13 May
2025
13 May
'25
3:52 p.m.
Back in Nov of 2023 Ed Sharpe asked the following: “Was there ever a
COMPUTER using a 4004 that you could really do something or did that
finally arrive with the 8008”
https://classiccmp.org/mailman3/hyperkitty/list/cctalk@classiccmp.org/messa…
I hope to answer that question, or at least spark a discussion.
For a number of years now I have been researching this computer called
a Comstar System 4 which is based on the Intel 4004. The Comstar
Corporation of Minneapolis was a developer of microcomputer control
and automation systems and in 1972 released the System 4
microcomputer. Comstar built a general purpose capable computer that
could be programmed to do a multitude of tasks but their market focus
was industrial automation. Comstar was eventually bought by Warner &
Swasey in 1974 to integrate their computers into the Warner & Swasey
product line. Warner & Swasey was a huge manufacturer of industrial
machines. So they bought Comstar to be their Computer division. In
fact it was called " Warner & Swasey Comstar Microcomputer Electronic
Products" Warner and Swasey also licensed the Micral N to do the same
and we call the Micral N a computer. The Micral N was designed for
process control, but we know of it as a computer.
Now before anyone argues about if this is a computer or not, I will
state the following.
It was called a Microcomputer in the ACM titled "Development of a
portable compiler for industrial microcomputer systems "
It was called a Microcomputer in Electronics Magazine July 11th 1974
It was listed as a Microcomputer in "Auerbach Guide to Minicomputers"
April 1976 & Winter 1976 - 1977
It was listed as a Microcomputer in Datamation Magazine Dec 1974
It was called a Microcomputer in "A MICROCOMPUTER BASED SUBSTATION
CONTROL SYSTEM" The University of Oklahoma, Ph.D., 1975 Engineering,
electronics and electrical Page 90
It was listed as a Microcomputer in the Intel MCS 4 User Manual Feb
1973 page 171
It was listed as a Microcomputer in Electronics Magazine Jan 1973,
they promote the 4004 and 8008 and use the System 4 as an example.
The reality is this existed, was 4004 based and there were discussions
about it in the media at the time.
Anyway I wanted to see if there was more interest in researching this computer.
I listed a number of articles and references below that either discuss
Comstar, The Warner Swasey Computer Division, the “System 4” or “Star
4” Computer.
All the Manuals and schematics I was able to upload to archive.org
https://archive.org/search?query=subject%3A%22Comstar+Computer+Systems%22
Computer History Museum's Archive of the Manual
https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102686568
Pictures of the items I have collected so far
https://imgur.com/a/Oyts3A9
The website "Internet Scripophily Museum of Computing" has a page on
the history of The Warner & Swasey Company. It's a decent timeline of
the company
http://ismoc.blogspot.com/2017/06/the-warner-swasey-company.html
"Development of a portable compiler for industrial microcomputer
systems" by LEROY H. ANDERSON The Warner & Swasey Company, it
discusses the system and has images on the unit.
https://www.computer.org/csdl/pds/api/csdl/proceedings/download-article/12O…
In the ACM's archives "Development of a portable compiler for
industrial microcomputer systems" by LEROY H. ANDERSON The Warner &
Swasey Company, it discusses the system and has images on the unit.
https://www.computer.org/csdl/pds/api/csdl/proceedings/download-article/12O…
Electronics Magazine July 11th 1974 Article: Industrial Automatic
control proliferates, they are mentioned on page 84 & 85
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Electronics/70s/74/Electronics-19…
There is a mention about the compiler in the IEEE on Page 25 under
Compiler Programmer
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=6368812
Computer Design Magazine Nov 1975 Page 129 they talk about the compiler.
https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_ComputerDe_90611286/page/128/mode/2up
The Intel MCS 4 User Manual Feb 1973 page 171 and in Electronics
Magazine Jan 1973, they promote the 4004 and 8008 and use the System 4
as an example.
http://www.bitsavers.org/components/intel/MCS4/MCS-4_UsersManual_Feb73.pdf
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Electronics/70s/73/Electronics-19…
There are a number of sources that list the computer as a
"microcomputer" and provide specs showing it being 4004 based.
Datamation Magazine Page 97 & 101
http://www.bitsavers.org/magazines/Datamation/197412.pdf
In "Auerbach Guide to Minicomputers" April 1976, the computer is
mentioned on page 54 and page 70.
http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/auerbach/Auerbach_Guide_to_Minicomputers_Apr76…
In "Auerbach Guide to Minicomputers" Winter 1976 - 1977, the computer
is mentioned on page 32
http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/auerbach/Auerbach_Guide_to_Minicomputers_1976-…
13 May
13 May
8:21 p.m.
On May 13, 2025, at 9:52 AM, Christian Liendo via
cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
Back in Nov of 2023 Ed Sharpe asked the following: “Was there ever a
COMPUTER using a 4004 that you could really do something or did that
finally arrive with the 8008”
https://classiccmp.org/mailman3/hyperkitty/list/cctalk@classiccmp.org/messa…
I hope to answer that question, or at least spark a discussion.
For a number of years now I have been researching this computer called
a Comstar System 4 which is based on the Intel 4004. The Comstar
Corporation of Minneapolis was a developer of microcomputer control
and automation systems and in 1972 released the System 4
microcomputer. Comstar built a general purpose capable computer that
could be programmed to do a multitude of tasks but their market focus
was industrial automation. ...
Interesting.
Another data point, but not a commercial one: a university classmate of mine created a
4004 based computer system of his own design, a large wire wrap board with about 100 chips
on it. It became his Honors project. I think it was summer of 1974 that he spent at one
of the US National Labs, and they were sufficiently impressed with what he had built that
they wanted copies of it.
Originally the machine didn't have a UART, so it needed a bit-banging serial port
driver to load code. Later on a friendly DEC field service tech gave him a General
Automation UART chip, I think that was the first single chip UART, which made the job a
whole lot simpler.
paul
8:38 p.m.
Paul, are you thinking of the General Instruments AY5-1013, or did that come later? That
chip was in an 8008-based option board for the Tektronix 4014 graphics terminal.
(Internally called the figpi, first gen peripheral interface. The sigpi was a 6800.) I had
a look at the firmware when I started at Tek in 1980.
Dave Wise
On May 13, 2025, at 11:28 AM, Paul Koning via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
General Automation UART chip, I think that was the first single chip UART, which made
the job a whole lot simpler.
paul
14 May
14 May
5:27 a.m.
I know that LeRoy Anderson and worked with him in the early 90s. I do not know if he is
still on the planet however. He was quite a name in the Twin Cities electronics industry
in the 70s, 80s and early 90s. I worked with him at Multi-Tech Systems, a fairly
prominent modem manufacturer during that timeframe. He was a consultant there and had a
big role in helping Multi-Tech’s founder, Raghu Sharma, become a citizen, get his PhD at
UofMN and start the company. LeRoy was also an EE professor at UofMN and dabbled in
various RF heating technologies I believe.
I have two C4040 (prerelease silicon) chips that I found in a box in the attic at
Multi-Tech one day over the lunch hour sometime in 1979. Nobody knew what they were or why
they were there but I kept them, still have them, and they run. LOL.
Chris
--
Chris Elmquist
On May 13, 2025, at 9:00 AM, Christian Liendo via
cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
Back in Nov of 2023 Ed Sharpe asked the following: “Was there ever a
COMPUTER using a 4004 that you could really do something or did that
finally arrive with the 8008”
https://classiccmp.org/mailman3/hyperkitty/list/cctalk@classiccmp.org/messa…
I hope to answer that question, or at least spark a discussion.
For a number of years now I have been researching this computer called
a Comstar System 4 which is based on the Intel 4004. The Comstar
Corporation of Minneapolis was a developer of microcomputer control
and automation systems and in 1972 released the System 4
microcomputer. Comstar built a general purpose capable computer that
could be programmed to do a multitude of tasks but their market focus
was industrial automation. Comstar was eventually bought by Warner &
Swasey in 1974 to integrate their computers into the Warner & Swasey
product line. Warner & Swasey was a huge manufacturer of industrial
machines. So they bought Comstar to be their Computer division. In
fact it was called " Warner & Swasey Comstar Microcomputer Electronic
Products" Warner and Swasey also licensed the Micral N to do the same
and we call the Micral N a computer. The Micral N was designed for
process control, but we know of it as a computer.
Now before anyone argues about if this is a computer or not, I will
state the following.
It was called a Microcomputer in the ACM titled "Development of a
portable compiler for industrial microcomputer systems "
It was called a Microcomputer in Electronics Magazine July 11th 1974
It was listed as a Microcomputer in "Auerbach Guide to Minicomputers"
April 1976 & Winter 1976 - 1977
It was listed as a Microcomputer in Datamation Magazine Dec 1974
It was called a Microcomputer in "A MICROCOMPUTER BASED SUBSTATION
CONTROL SYSTEM" The University of Oklahoma, Ph.D., 1975 Engineering,
electronics and electrical Page 90
It was listed as a Microcomputer in the Intel MCS 4 User Manual Feb
1973 page 171
It was listed as a Microcomputer in Electronics Magazine Jan 1973,
they promote the 4004 and 8008 and use the System 4 as an example.
The reality is this existed, was 4004 based and there were discussions
about it in the media at the time.
Anyway I wanted to see if there was more interest in researching this computer.
I listed a number of articles and references below that either discuss
Comstar, The Warner Swasey Computer Division, the “System 4” or “Star
4” Computer.
All the Manuals and schematics I was able to upload to archive.org
https://archive.org/search?query=subject%3A%22Comstar+Computer+Systems%22
Computer History Museum's Archive of the Manual
https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102686568
Pictures of the items I have collected so far
https://imgur.com/a/Oyts3A9
The website "Internet Scripophily Museum of Computing" has a page on
the history of The Warner & Swasey Company. It's a decent timeline of
the company
http://ismoc.blogspot.com/2017/06/the-warner-swasey-company.html
"Development of a portable compiler for industrial microcomputer
systems" by LEROY H. ANDERSON The Warner & Swasey Company, it
discusses the system and has images on the unit.
https://www.computer.org/csdl/pds/api/csdl/proceedings/download-article/12O…
In the ACM's archives "Development of a portable compiler for
industrial microcomputer systems" by LEROY H. ANDERSON The Warner &
Swasey Company, it discusses the system and has images on the unit.
https://www.computer.org/csdl/pds/api/csdl/proceedings/download-article/12O…
Electronics Magazine July 11th 1974 Article: Industrial Automatic
control proliferates, they are mentioned on page 84 & 85
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Electronics/70s/74/Electronics-19…
There is a mention about the compiler in the IEEE on Page 25 under
Compiler Programmer
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=6368812
Computer Design Magazine Nov 1975 Page 129 they talk about the compiler.
https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_ComputerDe_90611286/page/128/mode/2up
The Intel MCS 4 User Manual Feb 1973 page 171 and in Electronics
Magazine Jan 1973, they promote the 4004 and 8008 and use the System 4
as an example.
http://www.bitsavers.org/components/intel/MCS4/MCS-4_UsersManual_Feb73.pdf
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Electronics/70s/73/Electronics-19…
There are a number of sources that list the computer as a
"microcomputer" and provide specs showing it being 4004 based.
Datamation Magazine Page 97 & 101
http://www.bitsavers.org/magazines/Datamation/197412.pdf
In "Auerbach Guide to Minicomputers" April 1976, the computer is
mentioned on page 54 and page 70.
http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/auerbach/Auerbach_Guide_to_Minicomputers_Apr76…
In "Auerbach Guide to Minicomputers" Winter 1976 - 1977, the computer
is mentioned on page 32
http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/auerbach/Auerbach_Guide_to_Minicomputers_1976-…
15 May
15 May
5:01 p.m.
At VCF West (Mountain View) in 2021, there was a demonstration of using a
4004 in a weighing machine and cash register.
I'm not sure if there was modern make or referenced prior equipment.
On Tue, May 13, 2025 at 8:58 AM Christian Liendo via cctalk <
cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
Back in Nov of 2023 Ed Sharpe asked the following:
“Was there ever a
COMPUTER using a 4004 that you could really do something or did that
finally arrive with the 8008”
https://classiccmp.org/mailman3/hyperkitty/list/cctalk@classiccmp.org/messa…
I hope to answer that question, or at least spark a discussion.
For a number of years now I have been researching this computer called
a Comstar System 4 which is based on the Intel 4004. The Comstar
Corporation of Minneapolis was a developer of microcomputer control
and automation systems and in 1972 released the System 4
microcomputer. Comstar built a general purpose capable computer that
could be programmed to do a multitude of tasks but their market focus
was industrial automation. Comstar was eventually bought by Warner &
Swasey in 1974 to integrate their computers into the Warner & Swasey
product line. Warner & Swasey was a huge manufacturer of industrial
machines. So they bought Comstar to be their Computer division. In
fact it was called " Warner & Swasey Comstar Microcomputer Electronic
Products" Warner and Swasey also licensed the Micral N to do the same
and we call the Micral N a computer. The Micral N was designed for
process control, but we know of it as a computer.
Now before anyone argues about if this is a computer or not, I will
state the following.
It was called a Microcomputer in the ACM titled "Development of a
portable compiler for industrial microcomputer systems "
It was called a Microcomputer in Electronics Magazine July 11th 1974
It was listed as a Microcomputer in "Auerbach Guide to Minicomputers"
April 1976 & Winter 1976 - 1977
It was listed as a Microcomputer in Datamation Magazine Dec 1974
It was called a Microcomputer in "A MICROCOMPUTER BASED SUBSTATION
CONTROL SYSTEM" The University of Oklahoma, Ph.D., 1975 Engineering,
electronics and electrical Page 90
It was listed as a Microcomputer in the Intel MCS 4 User Manual Feb
1973 page 171
It was listed as a Microcomputer in Electronics Magazine Jan 1973,
they promote the 4004 and 8008 and use the System 4 as an example.
The reality is this existed, was 4004 based and there were discussions
about it in the media at the time.
Anyway I wanted to see if there was more interest in researching this
computer.
I listed a number of articles and references below that either discuss
Comstar, The Warner Swasey Computer Division, the “System 4” or “Star
4” Computer.
All the Manuals and schematics I was able to upload to archive.org
https://archive.org/search?query=subject%3A%22Comstar+Computer+Systems%22
Computer History Museum's Archive of the Manual
https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102686568
Pictures of the items I have collected so far
https://imgur.com/a/Oyts3A9
The website "Internet Scripophily Museum of Computing" has a page on
the history of The Warner & Swasey Company. It's a decent timeline of
the company
http://ismoc.blogspot.com/2017/06/the-warner-swasey-company.html
"Development of a portable compiler for industrial microcomputer
systems" by LEROY H. ANDERSON The Warner & Swasey Company, it
discusses the system and has images on the unit.
https://www.computer.org/csdl/pds/api/csdl/proceedings/download-article/12O…
In the ACM's archives "Development of a portable compiler for
industrial microcomputer systems" by LEROY H. ANDERSON The Warner &
Swasey Company, it discusses the system and has images on the unit.
https://www.computer.org/csdl/pds/api/csdl/proceedings/download-article/12O…
Electronics Magazine July 11th 1974 Article: Industrial Automatic
control proliferates, they are mentioned on page 84 & 85
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Electronics/70s/74/Electronics-19…
There is a mention about the compiler in the IEEE on Page 25 under
Compiler Programmer
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=6368812
Computer Design Magazine Nov 1975 Page 129 they talk about the compiler.
https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_ComputerDe_90611286/page/128/mode/2up
The Intel MCS 4 User Manual Feb 1973 page 171 and in Electronics
Magazine Jan 1973, they promote the 4004 and 8008 and use the System 4
as an example.
http://www.bitsavers.org/components/intel/MCS4/MCS-4_UsersManual_Feb73.pdf
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Electronics/70s/73/Electronics-19…
There are a number of sources that list the computer as a
"microcomputer" and provide specs showing it being 4004 based.
Datamation Magazine Page 97 & 101
http://www.bitsavers.org/magazines/Datamation/197412.pdf
In "Auerbach Guide to Minicomputers" April 1976, the computer is
mentioned on page 54 and page 70.
http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/auerbach/Auerbach_Guide_to_Minicomputers_Apr76…
In "Auerbach Guide to Minicomputers" Winter 1976 - 1977, the computer
is mentioned on page 32
http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/auerbach/Auerbach_Guide_to_Minicomputers_1976-…
17 May
17 May
5:56 p.m.
It all depends on what one means by a computer that one could do useful things on. A
fellow named Tom Pittman wrote a 4004 assembler that ran on the SIM4-01 board, using a
teletype's tape reader as the source code and the intermediate output for the 2 pass
assembler. This assembler was released, through Intel, in the 4004 manual listed below.
I understand the assembler was used to write the code for a mailing list program. While
the ASR33 is not the best editing machine, some scissors, a splicing block and tape could
do the needed editing of paper tape.
The assembler also had the ability to stop and edit the tape being punched while
assembling.
I'd say that having an assembler would be sufficient to call it a general purpose
computer. Although, one didn't normally connect the 4004 up to program RAM, it could
be done as was done on the MOD4 development system. The 4004 was generally intended to run
code from ROMs and use RAM for temporary data. That doesn't mean it never had RAM for
program space.
I don't know what the Comstar systems had but Tom Pittman didn't let not having a
computer to work on stop him from using the 4004 as a computer.
Dwight
________________________________
From: Steve Lewis via cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2025 8:01 AM
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
Cc: Steve Lewis <lewissa78(a)gmail.com>
Subject: [cctalk] Re: Comstar Computer Systems System 4 Intel 4004 based Industrial
Computer
At VCF West (Mountain View) in 2021, there was a demonstration of using a
4004 in a weighing machine and cash register.
I'm not sure if there was modern make or referenced prior equipment.
On Tue, May 13, 2025 at 8:58 AM Christian Liendo via cctalk <
cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
Back in Nov of 2023 Ed Sharpe asked the following:
“Was there ever a
COMPUTER using a 4004 that you could really do something or did that
finally arrive with the 8008”
https://classiccmp.org/mailman3/hyperkitty/list/cctalk@classiccmp.org/messa…
I hope to answer that question, or at least spark a discussion.
For a number of years now I have been researching this computer called
a Comstar System 4 which is based on the Intel 4004. The Comstar
Corporation of Minneapolis was a developer of microcomputer control
and automation systems and in 1972 released the System 4
microcomputer. Comstar built a general purpose capable computer that
could be programmed to do a multitude of tasks but their market focus
was industrial automation. Comstar was eventually bought by Warner &
Swasey in 1974 to integrate their computers into the Warner & Swasey
product line. Warner & Swasey was a huge manufacturer of industrial
machines. So they bought Comstar to be their Computer division. In
fact it was called " Warner & Swasey Comstar Microcomputer Electronic
Products" Warner and Swasey also licensed the Micral N to do the same
and we call the Micral N a computer. The Micral N was designed for
process control, but we know of it as a computer.
Now before anyone argues about if this is a computer or not, I will
state the following.
It was called a Microcomputer in the ACM titled "Development of a
portable compiler for industrial microcomputer systems "
It was called a Microcomputer in Electronics Magazine July 11th 1974
It was listed as a Microcomputer in "Auerbach Guide to Minicomputers"
April 1976 & Winter 1976 - 1977
It was listed as a Microcomputer in Datamation Magazine Dec 1974
It was called a Microcomputer in "A MICROCOMPUTER BASED SUBSTATION
CONTROL SYSTEM" The University of Oklahoma, Ph.D., 1975 Engineering,
electronics and electrical Page 90
It was listed as a Microcomputer in the Intel MCS 4 User Manual Feb
1973 page 171
It was listed as a Microcomputer in Electronics Magazine Jan 1973,
they promote the 4004 and 8008 and use the System 4 as an example.
The reality is this existed, was 4004 based and there were discussions
about it in the media at the time.
Anyway I wanted to see if there was more interest in researching this
computer.
I listed a number of articles and references below that either discuss
Comstar, The Warner Swasey Computer Division, the “System 4” or “Star
4” Computer.
All the Manuals and schematics I was able to upload to archive.org
https://archive.org/search?query=subject%3A%22Comstar+Computer+Systems%22
Computer History Museum's Archive of the Manual
https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102686568
Pictures of the items I have collected so far
https://imgur.com/a/Oyts3A9
The website "Internet Scripophily Museum of Computing" has a page on
the history of The Warner & Swasey Company. It's a decent timeline of
the company
http://ismoc.blogspot.com/2017/06/the-warner-swasey-company.html
"Development of a portable compiler for industrial microcomputer
systems" by LEROY H. ANDERSON The Warner & Swasey Company, it
discusses the system and has images on the unit.
https://www.computer.org/csdl/pds/api/csdl/proceedings/download-article/12O…
In the ACM's archives "Development of a portable compiler for
industrial microcomputer systems" by LEROY H. ANDERSON The Warner &
Swasey Company, it discusses the system and has images on the unit.
https://www.computer.org/csdl/pds/api/csdl/proceedings/download-article/12O…
Electronics Magazine July 11th 1974 Article: Industrial Automatic
control proliferates, they are mentioned on page 84 & 85
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Electronics/70s/74/Electronics-19…
There is a mention about the compiler in the IEEE on Page 25 under
Compiler Programmer
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=6368812
Computer Design Magazine Nov 1975 Page 129 they talk about the compiler.
https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_ComputerDe_90611286/page/128/mode/2up
The Intel MCS 4 User Manual Feb 1973 page 171 and in Electronics
Magazine Jan 1973, they promote the 4004 and 8008 and use the System 4
as an example.
http://www.bitsavers.org/components/intel/MCS4/MCS-4_UsersManual_Feb73.pdf
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Electronics/70s/73/Electronics-19…
There are a number of sources that list the computer as a
"microcomputer" and provide specs showing it being 4004 based.
Datamation Magazine Page 97 & 101
http://www.bitsavers.org/magazines/Datamation/197412.pdf
In "Auerbach Guide to Minicomputers" April 1976, the computer is
mentioned on page 54 and page 70.
http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/auerbach/Auerbach_Guide_to_Minicomputers_Apr76…
In "Auerbach Guide to Minicomputers" Winter 1976 - 1977, the computer
is mentioned on page 32
http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/auerbach/Auerbach_Guide_to_Minicomputers_1976-…
8:14 p.m.
On 05/17/2025 11:56 AM EDT dwight via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
It all depends on what one means by a computer that one could do useful things on. A
fellow named Tom Pittman wrote a 4004 assembler that ran on the SIM4-01 board, using a
teletype's tape reader as the source code and the intermediate output for the 2 pass
assembler. This assembler was released, through Intel, in the 4004 manual listed below.
I don't know what the Comstar systems had but Tom
Pittman didn't let not having a computer to work on stop him from using the 4004 as a
computer.
Dwight
As a related side note, Tom Pittman was rather prolific and well-known in the early days
of home computing. He also wrote several popular versions of Tiny BASIC. He is still
active.
http://www.ittybittycomputers.com/
Will
20 May
20 May
5:51 p.m.
From what I was able to learn the 4004 based System 4 was implemented
in multiple systems
It ran systems at a Michigan-California Lumber Company sawmill, the
Comstar system was used in the grading and sorting operation, keeping
track of the number of boards that had gone into each bin and
activating a relay when a palette load was completed.
Another was a "tape editing system for Deluxe Check Printers. At that
time the check information was stored on a short strip of paper tape
included with each check order. When checks were re-ordered, the paper
tape drove the linotype machine that set the type for the check order.
When a bank was bought by another bank, it was necessary to change the
routing number on new check orders to the new bank's number. The
Comstar system would read each tape, look up the routing number in an
EPROM table and substitute the new routing number (and add an account
number prefix) if it found a match for the old routing number in the
table.
Another was in a Frozen food warehouse in Chicago (Beatrice Foods').
There were four four-story high stacker cranes running on tracks in
the floor that moved pallets from entrance turntables to the many
pallet slots in the four-story high pallet racks. There was a Comstar
machine in each crane cab to implement three-axis closed loop control
of the crane motors. There were also several other Comstar machines to
control the turntables, as well as a system of conveyer belts used to
move manually picked boxes from the pallets in the pallet slots to the
loading dock area for transfer to outbound trucks.
Comstar also worked with TRW on the street Lights in Baltimore.
I remember there was a brief mention of a water system that was run on
these computers
So the computers actually did stuff.
On Sat, May 17, 2025 at 12:03 PM dwight via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
It all depends on what one means by a computer that one could do useful things on. A
fellow named Tom Pittman wrote a 4004 assembler that ran on the SIM4-01 board, using a
teletype's tape reader as the source code and the intermediate output for the 2 pass
assembler. This assembler was released, through Intel, in the 4004 manual listed below.
I understand the assembler was used to write the code for a mailing list program. While
the ASR33 is not the best editing machine, some scissors, a splicing block and tape could
do the needed editing of paper tape.
The assembler also had the ability to stop and edit the tape being punched while
assembling.
I'd say that having an assembler would be sufficient to call it a general purpose
computer. Although, one didn't normally connect the 4004 up to program RAM, it could
be done as was done on the MOD4 development system. The 4004 was generally intended to run
code from ROMs and use RAM for temporary data. That doesn't mean it never had RAM for
program space.
I don't know what the Comstar systems had but Tom Pittman didn't let not having a
computer to work on stop him from using the 4004 as a computer.
Dwight
2
days inactive
9
days old
7 comments
7 participants
participants (7)
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Chris Elmquist -
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