Drum Computers

[Mark Linimon]

On Sat, Jan 07, 2017 at 04:26:25PM -0800, Chuck Guzis wrote:
> I'm sure that Paul remembers the CDC 6603 disk drive, made by Bryant
> (the big horizontal spindle one with the hydraulic "leak collectors").

I didn't see the Bryant that Rice University had in operation on the
R1 Research Computer; I was one year too late for that.  They did save
one of the platters for laughs.  I recall it being about as wide as my
outstretched arms.

I was told two tales about the Bryant:

 - They had it up on the second floor.  When the Bryant would seek,
   the building would "counter-seek".

 - One time a contractor came in to paint the building and despite
   instructions, painted the computer room as well.  Of course the
   paint got in to the Bryant.  The folks who worked on it said,
   well, what have we got to lose.  They pulled the platters, used
   some kind of solvent to remove the mess, put them back in, and
   the thing just continued to work.  "Tolerances", who needs 'em ...

mcl