source: t29-www/en/computer/gamma10.shtm @ 124

Last change on this file since 124 was 124, checked in by sven, 14 years ago

Englische Uebersetzung groesstenteils synchronisiert:

  • Tabelliermaschine, GAMMA 3, GAMMA 10: Seite geteilt wie im deutschen, Uebersetzung synchronisiert
  • news: angepasst
  • verschiedentlich andere Uebersetzungsanpassungen.

-- Sven @ workstation

File size: 7.1 KB
Line 
1<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN"
2     "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
3<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en">
4<head><!--#set var="title"        value="A second generation calculator: The BULL GAMMA 10"
5   --><!--#set var="location"     value="gamma10"
6   --><!--#set var="part"         value="computer"
7   --><!--#set var="url_de"       value="rechnertechnik/gamma10.shtm"
8   --><!--#set var="prev"         value="gamma3.shtm"
9   --><!--#set var="prev_title"   value="BULL GAMMA 3"
10   --><!--#set var="next"         value="punchcard.shtm"
11   --><!--#set var="next_title"   value="Peripheral punch card devices"
12 --><title>Technikum29 - <!--#echo var="title" --></title>
13
14    <!--#include virtual="/en/inc/head.inc.shtm" -->
15    <meta name="t29.SVN" content="$Id$" />
16    <meta name="t29.thistranslation" content="12.11.2009/21:40" />
17    <meta name="t29.comment" content="tabulating machine geteilt in 3 Seiten wie auf de, translation sync" />
18</head>
19<body>
20<!--#echo encoding="none" var="heading" -->
21<div id="content">
22    <h2><!--#echo var="title" --></h2>
23
24    <div class="box center">
25      <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/bull-gamma-10.jpg"
26           alt="BULL GAMMA 10" width="640" height="390" />
27      <p class="bildtext">
28        In 1963 BULL (General Electric) presented the BULL GAMMA 10 (G10)
29        which was intended for commercial purpose and puchcard
30        computing. It was the direct successor of the <a
31        href="tabulating-machine.shtm">Tabulating Machine</a>.
32        Compared to the really big mainframes, the G10 was intended to
33        be set up in a 20 square meter room, without air conditioning.
34        The maximum power input was 2.5 kW.
35        <br/>The standard equipment contains a CPU with
36        panel, a punchcard reader/puncher unit and a barrel printer.
37        The RAM consists of a 1kb core memory which could be
38        extended up to 4kb capacity. There are 59 different
39        opcodes to program the CPU.
40        <br/>The cycle time from the core memory is 7 micro
41        seconds. The calculator is capable of reading and
42        punching 300 cards per minute. Five punchcards per
43        second, that is an amazing speed &ndash;
44        therefore the punching unit is generously built. The
45        printer can only print up to 300 lines per minute. Compared
46        to our <a href="univac9400.shtm">Univac 9400</a> this
47        is quite slow &ndash; the Univac 9400 is capable of
48        printing more than 1000 lines per minute.
49      </p>
50    </div>
51
52    <div class="box center">
53        <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/bull-gamma-10-offen.jpg" alt="BULL GAMMA 10 without panels" style="float:left;" width="367" height="360" />
54        <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/gamma-10-von-hinten.jpg" alt="BULL GAMMA 10 from the back" style="float:right;" width="268" height="360" />
55        <div class="clear"></div>
56        <p class="bildtext">
57          The chassis is metallic bright and glossy. It is clearly arranged
58          and therefore the machine is quite easy to maintain.
59          <br/>We want to repair this computer, too (see our page
60          <a href="/en/search.shtm">We are looking for...</a>). By now the
61          complete mechanics works again. After tuning the temperature
62          of the heated core memory and switching some defect
63          transistors, we can already execte a program for duplicating
64          punch cards, as well as the first mathematical programs.
65          That's really sensational for such an old computer.
66        </p>
67    </div>
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    <div class="box left">
83        <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/steuerpult.jpg"
84            alt="A part from the control panel" width="485" height="379" />
85        <p class="bildtext">
86           The control panel could be used for monitoring running
87           programs, as well as for early "test driven development"
88           for programmers. <!-- hehe -->
89           <br/>The picture shows details of the programmer's part of
90           the control panel. These buttons and switches are intended
91           for debugging a program step-by-step and for reading out
92           the contents of registers, the ALU and RAM, and, finally,
93           for assembling and executing new computer instructions.
94           <br/>All output is driven by lime-green "DM 160" miniature
95           tubes.
96        </p>
97        <div class="clear"></div>
98    </div>
99
100    <div class="box left">
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 relais. 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 got a 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 class="clear"></div>
122     </div>
123
124     <p>While our GAMMA 10 is in a very good shape, we cannot use the
125        printer any more, since all the electronics is missing.
126        Therefore we have set up an ANALEX printer (series 5) from 1965.
127        At that time, this printer was the fastes printer on earth, printing
128        1250 lines per minute. Of course he may slow down a bit for our GAMMA 10.
129        Connecting this device to the BULL computer is supposed to be a
130        quite complex problem. We will report about the progress on the
131        page <a href="../development-projects.shtm">Development Projects</a>,
132        soon.</p>
133
134     <div class="box left">
135        <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/anelex-drucker.jpg"
136          alt="ANELEX high speed printer" width="485" height="423" />
137        <p class="bildtext">
138          <b>ANELEX high speed printer, series 5</b>,
139          with lifted cover.
140        </p>
141     </div>
142
143</div><!-- end of content -->
144<!--#include virtual="/en/inc/menu.inc.shtm" -->
145</body>
146</html>
Note: See TracBrowser for help on using the repository browser.
© 2008 - 2013 technikum29 • Sven Köppel • Some rights reserved
Powered by Trac
Expect where otherwise noted, content on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons 3.0 License