17 Oct
2000
17 Oct
'00
7:59 a.m.
In 1976 the University of Missouri picked up a early graphics display
system. The heart of the system was a display controller which had a
vertically mounted hard disk in a cabinet the size of four 72" racks. The
graphics controller was in another cabinet that was also four 72" racks in
size. The cover over the disk slid apart and the platter was exposed. The
platter was about 4-5 feet in diameter. There was a vacuum pump to remove
the air when the system was closed up. There was one head for each graphic
display, you could change images by switching tracks.
Someday I'll see if I can find any pictures.
Mike
mmcfadden(a)cmh.edu
From: Chuck McManis <cmcmanis(a)mcmanis.com>
Subject: RE: Fleamarkets (was Re: A LART is needed (was: VCF 4.0))
Fascinating, if it came from MIT is was probably part
of the MIT
"Whirlwind" making it an extremely valuable artifact. Too bad you didn't
pick it up, I'm guessing it would fetch over $10K at auction.
- --Chuck
At 06:23 PM 10/16/2000 -0400, you wrote:
FWIW there was what must've been a 30" disk
platter
at the MIT Flea this weekend, mounted on its
center hub. Never saw a disk larger than 14"
before. Didn't get the manufacturer but the
price was $40.00 and the seller was Frank Fink.
John A.