17 Dec
1998
17 Dec
'98
10:50 a.m.
On Thu, 17 Dec 1998, D. Peschel wrote:
Well, from what I've read about SIMON, it has
about two bits of RAM and a
few instructions. (There are actually TWO paper tapes -- one for data, the
other for instructions.) So you can program it and maybe use conditions,
but I don't think you can store a program anywhere in the machine.
AFAIK, MAGDUM was an accessory for SIMON which gave you external
*primary* storage. I think there were other "real" computers that also
used magnetic drum for primary storage.
The other kits may have been more powerful.
No, the other kits were generally less powerful and less expensive to
built. The estimated cost to build SIMON was $300, I think, whereas
GENIAC was $15 or so to buy from Oliver Garfield and other distributors.
But Supnik says he got the sources from Berkeley's
book! I just checked.
Interesting. I thought that I had heard that is was from an early copy
at MIT. Not only was Berkeley the father of personal computing, but he
was an early computer history archivist as well :-)
Yeah, he doesn't get much press. (Also, when your
work exists to make money
for your company, you're wise not to say too much about it.) I really want
Sketchpad or a clone on MY machine. I don't know anything about dataflow
languages.
Sutherland's now down here at Sun Microsystems. Come on down and let's
approach him about an interview and preserving/emulating some of his work.
The Smithsonian already has a bunch of his stuff, I think, but I don't
exactly what they have.
-- Doug