Core memory

[jim stephens]

On 4/1/2022 11:51 AM, Paul Koning via cctalk wrote:
>
>> On Apr 1, 2022, at 2:38 PM, Brent Hilpert via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
>>
>> On 2022-Apr-01, at 6:02 AM, Paul Koning via cctalk wrote:
>>
>>> When I looked at that ebay listing of "glass memory" it pointed me to another item, https://www.ebay.com/itm/265623663142 -- described as "core rope memory".  Obviously it isn't -- it's conventional core RAM.  Interestingly enough, it seems to be three-wire memory (no inhibit line that I can see).  It looks to be in decent shape.  No manufacturer marks, and "GC-6" doesn't ring any bells.
>> Well, it would still work for 1-bit-wide words, so to speak. One wonders what the application was.
> I wonder if the sense wire was used as inhibit during write cycles -- that seems doable.  It would make the core plane simpler at the expense of more complex electronics.  With that approach, you have regular memory, not limited to 1 bit words.
>
>> There are a couple of Soviet core-rope memories up right now:
>> 	https://www.ebay.com/itm/294558261336
>> 	https://www.ebay.com/itm/294851032351
> Neat looking stuff.  It doesn't look like core rope memory in the sense of the AGC ROM, nor in the sense of the Electrologica X1.  It looks more like the transformer memory used in Wang calculators that you documented in your core ROM paper.
>
> 	paul
>
>
without the driver hardware there's no real way to determine for sure 
what the interface was.  It's clearly not structured as the Apollo or 
other roms were.  Not all of the core built that way for the Apollo 
systems were ROMs as well.

Someone googled and found the descriptions of the Apollo use of core I 
suspect and has no clue.  No mention of documentation or provenance in 
the listing which would be absolutely required for this sort of artifact 
as it would be out of the normal for such use as the seller has.

Sad about all the Soviet stuff, probably will be a long time before 
there is any more buying from there again.
Thanks
Jim