‘The Writer,’ 1 of 3 surviving automata
from the 18th century, is a programmable
boy that uses quill and ink to write any 40
letters of custom text. This 240-year-old
automaton uses all 6,000 of its parts to
create just enough pressure for fluid,
elegant writing, and is thought by
some to be the first computer. Source
This is truly a masterpiece of engineering from an early age. So amazing!
okay LOOK. I understand that on a purely mechanical and engineering level that this is an incredible piece but if scifi and fantasy media has taught me anything it’s that this motherfucker is haunted af and probably writes out gruesome deaths that mysteriously end up coming to pass thanks but NO THANKS BYE
computer science major here, i’m with haunted guy
Writer is actually one of a set language of three! The other ones play the organ:
And draw (it produces four different drawings):
Thank you for these images. Which just might give me nightmares.
This is the worst update I could have ever been updated with, thank you.
One writes your death. One draws it. One spontaneously starts to play when the moment is upon you.
So i went on a date to a haunted house and made friends with the girls behind us. As we’re going through, one of them is holding my hand and a guy leaps out and separates us. I panic as my date is pulling me along, I reach back for her and grab her hand in a group of three other performers and start getting out if there. After a bit I look back to check on her and I discover I’m holding the hand of a six foot tall zombie creature and not a 5’2" girl.
Cue the most terrifying realization of my life.
I had basically kidnapped this performer from his section and abandoned the girl and her friend behind us.
Yes, I screamed. My date thought it was Hilarious.
Yes, we found the girls. Turns out when I grabbed the performers hand, he grabbed theirs so our group wouldn’t be separated. So there was just this zombie in the middle of our group line for like fifty feet