29 Nov
2001
29 Nov
'01
5:44 p.m.
CLeyson(a)aol.com wrote:
Tony Duell wrote:
In August 1967, Wireless World published the first of four articles describing
the "Wireless World Digital Computer":
"Low cost desk top binary machine for small-scale calcualtions
and for use in schools as a teaching aid, designed by B. Crank
of "Wireless World" staff. Numbers are fed in manually and
results of calcultaions are read from inicator lamps. Instructions
entered in binary coded form by a set of switches, are interpreted
and carried out automatically by the machine."
Constructed from reject germanium transistors, the total cost of parts
was estimated at UKP 50.
If there is interest I can scan the articles.
-- hbp
[1] The PE Digical may be one of the first
hobbyist calculators
(published 1972, all built from TTL chips), but it wasn't programmable.
Stick it on the list if you like.
Sorry no details, but there was a similar design in Wireless World,
circa 1968/9 - built from DTL I think.