Embarrassing: Penn Is Trying to Pass off a 1998 Dell PC as the ENIAC After Misplacing the Original

Well, this is pretty lame. 

The enclosure in Moore where the Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer (ENIAC) is normally on display now contains a late-20th Century Dell desktop computer.

It is true that 1998 was a long-ass time ago, especially for computers, but come on. You really thought we wouldn’t notice the difference? 

The new computer is around 400 times smaller than the ENIAC and there’s a new sign that says, “This is the ENIAC. We wouldn’t lie to you about that fact, or lose the ENIAC at a party.” Hmmm.

A source close to the situation told Under the Button that “the Engineering dean brought the ENIAC to a party, got too drunk, and left it there.” Oof. 

Hopefully the ENIAC turns up — then Penn can stop making a fool of itself trying to pass off what is clearly  a 1998 Dell PC as the world’s first modern computer.