15 Dec
2007
15 Dec
'07
1:49 a.m.
On Fri, 14 Dec 2007, Jochen Kunz wrote:
The Z22 is a bit 'bigger' than the LGP-30, although it's bit-serial, too.
There's the Z22 in Karlsruhe which apparently runs (idle) several days a
week. I have seen this machine when it still was at the FH some years ago.
I'm
looking at what it would take to make a barebones "museum piece"
bit-serial computer along the lines of an LGP-30 or maybe a Bendix
G-15.
Maybe you should have a look at the Zuse machines also. The Z22 is a
bit-serial, drum based machine too. What about acoustic delay line memory?
It is at least as "classic" as a drum but would be much easier to build.
AFAIK the CSIRAC was a bit-serial, delay memory machine.
Yes, it should be easier although it is very sensible to temperature
changes. Another, "more classic" memory devices would be Williams tubes.
The big advantage of the drum is that it doesn't lose its contents when
switched off. I think most drum based computers (at least the LGP-30) have
permanently recorded timing and clock tracks (which can't be recreated
in the field). The LGP-30, for example, derives its master bit clock from
its drum because it was impossible to synchronize the drum to the
computer. It's also a much simpler approach.
Christian