29 Jun
2007
29 Jun
'07
2:20 a.m.
On Fri, 29 Jun 2007, Jules Richardson wrote:
Hmm, I stand corrected :) The big 50's and
60's machines this side of the
pond always seemed to come with core as the main memory; drum stores weren't
uncommon, but only as 'off-line' storage. Even the smaller desk-sized stuff
(BCL Susie etc.) were as far as I'm aware [1] core machines.
The big 50s machines were mostly drum/disk based as core memory wasn't
available. See IBM 650, Zuse Z22, Ferranti Pegasus etc.
[1] We've got a couple to pick up at some point,
both with drums - but
without getting hold of the hardware and manuals knowledge about BCL
equipment is pretty thin on the ground!
Old, especially desk-sized drum computers are quite easy to understand if
you spend some time investigating [I know that of experience with our
LGP-30s]
Christian