1 Mar
2005
1 Mar
'05
7:13 a.m.
On Mon, 28 Feb 2005, Lyle Bickley wrote:
When I joined IBM in 1961 as a field engineer for
computers (7090/7094)
- they required that I learn "unit record" equipment as well. I spent
four months learning how to fix 407's, etc.
If you ever get one, I can only tell you that it will likely be an
unmerciful job getting it to work!!! They are mechanical nightmares...
I can imagine. The stuff I was reading yesterday said that for a Card
Programmed Calculator Model A1, which is really a union of a 412-418
accounting machine, 527 printing punch, 604 calculator, and one to
three 941 auxiliary storage units (providing storage of an additional 16
10-digit words!), one would require a total of 48 AMPS!!! One machine
alone required 33A. Wow!
Still, gotta love stuff that automates calculations with purely mechanical
methods (well, except for the 604) and uses punch cards. It's basically
the 20th century version of the Babbage engine.
--
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
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