30 Aug
30 Aug
5:35 p.m.
The sad part is that at least two of the control panels look like they may have
just been stripped from complete units.
(Look at the second photo: vac-col tape drive and controller in front of scrap
heap. (3278 terminal on the lower left?))
http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-IBM-3420-Panel_W0QQitemZ5236558292QQcategoryZ74946…
http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-IBM-3803-Panel_W0QQitemZ5236560257QQcategoryZ74946…
"A. G. Carrick" wrote:
6:24 p.m.
The sad part is that at least two of the control
panels look like they may have
just been stripped from complete units.
(Look at the second photo: vac-col tape drive and controller in front of scrap
heap. (3278 terminal on the lower left?))
3803s and 3420s are not all that rare in the states (although I have
never seen a red one). They will be, given a few years.
William Donzelli
aw288 at osfn.org
31 Aug
31 Aug
7:05 p.m.
On Tue, 30 Aug 2005, Brent Hilpert wrote:
The sad part is that at least two of the control
panels look like they may have
just been stripped from complete units.
(Look at the second photo: vac-col tape drive and controller in front of scrap
heap. (3278 terminal on the lower left?))
http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-IBM-3420-Panel_W0QQitemZ5236558292QQcategoryZ74946…
http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-IBM-3803-Panel_W0QQitemZ5236560257QQcategoryZ74946…
There's nothing terribly special about the 3420 drives. I mean, who
(beside my insane self) is going to want one? And if so, for what, other
than gawking at it?
Same goes for all big IBM iron. And this is in Santiago, Chile, afterall.
Granted, there are actually quite a few computer collectors in SA (and a
growing number of computer museums, believe it or not) but still, who is
going to want this stuff?
If someone can get down to SA with a big truck, there's actually quite a
bit of old (in some cases very old) IBM iron floating around down there.
--
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
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7:09 p.m.
Sellam wrote....
There's nothing terribly special about the 3420
drives. I mean, who
(beside my insane self) is going to want one? And if so, for what, other
than gawking at it?
Me. I'm seriously pondering getting in to those types of systems for the
usual - restoring and running.
Jay
7:54 p.m.
On Wed, 31 Aug 2005, Jay West wrote:
Sellam wrote....
I'll keep that in mind if I ever tire of the two 3420 drives and the 3803
controller I have taking up good space ;)
--
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
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There's nothing terribly special about the
3420 drives. I mean, who
(beside my insane self) is going to want one? And if so, for what, other
than gawking at it?
Me. I'm seriously pondering getting in to those types of systems for the
usual - restoring and running.
8:03 p.m.
Sellam wrote....
I'll keep that in mind if I ever tire of the two
3420 drives and the 3803
controller I have taking up good space ;)
Awesome, mucho appreciated. I guess no one saw my post a week ago or so that
I was looking for a 3174-63R establishment controller, and a couple 3278/79
type terminals (or later 3270 compatibles). That was a dead giveaway I was
tinkering with ibmstuff :>
Jay
7:20 p.m.
There's nothing terribly special about the 3420
drives. I mean, who
(beside my insane self) is going to want one?
Those of us that like REAL computers. Not the weenie DEC toys...
And if so, for what, other
than gawking at it?
They are damn good drives - OK, OK, so an "odd" interface...
Same goes for all big IBM iron.
To extend something that Al K. said a while back - in the future
retrocomputerist are going to have a very slanted view of systems, with
extremely few people saving the mainframes from the 70s thru the 90s. That
is a damn big hole.
If someone can get down to SA with a big truck,
there's actually quite a
bit of old (in some cases very old) IBM iron floating around down there.
I have started to think that this might be the only way I can get my hands
on a real IBM S/360 or 370 (or 303x or 308x or 309x, and pretty soon,
ES/9000).
William Donzelli
aw288 at osfn.org
7:57 p.m.
On Wed, 31 Aug 2005, William Donzelli wrote:
Pfeh. That's modern stuff. I'm after 400 series accounting machines
myself ;)
--
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
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To extend something that Al K. said a while back - in
the future
retrocomputerist are going to have a very slanted view of systems, with
extremely few people saving the mainframes from the 70s thru the 90s. That
is a damn big hole.
Well, I'm certainly trying to do my part to keep the record straight ;)
If someone can
get down to SA with a big truck, there's actually quite a
bit of old (in some cases very old) IBM iron floating around down there.
I have started to think that this might be the only way I can get my hands
on a real IBM S/360 or 370 (or 303x or 308x or 309x, and pretty soon,
ES/9000).
8:25 p.m.
William wrote...
> I have started to think that this might be the
only way I can get my
> hands
> on a real IBM S/360 or 370 (or 303x or 308x or 309x, and pretty soon,
> ES/9000).
To which Sellam replied...
Pfeh. That's modern stuff. I'm after 400
series accounting machines
myself ;)
I'd love an IBM 360/50 or perhaps a 370/138. A System/3 would be awesome.
But in reality, I'd be happy with a 4331/41/61.
Jay
8:32 p.m.
I'd love an IBM 360/50 or perhaps a 370/138. A
System/3 would be awesome.
But in reality, I'd be happy with a 4331/41/61.
S/3s are different animals - extremely not S/360. Neat character string
machines, however. I do know where one of those (S/3 mod 6) is available,
and I am keeping my mouth shut. Until I get it, that is.
William Donzelli
aw288 at osfn.org
8:37 p.m.
William wrote...
S/3s are different animals - extremely not S/360. Neat
character string
machines, however.
Yup, I'm aware they are very different animals, not 360/70
architecture. I
want this one because it's "the one that got away". Long story ;)
I do know where one of those (S/3 mod 6) is
available,
and I am keeping my mouth shut. Until I get it, that is.
*runs off to that
satellite imaging website*
Jay
9:49 p.m.
Same goes for all big IBM iron. And this is in Santiago, Chile,
afterall.
Granted, there are actually quite a few computer collectors in SA (and
a
growing number of computer museums, believe it or not) but still, who
is
going to want this stuff?
If someone can get down to SA with a big truck, there's actually quite
a
bit of old (in some cases very old) IBM iron floating around down
there.
For those on the right ( i.e. not left...) side of the Atlantic :
a chap in Austria is desparate in getting rid of a nice looking IBM1130.
The system is currently on Ebay Austria, no bids with a day to go.
Sadly it is CPU only, i.e. no printer and cardreader, but does have a
nice collection of disk packs.
For those who know : is the software adaptable enough to reroute IO to
the console
I would still be tempted if it was not a 6 hour drive one way across
the Alps.
Jos
10:01 p.m.
--- Jos Dreesen <jos.mar at bluewin.ch> wrote:
For those who know : is the software adaptable
enough to reroute IO to
the console
I believe there was an APL implementation that
used a special typeball on the console typewriter,
so presumably the console could be used as the
primary input device.
--Bill
1 Sep
1 Sep
4:15 a.m.
William Maddox wrote:
I believe there was an APL implementation that
used a special typeball on the console typewriter,
so presumably the console could be used as the
primary input device.
This was true on the 1130. I remember using it. I also remember running
into a *huge* listing of the source code - as I recall it was written to
run on the 1800 as well as the 1130.
-brad
31 Aug
31 Aug
10:55 p.m.
On Thu, 1 Sep 2005, Jos Dreesen wrote:
For those on the right ( i.e. not left...) side of the
Atlantic :
a chap in Austria is desparate in getting rid of a nice looking IBM1130.
What's the item #? I've searched but it doesn't turn up.
I would still be tempted if it was not a 6 hour drive
one way across
the Alps.
For an IBM 1130 I'd drive that without a second thought.
--
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
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11:04 p.m.
On 9/1/05, Vintage Computer Festival <vcf at siconic.com> wrote:
For an IBM 1130 I'd drive that without a second
thought.
They had an 1130 in the Engineering building when I was an undergrad,
but they scrapped it quietly when I wasn't looking. :-( Nice
machine.
I'd do a 6-hour drive for one, too... even at $5/gal.
-ethan
1 Sep
1 Sep
12:06 p.m.
12:55 p.m.
On Thu, 1 Sep 2005, Jos Dreesen wrote:
Same here.
(Well, maybe not yet, but probably by Monday ;)
I'd do a
6-hour drive for one, too... even at $5/gal.
It's close to 6USD / gallon here..... The ebay ID is 5233890019, a US chap has done a first
bid.
I wonder how he will arrange the " local pickup only"
Where there's a will, there's a way.
--
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org
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12:42 p.m.
New subject: Austria is a long way from Chile! (was: Anybody live in Chile?
> I would still be tempted if it was not a 6 hour
drive one way across
> the Alps.
On Wed, 31 Aug 2005, Vintage Computer Festival wrote:
For an IBM 1130 I'd drive that without a second
thought.
I think that Sellam would drive from California to Austria for an 1130.
Besides seeing how he would drive across the pond,
I'd like to watch him put an 1130 into his Honda.
(I've carried four DTC-300s (stand mounted Hitype 1 daisy wheel
terminals) with a Civic, but never an 1130.)
--
Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin at xenosoft.com
12:56 p.m.
New subject: Austria is a long way from Chile! (was: Anybody live in Chile?
On Thu, 1 Sep 2005, Fred Cisin wrote:
I think that Sellam would drive from California to
Austria for an 1130.
Besides seeing how he would drive across the pond,
I'd like to watch him put an 1130 into his Honda.
(I've carried four DTC-300s (stand mounted Hitype 1 daisy wheel
terminals) with a Civic, but never an 1130.)
Hint: the back doors come off without too much trouble ;)
(Yes, I've done this before.)
(Not an 1130, but something big that couldn't fit without removing the
door.)
--
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
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8:34 p.m.
New subject: Austria is a long way from Chile!
Fred Cisin wrote:
I once carried a VAX 6000, a VAX 4000, four MicroVAX 3100's, and several
DECstation 5000's in a Camry. The 6000 was completely disassembled, of
course.
Peace... Sridhar
>I would
still be tempted if it was not a 6 hour drive one way across
>the Alps.
On Wed, 31 Aug 2005, Vintage Computer Festival wrote:
For an IBM 1130 I'd drive that without a
second thought.
I think that Sellam would drive from California to Austria for an 1130.
Besides seeing how he would drive across the pond,
I'd like to watch him put an 1130 into his Honda.
(I've carried four DTC-300s (stand mounted Hitype 1 daisy wheel
terminals) with a Civic, but never an 1130.)
2 Sep
2 Sep
12:41 a.m.
Vintage Computer Festival wrote:
On Tue, 30 Aug 2005, Brent Hilpert wrote:
Yeah, well, they're just neat, that's all. Side-by-side-reel vacuum-column tape
drives:
#2 on the list of iconic aspects of early computers, although I take it from it's
appearance and what you and William are saying that these (3420s) are late models
(last of the breed?).
Granted that dealing wih IBM stuff is difficult in the absence of the rest of
the system if you want it be anything other than a big dead artifact (which I
guess is why you are annoyed with their occupation of your warehouse.)
The sad part is that at least two of the control
panels look like they may have
just been stripped from complete units.
There's nothing terribly special about the 3420 drives. I mean, who
(beside my insane self) is going to want one? And if so, for what, other
than gawking at it? Pfeh. That's modern stuff. I'm after 400
series accounting machines
myself ;)
...
There's nothing terribly special about the 3420
drives. I mean, who
And circa-1970-or-so one could say the same about 400 series accounting
machines as they headed to the scrapper. :)
Actually, two years ago I passed up an opportunity for a full-size vac-col 7-track
tape drive of 60s vintage. I wouldn't have minded too much it occupying some space
but I really did not relish the thought of dragging it around to whatever space
it was going to occupy. Had been in a garage or basement for a couple
of decades and the vacuum pump had been pilfered. The guy who took it to the
scrap dealer got $100-$200 for the aluminum. I'm left with the copper-clad head
assembly and a tape position sensor from a vacuum column.
Didn't find out the model or manufacturer, although the circuit boards were made
from the pale-yellow phenolic material like that of IBM
SMS cards of the
late-50s/early-60s.
It would have been fun to RE it, make a controller and interface it to something
to make it functional. ("Couldn't be that difficult, could it?", he said in
ignorance.)
1:02 a.m.
On Fri, 2 Sep 2005, Brent Hilpert wrote:
Granted that dealing wih IBM stuff is difficult in the
absence of the rest of
the system if you want it be anything other than a big dead artifact (which I
guess is why you are annoyed with their occupation of your warehouse.)
Well, I can't be too annoyed since I'm the one that put them there :) But
that was basically my point: without any real chance of getting a full
system, what's the point of having them? You can get them running in a
test mode and have a tape being de-spooled from one reel onto a take-up
reel, but that's about it.
And circa-1970-or-so one could say the same about 400
series accounting
machines as they headed to the scrapper. :)
Very true.
--
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
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2:30 a.m.
Vintage Computer Festival wrote:
that was basically my point: without any real chance of getting a full
system, what's the point of having them? You can get them running in a
test mode and have a tape being de-spooled from one reel onto a take-up
reel, but that's about it.
Well, there's another project for someone into such: a generalised 'IBM 360/370
Style I/O Channel' adapter/interface to something modern/common. Although I
will speculate somebody with experience with IBM channel stuff will promptly
suggest it would be a nightmare. (My only experience with them is people from
the past attesting to how complex/arcane said channels were. Always left me a
little curious.)
6:55 a.m.
>>>> "Brent" == Brent Hilpert
<hilpert at cs.ubc.ca> writes:
Brent> Vintage Computer Festival wrote:
> that was basically my point: without any real
chance of getting a
> full system, what's the point of having them? You can get them
> running in a test mode and have a tape being de-spooled from one
> reel onto a take-up reel, but that's about it.
Brent> Well, there's another project for someone into such: a
Brent> generalised 'IBM 360/370 Style I/O Channel' adapter/interface
Brent> to something modern/common. Although I will speculate somebody
Brent> with experience with IBM channel stuff will promptly suggest
Brent> it would be a nightmare. (My only experience with them is
Brent> people from the past attesting to how complex/arcane said
Brent> channels were. Always left me a little curious.)
You could use a DX10 or DX11 as the starting point, if schemeatics for
those are available...
paul
4:47 p.m.
Well, there's another project for someone into
such: a generalised 'IBM 360/370
Style I/O Channel' adapter/interface to something modern/common. Although I
will speculate somebody with experience with IBM channel stuff will promptly
suggest it would be a nightmare. (My only experience with them is people from
the past attesting to how complex/arcane said channels were. Always left me a
little curious.)
I've never seriously looked at the IBM channel, but the DX11, the Unibus
-> IBM Channel interface, is 8 rows of M-series flip-chip cards, plus a
power control chassis + a PSU. And that only does the 'peripheral' side
of the interface, it can't be the 'master' (if that's the term).
So yes, I guess it is complicated...
-tony
6:26 p.m.
Well, there's another project for someone into
such: a generalised 'IBM 360/370
Style I/O Channel' adapter/interface to something modern/common. Although I
will speculate somebody with experience with IBM channel stuff will promptly
suggest it would be a nightmare. (My only experience with them is people from
the past attesting to how complex/arcane said channels were. Always left me a
little curious.)
Judging from the S/3 Mod 15 docs (the big S/3s had a bus and tag channel
for a DASD), bus and tag is not completely weird, and could be implemented
without too much trouble. It is not fast, by today's (or even
yesterday's) standard. The drivers and receivers might be a little bit of
a hassle, unless some were chopped out of an existing IBM.
William Donzelli
aw288 at osfn.org
3 Sep
3 Sep
1:31 a.m.
William Donzelli wrote:
[on the subject of bus and tag electrical interface]
The drivers and receivers might be a little bit of a hassle,
unless some were chopped out of an existing IBM.
My recollection, based on mid-70's TI databooks, is that the interface
chips being sold for bus and tag are very similar to TTL open-collector
drivers and stock TTL receivers (Schmitt triggers if you want).
I will go look at the books and check again to see if it really is that
simple :-).
Tim.
5:11 a.m.
New subject: S/360 channel (was: Anybody live in Chile?)
On Sat, 2005-09-03 at 04:31 -0400, Tim Shoppa wrote:
William Donzelli wrote:
When I made up a channel adapter (that is, to connect to a CPU) I used
TTL (probably LSTTL), with 374 Tristate Tx and 244 Rx. This worked, but
maybe didn't meet the official spec.
I think you can find a spec on Bitsavers, A22-6843-3. This gives >2.25V
for 1 and <0.15V for 0.
[on the subject of bus and tag electrical
interface]
The drivers and receivers might be a little bit of a hassle,
unless some were chopped out of an existing IBM.
My recollection, based on mid-70's TI databooks, is that the interface
chips being sold for bus and tag are very similar to TTL open-collector
drivers and stock TTL receivers (Schmitt triggers if you want).
I will go look at the books and check again to see if it really is that
simple :-).
Tim. From a higher-level perspective, the channel is not
unlike SCSI. Making
a channel which would work with a specific I/O device
wouldn't be too
difficult. I only ever implemented a multiplexor (byte-at-a-time)
device for which the throughput requirements were not too severe.
--
Lawrence Wilkinson lawrence at ljw.me.uk
The IBM 360/30 page http://www.ljw.me.uk/ibm360
2 Sep
2 Sep
6:29 p.m.
Well, I can't be too annoyed since I'm the one
that put them there :) But
that was basically my point: without any real chance of getting a full
system, what's the point of having them? You can get them running in a
test mode and have a tape being de-spooled from one reel onto a take-up
reel, but that's about it.
The 3803 will do quite a bit of things - but yes, without a bus and tag
equipped processor, not much happens.
The small ES/9000 (the 9221), or an S/390, can use a 3480 system.
William Donzelli
aw288 at osfn.org
4:25 p.m.
On Fri, 02 Sep 2005 00:41:10 -0700
Brent Hilpert <hilpert at cs.ubc.ca> wrote:
Vintage Computer Festival wrote:
Where I worked, in the late 70's, it was the NEWER drives that had
vacuum columns. The old drives were the ones I had to deal with the
most. It was a COM facility so the only thing we ever did was read
tapes, but they came from all over the place (different customers).
Also, it was only the NEWEST drive that had 6250 bpi. Mostly we dealt
with 800 and 1600 tapes, and with drives that had switchable 7/9 track
heads. I wouldn't call vacuum column drives an icon of EARLY
computers...
On Tue, 30 Aug 2005, Brent Hilpert wrote:
Yeah, well, they're just neat, that's all. Side-by-side-reel
vacuum-column tape drives:
#2 on the list of iconic aspects of early computers, although I take
#it from it's
appearance and what you and William are saying that these (3420s) are
late models(last of the breed?).
The sad part is that at least two of the control
panels look like
they may have just been stripped from complete units.
There's nothing terribly special about the 3420 drives. I mean, who
(beside my insane self) is going to want one? And if so, for what,
other than gawking at it? 
10:03 p.m.
IIRC, the first units I used were 200 bpi!
The vacuum "columns" were instead "rows". They extended about a foot
to
either side of the heads.
Gil
Also, it was only the NEWEST drive that had 6250 bpi.
Mostly
we dealt with 800 and 1600 tapes, and with drives that had
switchable 7/9 track heads. I wouldn't call vacuum column
drives an icon of EARLY computers...
6 Sep
6 Sep
6:19 a.m.
>>>> "Scott" == Scott Stevens
<chenmel at earthlink.net> writes:
Scott> On Fri, 02 Sep 2005 00:41:10 -0700 Brent Hilpert
Scott> <hilpert at cs.ubc.ca> wrote:
> Vintage Computer Festival wrote:
> >
> > On Tue, 30 Aug 2005, Brent Hilpert wrote:
> >
> > > The sad part is that at least two of the control panels look
> like > > they may have just been stripped from complete units.
> >
> > There's nothing terribly special about the 3420 drives. I mean,
> who > (beside my insane self) is going to want one? And if so,
> for what, > other than gawking at it?
>
> Yeah, well, they're just neat, that's all. Side-by-side-reel
> vacuum-column tape drives: #2 on the list of iconic aspects of
> early computers, although I take #it from it's appearance and what
> you and William are saying that these (3420s) are late models(last
> of the breed?).
>
Scott> Where I worked, in the late 70's, it was the NEWER drives that
Scott> had vacuum columns. The old drives were the ones I had to
Scott> deal with the most. It was a COM facility so the only thing
Scott> we ever did was read tapes, but they came from all over the
Scott> place (different customers). Also, it was only the NEWEST
Scott> drive that had 6250 bpi. Mostly we dealt with 800 and 1600
Scott> tapes, and with drives that had switchable 7/9 track heads. I
Scott> wouldn't call vacuum column drives an icon of EARLY
Scott> computers...
Curious. The old IBM 360/44 I used, and the Cyber 73 with old slow 7
track tape drives, both had vacuum columns. The first couple of
magtape drives for PDP11s from DEC all had vacuum columns. It wasn't
until the TS03 and TS11 ("tape stretch 11") that DEC tried to do it on
the cheap without vacuum columns.
paul
6:05 p.m.
On Tue, 6 Sep 2005 09:19:41 -0400
Paul Koning <pkoning at equallogic.com> wrote:
Well, I only worked as a 'tape mounting monkey' in a peripheral industry
(Computer Micrographics- a COM shop) and only for a few years, from
'79-83, so I just assumed that the few precious 'vacuum column' drives
we had (operators did things like jam in big wads of Texwipes to force
the tape harder onto the head to get reads from difficult tapes on some
of the terrible drives we had) were the newer ones. Most of the drives
were mechanical tension drives which I assumed at the time were the 'old
dogs.'
So I'm probably wrong. It's been years since I mounted a tape.
Incidentally, when I started it was my first 'big' $4 an hour job.
>>>> "Scott" == Scott Stevens <chenmel at earthlink.net>
writes:
Scott> On Fri, 02 Sep 2005 00:41:10 -0700 Brent Hilpert
Scott> <hilpert at cs.ubc.ca> wrote:
> Vintage Computer Festival wrote:
> >
> > On Tue, 30 Aug 2005, Brent Hilpert wrote:
> >
> > > The sad part is that at least two of the control panels look
> like > > they may have just been stripped from complete units.
> >
> > There's nothing terribly special about the 3420 drives. I mean,
> who > (beside my insane self) is going to want one? And if so,
> for what, > other than gawking at it?
>
> Yeah, well, they're just neat, that's all. Side-by-side-reel
> vacuum-column tape drives: #2 on the list of iconic aspects of
> early computers, although I take #it from it's appearance and what
> you and William are saying that these (3420s) are late models(last
> of the breed?).
>
Scott> Where I worked, in the late 70's, it was the NEWER drives that
Scott> had vacuum columns. The old drives were the ones I had to
Scott> deal with the most. It was a COM facility so the only thing
Scott> we ever did was read tapes, but they came from all over the
Scott> place (different customers). Also, it was only the NEWEST
Scott> drive that had 6250 bpi. Mostly we dealt with 800 and 1600
Scott> tapes, and with drives that had switchable 7/9 track heads. I
Scott> wouldn't call vacuum column drives an icon of EARLY
Scott> computers...
Curious. The old IBM 360/44 I used, and the Cyber 73 with old slow 7
track tape drives, both had vacuum columns. The first couple of
magtape drives for PDP11s from DEC all had vacuum columns. It wasn't
until the TS03 and TS11 ("tape stretch 11") that DEC tried to do it on
the cheap without vacuum columns.
paul
12 Sep
12 Sep
6:26 a.m.
On Fri, 2005-09-02 at 18:25 -0500, Scott Stevens wrote:
I wouldn't call vacuum column drives an icon of
EARLY
computers...
I quote "IBM's Early Computers", by Bashe, Johnson,
Palmer, and Pugh, an
excellent book well worth reading:
"...the Type 726 tape units used in the 701 computer system, produced in
1953. They operated at 75 ips, with a tape-recording density of 100bpi."
http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/701/701_1415bx26.html
and as this picture shows, it was vacuum-column.
I believe the UNISERVO tape drive on the UNIVAC didn't use vac cols, but
then again... the tapes were metal.
7:17 a.m.
On Mon, 12 Sep 2005, Tore S Bekkedal wrote:
"...the Type 726 tape units used in the 701
computer system, produced in
1953. They operated at 75 ips, with a tape-recording density of 100bpi."
http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/701/701_1415bx26.html
and as this picture shows, it was vacuum-column.
The SAGE system (AN/FSQ-7) used the same IBM type 727 tape drives as
used in the IBM 650:
http://www.columbia.edu/acis/history/650.html
Mike Loewen mloewen at cpumagic.scol.pa.us
Old Technology http://ripsaw.cac.psu.edu/~mloewen/Oldtech/
2 Sep
2 Sep
6:31 p.m.
Yeah, well, they're just neat, that's all.
Side-by-side-reel vacuum-column tape drives:
#2 on the list of iconic aspects of early computers, although I take it from it's
appearance and what you and William are saying that these (3420s) are late models
(last of the breed?).
No, but probably the best. IBMs followups (3410, 8809, and the one with
the BIG dot matrix status display (help on the number please?) were not
nearly as nice.
William Donzelli
aw288 at osfn.org
6811
days inactive
6824
days old
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