
From Colossus to LogicaCMG
By Jo Best
Published: 17 August 2004 17:15 GMT
Ernie - the venerable computer in charge of randomly picking premium bonds winners - has been overhauled.
National Savings and Investments (NS&I), which runs the premium bonds scheme on behalf of the government, introduced the fourth generation Ernie (Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment) today.
The first Ernie was built in 1956 and has given away £7bn since it began its career of number-crunching. The new, souped-up Ernie was required after a £1m jackpot was introduced for the premium bonds, causing an influx of new bond-holders and a need for extra computing power.
Ernie has to pick the winners each month out of 23 million people who have premium bonds invested, with a total value of £25bn. With the number of monthly prizes set to rise from over 785,000 to one million, each worth between £50 and £1m, the new Ernie was commissioned by NS&I because of a need for a "faster, more innovative machine", according to the company.
Ernie 1 originally took 10 days to choose the winners in the fifties - now, it's just two-and-a-half hours.
The latest Ernie was developed by LogicaCMG and uses thermal noise generated by a 0.01 sq ft chip to pick the numbers. Ernie 1 was built by the team behind the World War II code-breaking Colossus machine.
Ernie is normally based in Blackpool but, to celebrate the fourth-generation machine's launch, the brand-new Ernie and his three predecessors - the 1956 original plus two built in 1973 and 1988 - have been on show in London's Science Museum for the day.
Maybe this one will pick my numbers?!?
Jason Forster
I thought Ernie was a totally Random Number Genera...
Paul Coenraats
ERNIE is totally random and does not simply choose...
Chris Nixon
Having been chosen at random to fall into an open ...
Robert Potter
had 8 wins this year total £500 keep it up Tom
thomas wears
Programme Manager/ Project Manager- Front Office- Bonds/ Repos- FOBO Systems! Senior hire has been released for a Front Office team Investment ...
As such you will need: * ***Experience of Databasic/D3/Pick**** * Have commercial experience using Multi-value databases is a plus * Be very IT ...
A strong understanding of financial instruments, ideally one or more of Bonds, Repos or Futures - A proven track record of delivering quality Fixed ...
Agenda Setters 2009
Welcome to the ninth annual Agenda Setters poll – silicon.com's list of the top 50 most influential individuals in the technology and IT industries, from techies and CIOs to entrepreneurs and business leaders. Find out more in our latest special report.
Stories from the web...
Copyright © 2008 CBS Interactive Limited. All rights reserved. Top of page
Seb Janacek Minority Report: Mac Mini - a real nowhere machine What could it have become with a little more love and attention?
Bethan Jones Can I use a netbook as my everyday work machine? Part II silicon.com sub editor reveals whether her netbook delivered