Virtual ERNIE
A virtual simulation of E.R.N.I.E - Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment
Find Out More Run Virtual ERNIEA virtual simulation of E.R.N.I.E - Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment
Find Out More Run Virtual ERNIEE.R.N.I.E stood for the Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment and is a hardware random number generator built in 1956 to find winners each month for the Post Office Savings Bank and National Savings (now National Savings and Investments, NS&I) Premium Bond prize draw.
Designed by Harry Fensom together with Tommy Flowers, the inventor of Colossus, the first digital electronic programmable computer who both worked at the GPO Research Station at Dollis Hill.
What do I need to know to run it!To move around, click and drag on a blank area of screen or use the scroll bars.
If you want a closer look at ERNIE, use your mouse wheel while on the page or alternatively, use the Zoom Level buttons on the control at the top left of the screen. On a tablet or phone: Just pinch zoom as normal
Try clicking the switches or keys - basically anywhere you see the hand icon.
For switches, click or press at the top of the switch to move it upwards and at the bottom of the switch to move it downwards.
Look for the helpful blue info boxes. These give extra information about panels you can interact with and some options and selections.
Try opening the drawers on the desk for manuals and a video, these will give you more information on how ERNIE was used.
To begin, why not download this PDF guide
Getting Started
A number of simulations are available of machines which ran at Bletchley Park and in Germany during WW2.
Also now including Virtual ERNIE, the Premium Bond random number generator, which was designed and build by some of the same engineers as Colossus.
New in 2020 - Virtual Typex, a simulation of the British answer to Enigma.
A simulation of the first electronic computer which broke the German Lorenz cipher during WW2 at Bletchley Park.
The Lorenz SZ40/42 was a formidable cipher attachment used by the German High Command. Use the machine that Colossus was built to break.
The Dragon was built by the Signal Security Agency (SSA) at Arlington Hall, Virginia and was used at Bletchley Park to help break Lorenz codes. It was used to search for a crib (a guess at the text) within the cipher message.
E.R.N.I.E stands for the Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment and is a hardware random number generator built in 1956 to find winners each month for the National Savings Premium Bond prize draw.
Typex was a British cipher machine which used a very similar method of enciphering to Enigma. It was also used at Bletchley Park to decipher Enigma messages once the Bombes had found the day key.
A simulation of the ICT 1301 2nd generation computer, specifically serial number 6, named Flossie.
A number of people I need to say thanks and tip my hat to...
www.TNMOC.org .. The National Museum of Computing where my obsession was sparked!
www.nsandi.com .. The home of E.R.N.I.E
collection.sciencemuseum.org.uk .. The Science Museum Group Collection for their high resolution images of ERNIE
FuseMetrix Group .. My employers who put up with me nattering about Colossus and allow me space on their servers to run this website!
Also thanks to Rod Willerton for uploading a digital version of the original GPO 16mm film, made in 1964, "The Importance of Being E.R.N.I.E" which was invaluable in learning more of exactly how ERNIE worked and was used.
