenWorld show, Sun Microsystems CEO Scott McNealy made fun of a picture supposedly from the magazine "Popular Mechanics" showing how people in 1954 envisioned the home computer. Unbeknownst to him, it's a doctored photo.

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That's a Reactor Control Panel
by December 8, 2004 3:35 PM PST
Oddly enough, that's not a computer at all. It's an old set of Throttleman, Reactor Operator and Electrical Operator stations.
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The image mod isn't even that good...
by December 8, 2004 3:52 PM PST
Notice the focus on the far end of the set of control stations. Pretty fuzzy. Now check the "monitor." Sharp. Same thing with the late 1970s era teleprinter. The photographer apparently tried to use existing light for the photo, and probably a range finder camera-- leading to the shorter than professional depth of field issue. (A range finder wouldn't have made the error evident.)

I won't even get started on why someone with a teleprinter would want a monitor in the first place.

Sheesh. Rule #1 in spotting a hoax: if it's a little too convenient, it probably is.
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Visionary
by December 9, 2004 7:36 AM PST
Since childhood, I always knew that one day, every modern PC would have a cool steering wheel.
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Re: phony 50's computer photo
by mwhittlesey December 9, 2004 9:36 AM PST
If I'm not mistaken, that "keyboard" is actually
a DEC printing termianl from the 70's!
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What was McNealy thinking?
by akhenatonelmarna December 9, 2004 11:21 AM PST
The photo was not even well done. It is an obvious fraud. Perhaps someone in his office was trying to show how easy it is to dupe the boss. And what about checking one's sources? Listen folks, maybe its a good idea to sell your Sun Microsystems stock!
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