Bletchley, 26th May 2024, The National Museum of Computing (TNMOC) hosted the Tony Sale 2024 awards event.

The Computer Conservation Society (CCS) is thrilled to announce the revival of the prestigious international Tony Sale Award, honouring exceptional achievements in the realm of computer conservation and restoration. Named in memory of the visionary computer conservationist Tony Sale, the award was instituted in 2012 to acknowledge outstanding contributions in the field of computer preservation and restoration.

The Winner of the Tony Sale Award 2024 is Micral N project.

This year was a challenge for the judging panel, chaired by Professor Martin Campbell-Kelly - a distinguished figure in the history of computing - and comprised of prominent experts such as Jonathan Bowen (UK), Paul Ceruzzi (USA), David Link (Germany), Simon Lavington (UK), and John Tucker (UK). The panel evaluated the nominations and selected the award recipient. All entries were exceptional, and the judges were impressed by the high standard of submissions.

This year three of the submissions were for “virtual” rather than physical reconstructions of early computers: there was a web-based virtualization of the ICT 1301 computer from the UK; from Ukraine there was a simulation and software reconstruction of the country’s second digital computer, the Kyiv; and from the United States the SIMH project enables the emulation of practically any digital computer. A fourth project was the restoration of Medley Interlisp, Xerox PARC’s version of the Lisp programming language initiated in the 1960s.

Professor Martin Campbell-Kelly

“Tony Sale's indelible legacy is characterised by his commitment to engagement through operational machinery, a principle that resonates in the work of the awardees. The award underscores the importance of recognizing individuals or groups that demonstrate exceptional dedication to the practical aspects of computer conservation, encompassing both hardware and software restoration projects.”

The Tony Sale Award is presented biennially, and the Computer Conservation Society is delighted to recommence the award cycle in 2024 after a pause due to the pandemic. This renewed dedication to celebrating excellence in computer conservation aligns seamlessly with Tony Sale's enduring legacy of promoting the operational and tangible aspects of computing history. The official website for the award can be found at https://www.sale-award.org

The esteemed National Museum of Computing (TNMOC) at Bletchley Park, renowned for its focus on preserving the evolution of computing, is a fitting partner for the Tony Sale Award. TNMOC, with its impressive collection of historic computing machines, mirrors Tony Sale's vision of keeping technology alive through operational exhibits.

Images:

1. Tony Sale Award for 2024 Winner accepting the award from Micral N project from Fabien Wernli accepting the Award

2. Donors who funded the awards - Elastacloud, Pete the Engineer and Polynomial

3. Micral N project from Micral N Project

4. 2024 Awards

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