1 | <?php |
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2 | $seiten_id = 'elektronenroehren'; |
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3 | $version = '$Id: electron-tubes.php 287 2012-08-16 09:02:07Z heribert $'; |
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4 | $title = 'Desk calculators with electron tubes'; |
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5 | |
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6 | require "../../lib/technikum29.php"; |
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7 | ?> |
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8 | <h2>Desk calculators with electron tubes</h2> |
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9 | |
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10 | <p>The development of electronic calculators since the 1950s is at least as interesting as the |
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11 | development of broadcast engineering in the 1920/30s. |
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12 | <br/>The first electronic desk calculator in the world (1962) is a real milestone. The |
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13 | modern-looking monster features 188 electron tubes and belongs consequently to the first |
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14 | generation of calculators. It has a wonderful glowing display. However, the |
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15 | tube based computer can only perform the four basic arithmetic operations and |
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16 | cost as much as a VW Beetle and an holiday trip.</p> |
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17 | |
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18 | <div class="box center auto-bildbreite"> |
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19 | <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/anita.jpg" width="650" height="487" alt="Antia C/VIII" /> |
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20 | <p class="bildtext"><b>Anita Mark C/VIII</b></p> |
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21 | </div> |
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22 | <p> |
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23 | The ANITA ("<b>A</b> <b>N</b>ew <b>I</b>nspiration <b>T</b>o <b>A</b>rithmetik") was |
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24 | manufactured by BELL PUNCH Co, England. This historic calculator revolutionised |
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25 | computing on desktops. |
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26 | For the first time, you could multiply and divide without mechanics or noise. With a |
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27 | 3 kHz clock the device calculated ten times faster than the best contemporary |
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28 | mechanical calculators. Anyway, technically speaking, the device was actually |
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29 | obsolete in 1962. The calculator works in decimal system, just like |
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30 | mechanical sprocket wheel machines. It took two more years until a transistorized desk |
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31 | calculator (IME 84) came onto the market. |
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32 | </p> |
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33 | |
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34 | |
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35 | <div class="box center auto-bildbreite"> |
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36 | <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/anita-innen.jpg" width="694" height="520" alt="Photography of Anita's 'inner life'" /> |
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37 | <p class="bildtext"> |
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38 | The "nightly" Anita inner life: The thyratrons glow red, flashing during calculations. |
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39 | </p> |
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40 | </div> |
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41 | |
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42 | |
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43 | <div class="box center auto-bildbreite"> |
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44 | <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/anita-anzeige.jpg" width="396" height="268" alt="Anita's display" /> |
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45 | <p class="bildtext"> |
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46 | This is part of the numeric display. The gas-filled nixie tubes |
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47 | (glow lamp principle) came onto the marktet just in time. |
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48 | </p> |
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49 | </div> |
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50 | |
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51 | |
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52 | <div class="box center auto-bildbreite"> |
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53 | <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/anita-teile.jpg" width="516" height="250" alt="Multiple parts of Anita" /> |
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54 | <div class="bildtext"> |
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55 | <p> |
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56 | The upper circuit board contains a ring counter. The gas-filled thyratrons are very small. This |
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57 | was the only way to place approx. 177 pieces into a manageable case. These relay tubes |
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58 | have only two states like mechanical relays. |
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59 | Additionally there are 11 vacuum tubes (ECC 81, left side) built into the calculator. |
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60 | </p><p> |
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61 | The lower circuit board is a complete counting decade with a nixie tube. |
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62 | </p> |
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63 | </div> |
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64 | </div> |
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