{"id":3784,"date":"2026-02-09T07:15:24","date_gmt":"2026-02-09T06:15:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ethz.ch\/its\/?p=3784"},"modified":"2026-02-09T07:15:25","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T06:15:25","slug":"it-find-series-1-2026-what-do-you-think-it-could-be","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ethz.ch\/its\/2026\/02\/09\/it-find-series-1-2026-what-do-you-think-it-could-be\/","title":{"rendered":"IT find series 1\/2026: What do you think it could be?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Join us on a journey into the past: What is this device and what do you personally associate with it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"IT<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Tell us your story!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This item is a Millionaire calculator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dusty find<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The «Millionaire» direct multiplication calculator was manufactured between 1893 and 1935, partly in wood and partly in sheet metal. (Source Wikipedia Millionaire calculator<\/a> German, English<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to Eric M\u00fcller, an employee at High Performance Computing, IT Services (ITS SIS), the item was recovered from a service room in the computer centre building and retained for safekeeping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Dusty<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We have no idea who worked with this machine at ETH. Nor where and when the device was in use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Octavo Museum<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The object is now being temporarily exhibited on the display wall in the ETH Octavo building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Find<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Find labelling in Octavo (display wall «ETH in figures»)<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many thanks to ETH Signage<\/a>. Above all to Corinne Jordan and her team, who showcased the device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ETH life<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The find was published as a snapshot in the December 2025 issue<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"life<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

life edition December 2025, page 10<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Close-ups of the find<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Your story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What links you to the Millionaire? Did you have to deal with such a calculator or a similar one in the past as part of your job?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We look forward to hearing from you. We also look forward to receiving your stories and comments on this post. And if you have an IT find for our inside|out section, please contact us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

History \/ ITS & ETH write history<\/h2>\n\n\n\n