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1<?php
2        $seiten_id = 'gamma10';
3        $version = '$Id: gamma10.php 287 2012-08-16 09:02:07Z sven $';
4        $title = 'A second generation calculator: The BULL GAMMA 10';
5       
6        require "../../lib/technikum29.php";
7?>
8    <h2>A second generation calculator: The BULL GAMMA&nbsp;10</h2>
9
10    <div class="box center auto-bildbreite">
11        <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/bull-gamma-10.jpg"
12             alt="BULL GAMMA 10" width="640" height="390" />
13                <p class="bildtext"><b>BULL Gamma 10 electronic data processing system</b></p>
14        </div>
15       
16        <p>
17        In 1963 BULL (General Electric) presented the BULL GAMMA 10 (G10)
18        which was intended for commercial purpose and puchcard
19        computing. It was the direct successor of the <a
20        href="tabulating-machine.shtm">Tabulating Machine</a>.
21        Compared to the really big mainframes, the G10 was intended to
22        be set up in a 20 square meter room, without air conditioning.
23        The maximum power input was 2.5 kW.
24        <br/>The standard equipment contains a CPU with
25        panel, a punchcard reader/puncher unit and a barrel printer.
26        The RAM consists of a 1kb core memory which could be
27        extended up to 4kb capacity. There are 59 different
28        opcodes to program the CPU.
29        <br/>The cycle time from the core memory is 7 micro
30        seconds. The calculator is capable of reading and
31        punching 300 cards per minute. Five punchcards per
32        second, that is an amazing speed &ndash;
33        therefore the punching unit is generously built. The
34        printer can only print up to 300 lines per minute. Compared
35        to our <a href="univac9400.shtm">Univac 9400</a> this
36        is quite slow &ndash; the Univac 9400 is capable of
37        printing more than 1000 lines per minute.
38    </p>
39<div class="box center manuelle-bildbreite" style="width: 650px;">
40            <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/gamma10,offen.jpg" alt="BULL GAMMA 10 without panels" width="650" height="564" /></div>
41        <div class="box center manuelle-bildbreite" style="width: 650px;">
42            <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/gamma10,rueckseite.jpg" alt="BULL GAMMA 10 from the back" width="650" height="633" />
43               
44               
45                <p class="bildtext"><b>Gamma 10 uncovered</b></p>
46        </div>
47       
48        <p>
49          The chassis is metallic bright and glossy. It is clearly arranged
50          and therefore the machine is quite easy to maintain.
51                  <!--
52          <br/>We want to repair this computer, too (see our page
53          <a href="/en/search.shtm">We are looking for...</a>). By now the
54          complete mechanics works again. After tuning the temperature
55          of the heated core memory and switching some defect
56          transistors, we can already execte a program for duplicating
57          punch cards, as well as the first mathematical programs.
58          That's really sensational for such an old computer.
59                  -->
60                  <br>By now the whole mechanics are working again, which is the core
61                  part of the computer. After adjusting the temperature of the
62                  heated core memory and replacing some broken transistors, the
63                  program for duplication punch cards runs again, as well as some
64                  mathematical programs.
65    </p>
66
67        <!-- Idiotisch - den selben Absatz unten nochmal uebersetzt, sogar mit Bild -->
68        <!--
69    <div class="box left">
70         <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/modul-gamma10.jpg"
71            alt="Typical GAMMA 10 module" height="345" width="485">
72         <p class="bildtext">
73            This is one of 570 modules from the GAMMA 10 computer.
74            On the base plate the conductor tracks are aligned
75            horizontally while they are aligned vertically on the
76            small boards (flip flops, amplifier, etc.). Almost all
77            transistors are still Germanium transistors.
78         </p>
79         <div class="clear"></div>
80    </div>
81        -->
82
83    <div class="box left clear-after">
84        <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/steuerpult.jpg"
85            alt="A part from the control panel" width="485" height="379" />
86        <p class="bildtext">
87           The control panel could be used for monitoring running
88           programs, as well as for early "test driven development"
89           for programmers. <!-- hehe -->
90           <br/>The picture shows details of the programmer's part of
91           the control panel. These buttons and switches are intended
92           for debugging a program step-by-step and for reading out
93           the contents of registers, the ALU and RAM, and, finally,
94           for assembling and executing new computer instructions.
95           <br/>All output is driven by lime-green "DM 160" miniature
96           tubes.
97        </p>
98    </div>
99
100    <div class="box left clear-after">
101        <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/modul-gamma10.jpg"
102           alt="Picture of a typical BULL GAMMA 10 module (board)"
103           width="485" height="345" />
104        <p class="bildtext">
105           This is a picture of a typical GAMMA 10 board. On the mainboard,
106           all conductor paths are aligned horizontally while on the small
107           plug-in boards (flip-flops, amplifiers, etc.) they are mostly
108           vertically oriented. Almost all transistors are made of germanium.
109           <br/>The slow non-time-critical logic (like card controlling)
110           is performed by 573 relays. Building up such an amount of
111           wear parts is quiete brave. <!-- stupid mode... -->
112           <br/>Summing up, there were about 570 boards like this one in
113           the GAMMA 10 (without counting the printer interface). The
114           GAMMA 10 was sold as a quite cheap electronic data processing
115           system. We have gotten an original list of prices for this device
116           from 1968/69, when this model was already out-of-date and
117           hence very cheap:
118           <br/>CPU with 4kB core memory: 267.000,- DM (about 133.000,- Euro or Dollar)
119           <br/>Printer: 105.000,- DM (about 50.000,- Euro, Dollar)
120        </p>
121     </div>
122
123     <p>While our GAMMA 10 is in a very good shape, we cannot use the
124        printer any more, since all electronics are missing.
125        Therefore we have set up an ANALEX printer (series 5) from 1965.
126        At that time, this printer was the fastest printer on earth, printing
127        1250 lines per minute. Of course he may slow down a bit for our GAMMA 10.
128        Connecting this device to the BULL computer is supposed to be a
129        quite complex problem. We will report about the progress on the
130        page <a href="../development-projects.shtm">Development Projects</a>,
131        soon.</p>
132
133     <div class="box left clear-after">
134        <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/anelex-drucker.jpg"
135          alt="ANELEX high speed printer" width="485" height="423" />
136        <div class="bildtext">
137          <p><b>ANELEX high speed printer, series 5</b>,
138             with lifted cover.</p>
139                  <p>This printer could be a good auxillary device to the GAMMA 10
140                     computer: It is a drum printer, like the original printer,
141                         and the cirtcuitry operates also on a negative logic level
142                         (germanium transistors). Anelex uses a core memory for the
143                         buffer, too. Anyway the printer cannot simply be plugged into
144                         the computer, because the original BULL printer works with
145                         the buffer memory which is placed directly in the CPU of the
146                         GAMMA 10. Since we don't want to modify the GAMMA 10 internal
147                         architecture, we currently implement a microcontroller driven
148                         interface between those two systems.
149                  </p>
150        </div>
151     </div>
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