WHYcast history episode 1
Episode 1 - The Stone Age Computer at Hacking at the End of the Universe (1993)
Each episode of the WHYcast podcast promises a deep dive into the storied history of Dutch hacker camps, and the inaugural episode begins with a fascinating tale from Hacking at the End of the Universe (HEU) in 1993. The focus of this historical journey is the Stone Age computer, an interactive art installation created by Mathilde Mubey, also known as "Microprocessor."
This piece was more than just an artistic statement—it was a playful and evocative critique of the complexities of contemporary computing. Instead of the usual sterile, plastic-laden machines and thick operating manuals, the Stone Age computer invited participants into a world that was part technology, part nature. The installation was designed to resemble a Japanese garden, complete with living plants, moss, and real soil. The keyboard itself was a collection of rocks, each representing a different key. For the more complex keyboard commands, such as Alt, Shift, and Control, users needed to squeeze water sacks that dangled from the device, mimicking the experience of pressing multiple keys at once.
Mathilde's original description from her 1993 website encapsulates the spirit of the installation: "Get into the primitive mode, hit the Stone Age keyboard where rocks represent the keys, squeeze the water sacks dangling along the keyboard representing the simultaneous keys—Alt, Shift, and Control. Get the feeling of how you push your data through the computer." Users were encouraged to interact physically with the piece, even watering the keyboard to keep the plants alive. The experience was not only tactile but also required a certain level of care, blurring the boundary between user and device.
The installation’s playful nature extended to its connectivity. According to oral histories recounted in the podcast, at HEU 1993, the Stone Age computer was actually connected to one of the eight phone lines available at the camp. This gave the installation a real dial-up link to the outside world, a remarkable feat given the era and the limited infrastructure at the event. The Stone Age computer thus became not just a commentary on technology but a fully functional, if idiosyncratic, part of the event’s network—a true blending of art and hackerdom.
The visual impact of the piece was significant enough that it was featured on the cover of a book about data communications, underlining its status as a touchstone in the intersection of technology, art, and hacker culture. The podcast hints that this was not Mathilde Mubey’s only foray into interactive art at hacker events, suggesting that future episodes may explore her other contributions.
The recounting of the Stone Age computer serves as a vivid reminder of the playful, inventive, and often subversive spirit that has characterized Dutch hacker camps for decades. It shows how these gatherings have always been about more than just technology—they are also about community, creativity, and reimagining the relationship between people and machines.