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-- Sven

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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="univac9200.shtm"
11   --><!--#set var="next_title"   value="UNIVAC 9200"
12 --><title>Technikum29 - <!--#echo var="title" --></title>
13
14    <!--#include virtual="/en/inc/head.inc.shtm" -->
15    <meta name="t29.SVN" content="$Id: gamma10.shtm 181 2010-09-01 02:12:03Z sven $" />
16</head>
17<body>
18<!--#echo encoding="none" var="heading" -->
19<div id="content">
20    <h2>A second generation calculator: The BULL GAMMA&nbsp;10</h2>
21
22    <div class="box center auto-bildbreite">
23        <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/bull-gamma-10.jpg"
24             alt="BULL GAMMA 10" width="640" height="390" />
25                <p class="bildtext"><b>BULL Gamma 10 electronic data processing system</b></p>
26        </div>
27       
28        <p>
29        In 1963 BULL (General Electric) presented the BULL GAMMA 10 (G10)
30        which was intended for commercial purpose and puchcard
31        computing. It was the direct successor of the <a
32        href="tabulating-machine.shtm">Tabulating Machine</a>.
33        Compared to the really big mainframes, the G10 was intended to
34        be set up in a 20 square meter room, without air conditioning.
35        The maximum power input was 2.5 kW.
36        <br/>The standard equipment contains a CPU with
37        panel, a punchcard reader/puncher unit and a barrel printer.
38        The RAM consists of a 1kb core memory which could be
39        extended up to 4kb capacity. There are 59 different
40        opcodes to program the CPU.
41        <br/>The cycle time from the core memory is 7 micro
42        seconds. The calculator is capable of reading and
43        punching 300 cards per minute. Five punchcards per
44        second, that is an amazing speed &ndash;
45        therefore the punching unit is generously built. The
46        printer can only print up to 300 lines per minute. Compared
47        to our <a href="univac9400.shtm">Univac 9400</a> this
48        is quite slow &ndash; the Univac 9400 is capable of
49        printing more than 1000 lines per minute.
50    </p>
51<div class="box center manuelle-bildbreite" style="width: 650px;">
52            <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/gamma10,offen.jpg" alt="BULL GAMMA 10 without panels" width="650" height="564" /></div>
53        <div class="box center manuelle-bildbreite" style="width: 650px;">
54            <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/gamma10,rueckseite.jpg" alt="BULL GAMMA 10 from the back" width="650" height="633" />
55               
56               
57                <p class="bildtext"><b>Gamma 10 uncovered</b></p>
58        </div>
59       
60        <p>
61          The chassis is metallic bright and glossy. It is clearly arranged
62          and therefore the machine is quite easy to maintain.
63                  <!--
64          <br/>We want to repair this computer, too (see our page
65          <a href="/en/search.shtm">We are looking for...</a>). By now the
66          complete mechanics works again. After tuning the temperature
67          of the heated core memory and switching some defect
68          transistors, we can already execte a program for duplicating
69          punch cards, as well as the first mathematical programs.
70          That's really sensational for such an old computer.
71                  -->
72                  <br>By now the whole mechanics are working again, which is the core
73                  part of the computer. After adjusting the temperature of the
74                  heated core memory and replacing some broken transistors, the
75                  program for doubling punch cards runs again, as well as some
76                  mathematics programs.
77    </p>
78
79        <!-- Idiotisch - den selben Absatz unten nochmal uebersetzt, sogar mit Bild -->
80        <!--
81    <div class="box left">
82         <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/modul-gamma10.jpg"
83            alt="Typical GAMMA 10 module" height="345" width="485">
84         <p class="bildtext">
85            This is one of 570 modules from the GAMMA 10 computer.
86            On the base plate the conductor tracks are aligned
87            horizontally while they are aligned vertically on the
88            small boards (flip flops, amplifier, etc.). Almost all
89            transistors are still Germanium transistors.
90         </p>
91         <div class="clear"></div>
92    </div>
93        -->
94
95    <div class="box left clear-after">
96        <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/steuerpult.jpg"
97            alt="A part from the control panel" width="485" height="379" />
98        <p class="bildtext">
99           The control panel could be used for monitoring running
100           programs, as well as for early "test driven development"
101           for programmers. <!-- hehe -->
102           <br/>The picture shows details of the programmer's part of
103           the control panel. These buttons and switches are intended
104           for debugging a program step-by-step and for reading out
105           the contents of registers, the ALU and RAM, and, finally,
106           for assembling and executing new computer instructions.
107           <br/>All output is driven by lime-green "DM 160" miniature
108           tubes.
109        </p>
110    </div>
111
112    <div class="box left clear-after">
113        <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/modul-gamma10.jpg"
114           alt="Picture of a typical BULL GAMMA 10 module (board)"
115           width="485" height="345" />
116        <p class="bildtext">
117           This is a picture of a typical GAMMA 10 board. On the mainboard,
118           all conductor paths are aligned horizontally while on the small
119           plug-in boards (flip-flops, amplifiers, etc.) they are mostly
120           vertically oriented. Almost all transistors are made of germanium.
121           <br/>The slow non-time-critical logic (like card controlling)
122           is performed by 573 relais. Building up such an amount of
123           wear parts is quiete brave. <!-- stupid mode... -->
124           <br/>Summing up, there were about 570 boards like this one in
125           the GAMMA 10 (without counting the printer interface). The
126           GAMMA 10 was sold as a quite cheap electronic data processing
127           system. We have got a original list of prices for this device
128           from 1968/69, when this model was already out-of-date and
129           hence very cheap:
130           <br/>CPU with 4kB core memory: 267.000,- DM (about 133.000,- Euro or Dollar)
131           <br/>Printer: 105.000,- DM (about 50.000,- Euro, Dollar)
132        </p>
133     </div>
134
135     <p>While our GAMMA 10 is in a very good shape, we cannot use the
136        printer any more, since all the electronics is missing.
137        Therefore we have set up an ANALEX printer (series 5) from 1965.
138        At that time, this printer was the fastes printer on earth, printing
139        1250 lines per minute. Of course he may slow down a bit for our GAMMA 10.
140        Connecting this device to the BULL computer is supposed to be a
141        quite complex problem. We will report about the progress on the
142        page <a href="../development-projects.shtm">Development Projects</a>,
143        soon.</p>
144
145     <div class="box left clear-after">
146        <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/anelex-drucker.jpg"
147          alt="ANELEX high speed printer" width="485" height="423" />
148        <div class="bildtext">
149          <p><b>ANELEX high speed printer, series 5</b>,
150             with lifted cover.</p>
151                  <p>This printer could be a good auxillary device to the GAMMA 10
152                     computer: It is a drum printer, like the original printer,
153                         and the cirtcuitry operates also on a negative logic level
154                         (germanium transistors). Anelex uses a core memory for the
155                         buffer, too. Anyway the printer cannot simply plugged into
156                         the computer, because the original BULL printer works with
157                         the buffer memory which is placed directly in the CPU of the
158                         GAMMA 10. Since we don't want to modify the GAMMA 10 internal
159                         architecture, we currently implement a microcontroller driven
160                         interface between those two systems.
161                  </p>
162        </div>
163     </div>
164
165</div><!-- end of content -->
166<!--#include virtual="/en/inc/menu.inc.shtm" -->
167</body>
168</html>
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