>
>Subject: Re: 1966 Mag: Build NE-2 Neon Bulb Computer - scan available
> From: woodelf <bfranchuk at jetnet.ab.ca>
> Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2007 00:04:29 -0600
> To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
>
>Allison wrote:
>
>> A dial comes from an old phone, check a thrift.
>
>> The NE-2s are still very available from most decent electronic
>> parts suppliers.
>
>Both are figments of your imgination - none around - thrift stores
>or decent electronic parts suppliers .
>But I did download the PDF so some day in the far future...
I keep forgetting you live in the heart of unobtainium. Out on the
fringes things can be found.
Allison
Amongst other references I found this
In 1951 the LEO I computer was operational and ran the world's first
regular routine office computer job.
About the "Lyons Electronic Office" (LEO I)
The LEO I used 5,936 valves, plus another 300-400 in auxiliary
equipment. The LEO used 64 mercury tubes for storage (twice the memory
capacity of the EDSAC machine built in Cambridge). Each memory tube was
5 feet, four inches in length and weighed half a ton. The computer was
controlled from a control panel, with several oscilloscopes set up to
monitor contents of the storage area. The machine also had a speaker
installed and programmers could hear the sounds generated as LEO
performed certain calculations. The programmers became so accustomed to
certain frequency variations, that they could detect something was wrong
with a program by the sounds produced through the speaker. The
programmers also used this speaker arrangement to generate some of the
first "computer music."
Rod
-----Original Message-----
From: cctech-bounces at classiccmp.org
[mailto:cctech-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Roger Holmes
Sent: 18 July 2007 14:24
To: cctalk at classiccmp.org
Subject: Re: LEO (1950)
> Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007 20:43:50 +0100
> From: "Rod Smallwood" <RodSmallwood at mail.ediconsulting.co.uk>
>
> I happened on the program by chance. It might have been called
> Disappearing Britain. A lot of it was contemporaneous and could have
> been a Lyons publicity film. (or at least bits of one). I suspect our
> friends at the National Film Archive might know.
I suspect it is a contemporary promotional film on the Leo II dated
1957 and mentions that it has been working since 1953 - referring to Leo
1 I think, it is black and white and if that's it, I have it on a DVD
published by Buzz KnowledgeWorks which I bought on eBay.
>
> I inadvertently made an ambiguous statement. By commercial I meant its
> use, not its availability for sale.
I knew what you meant. Most early designs were one or two off scientific
machines, price no object.
> Where would you start to design such a thing? Valves yes.. 12AT7
> Bistables as binary counters. Neon devices such as dekatrons as
> decimal counters. RVL (Resistor Valve Logic). Storage = Ferrite Cores,
> Tape, Drum possibly.
I'm not sure many commercial machines were made with valves logic and a
main memory of core. Transistors and core main memory often came in
together. The ICT1200 series (AKA Hollerrith Electronic Computer) was
drum main memory and valves but its replacement the ICT1300 series used
"high speed switching transistors" and core memory with backing store of
drum and optionally tape.
> I once saw a Univac FAST RAN Drum memory. What a lump!!!
At 10:59 AM 7/18/2007, Ethan Dicks wrote:
>I have had that specific problem with RCA 1861 "Pixie" graphics - I
>can get viewable images on 1970s-era CRTs and TVs with no problem, but
>I could not, for example, get a stable picture with an Apple 5" CRT
>(used with the Apple IIc line), or a DEC VR201 (+12VDC/RS170 mono
>monitor for Rainbow, DECmate, Professional, etc.) nor any sort of
>recently-manufactured TV or LCD. Depending on the exact output device
>in question, either I see pixels but can't get a frame to properly
>lock, or I don't see anything at all.
Mono video isn't too hard to decipher on a 'scope. I would guess
there's a half dozen ways to mis-conform, as well as a half-dozen
ways that older TVs did not reject out-of-spec signals.
- John
I can't find the beginning of this thread and I see no links to a scanned magazine article in any
reply to the original post. Can someone please give me the link to this scan if one was offered?
Best,
Bill
------------------------
?Shoot THE DUCK! Shoot THE DUCK!? - Bugs Bunny
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> Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007 20:43:50 +0100
> From: "Rod Smallwood" <RodSmallwood at mail.ediconsulting.co.uk>
>
> I happened on the program by chance. It might have been called
> Disappearing Britain. A lot of it was contemporaneous and could have
> been a Lyons publicity film. (or at least bits of one). I suspect our
> friends at the National Film Archive might know.
I suspect it is a contemporary promotional film on the Leo II dated
1957 and mentions that it has been working since 1953 - referring to
Leo 1 I think, it is black and white and if that's it, I have it on a
DVD published by Buzz KnowledgeWorks which I bought on eBay.
>
> I inadvertently made an ambiguous statement. By commercial I meant its
> use, not its availability for sale.
I knew what you meant. Most early designs were one or two off
scientific machines, price no object.
> Where would you start to design such a thing? Valves yes.. 12AT7
> Bistables as binary counters. Neon devices such as dekatrons as
> decimal
> counters. RVL (Resistor Valve Logic). Storage = Ferrite Cores, Tape,
> Drum possibly.
I'm not sure many commercial machines were made with valves logic and
a main memory of core. Transistors and core main memory often came in
together. The ICT1200 series (AKA Hollerrith Electronic Computer) was
drum main memory and valves but its replacement the ICT1300 series
used "high speed switching transistors" and core memory with backing
store of drum and optionally tape.
> I once saw a Univac FAST RAN Drum memory. What a lump!!!
I'm looking for an RX211 (M8256) and/or RXV21 (M8029) to go with the
RX02 I just picked up (don't know if it works yet)... less than "eBay
Store" prices would be nice. :)
Pat
--
Purdue University ITAP/RCAC --- http://www.rcac.purdue.edu/
The Computer Refuge --- http://computer-refuge.org
All:
A chap in the Beantown region emailed me with a list of magazines he has
that he needs to find a home for. If anyone is interested, let me know and
I?ll pass on his information.
Here?s what?s available:
> Apple II Computers
> 1" APDAlog (Apple Developers) 1987-89
> 5" Apple Orchard 1980-84
> 1" applesauce 1981
> 11" Call-A.P.P.L.E. 1981-89
> 5" (Hardcore) Computist 1987
> 2" Peelings II 1982-84
>
> Computers, esp. Microcomputers
> 3" one each: MACazine, etc 1980-87
>
> Technical Specialized Computers/Electronics
> 2" C Users Journal 1989
> 4" Dr. Dobb's Journal of Software Tools 1983-89
> 5" Embedded Systems Programming 1989-92
> 5" MicroSystems Journal 1984-88
> 1" Computer Smyth 1985-86 - Vol.1 No.1+
Rich
--
Rich Cini
Collector of Classic Computers
Build Master and lead engineer, Altair32 Emulator
http://www.altair32.comhttp://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp
Mike Hatch wrote:
>
Tescos are killing our computer history - ? to qualify -
The National Gas Turbine Establishment (NGTE, Farnborough) has been
partially derilict for the last 10 years or so, on that site were an Elliott
803B, SDS9300, DEC PDP-7 and 11-05, and more, I helped maintain them. Tesco
wants to build a 1,000,000 sq ft distribution depot, apparently it will be
one of the biggest buildings in the Uk,.with 1600 38 ton lorry (non
motorway) movements a day, nothing good will come of it. I'd love to get
hold of the PDP7.
-------------------------
Billy wrote:
Not certain if anyone on the list is aware, but the UK is now exporting this
fine establishment. One of the very first Tesco stores in the US is being
built less than a mile from my house in Laguna Woods. (The huge
distribution centers are already completed.)
Turnabout seems fair play after what we gave the UK - MacDonald's, KFC,
Pizza Hut, etc.
Billy
> cclist at sydex.com wrote:
> Here's a Wikipedia article about one of the early pioneers in ferrite
> logic, Hewitt Crane:
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hewitt_Crane
And here's a ground-breaking computer that contributed tremendously to the development of core
memory:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whirlwind_Computer
and the excellent book about it:
>From Whirlwind to MITRE: The R&D Story of The SAGE Air Defense Computer
http://tinyurl.com/2987kc
Best,
Bill
------------------------
?Shoot THE DUCK! Shoot THE DUCK!? - Bugs Bunny
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