Build your own computer (not just assemble)

This individual built a complete computer, including CPU, entirely from 7400-series logic circuits. He designed the CPU architecture and instruction set, wire-wrapped the whole thing together, wrote an operating system, and then a C-compiler.

It runs at 4MHz. He claims it used to run at 3MHz because he made a timing mistake, but he recently fixed it.

To top it all off, you can go to his website and open a telnet link to the computer, log in, and play awesome computer games like "Wumpus."


Except when I'm working on it, Magic-1 is connected to the net.  It will either be serving web pages at http://www.magic-1.org, or by clicking here you can telnet into Magic-1 and play Original Adventure or run a few other simple programs.


Pretty nifty, IMHO.

Some of pictures (more on his site):










Here's his website.

Be sure to also check out the Scope Clock Kit (by David Forbes) he built. It totally reminds me of aesthetics in the cult classic, La Cité des Enfants Perdus.