On Tue, 26 Oct 2004, Richard wrote:
On Monday 25 October 2004 05:32 pm, Bruce Marshall wrote:
My first computer experience was with a IBM 650. The memory was on a rotating belt-driven drum. Sometimes with a power spike, the belt would snap..... :-)
Didja ever see what happens to a 6 foot drum with fixed heads when there is a sudden phase reversal? The drum, rotating at 3600 rpm, stops in a fraction of a rotation as it slams into the heads.
I doubt if many here have ever heard of, much less worked on a serial drum machine using ac logic. That was the first Process Control Computer, a RW/BR-300 invented around 1957 and still controlling the original process at the Texaco refinery when I left the company in 1973. You had to speak machine language on that one, assembly came later. ra
I have to admit that brings back old memories. The old optical tapes,
punch cards and the PDP equipment. I worked with Sperry/Univac who became
UNISYS. It was always fun play with the old equipment. I was surprised
at how slow the US goverment was in moving forward. We had to support
equipment for the late 1950's and eary 1960's. That was in 1970-1987.
OH... nestalgia... Maybe it dates a few of us...
--
Boyd Gerber