1 | <?php |
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2 | $seiten_id = 'gamma55'; |
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3 | $version = '$Id: gamma10.php 278 2012-07-18 12:55:44Z sven $'; |
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4 | $title = 'A second generation calculator: BULL GAMMA 55'; |
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5 | |
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6 | require "../../lib/technikum29.php"; |
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7 | ?> |
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8 | |
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9 | <h2>A second generation calculator: <b> BULL GAMMA 55</b> (GE-55)</h2> |
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10 | |
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11 | <div class="box center clear-after"> |
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12 | <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/bull-ge55.jpg" alt="BULL Gamma 55 Computer-Anlage" width="750" height="389" /> |
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13 | <div class="bildtext"> |
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14 | <p>On the left the printer I41 is visible, in the background the CPU (2m |
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15 | wide!) and on the right the paper tape puncher can be seen. On top of |
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16 | the desk is a punch card reader with an alphanumeric keyboard in front |
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17 | of it.</p> |
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18 | </div> |
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19 | </div> |
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20 | <p> |
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21 | We are since 2012 the proud owners of a new BULL computer system: A BULL Gamma |
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22 | 55 (also known as GE-55 after the merge with General-Electric). The |
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23 | system now in the collection was stored in Switzerland with all |
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24 | accompanying documentation, punched cards etc. for 26 years.<br> |
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25 | |
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26 | It was developed in 1966 by BULL in France and hit the market in 1967. |
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27 | It was aimed at small and middle sized companies that were too small |
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28 | as customers for other, larger computer systems.<br><br> |
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29 | |
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30 | This computer demonstrates the tremendous advances of computer |
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31 | technology in the 1960s. While all instructions on the (larger) Gamma |
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32 | 10 are implemented with a lot of active circuitry stepping through |
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33 | many cycles, this is done in the Gamma 55 by means of a rather large |
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34 | read-only-memory. This is an implementation of a microprogram which |
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35 | reduces the necessary hardware significantly, making the machine |
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36 | cheaper and more reliable.<br> |
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37 | |
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38 | The basic implementation of the machines makes heavy use of mechanical |
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39 | parts but at least the card reader is an optical device.<br> <br> |
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40 | |
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41 | <div class="desc-left auto-bildbreite borderless no-copyright"> |
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42 | <a class="popup" href="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/ge55-offen-1.jpg"> |
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43 | <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/ge55-offen-1.jpg" alt="Während der Restauration" width="319" height="217" /></a> |
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44 | |
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45 | <div class="bildtext"> |
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46 | <p>The system during the period of restoration of rear view <a class="popup" href="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/ge55-offen-1.jpg">enlarge picture</a><br> </p> |
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47 | </div> |
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48 | </div> |
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49 | |
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50 | <div class="desc-left auto-bildbreite borderless no-copyright" style="clear:left"> |
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51 | <a class="popup" href="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/ge55-offen-2.jpg"> |
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52 | <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/ge55-offen-2.jpg" alt="Während der Restauration" width="319" height="213" /></a> |
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53 | |
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54 | <div class="bildtext"> |
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55 | <p>Opened CPU <a class="popup" href="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/ge55-offen-2.jpg"> enlarge picture</a><br> </p> |
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56 | </div> |
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57 | </div> |
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58 | |
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59 | |
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60 | |
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61 | <p>Our machine can be programmed in machine language or some kind of a |
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62 | mini-COBOL (Common Business Oriented Language). The compiler is loaded |
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63 | via punched cards. To start a program a Supervisor that is loaded by |
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64 | punched cards is necessary.<br> |
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65 | |
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66 | The system was advertised with 2.5 kB, 5 kB or 10 kB of main memory |
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67 | (core memory). Our machine has 5 kB of memory and it is really |
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68 | astonishing that a high level language like COBOL - even our |
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69 | mini-COBOL - is feasible with such a tiny amount of memory at all.<br><br> |
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70 | |
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71 | As an extension a memory drum was offered which also allowed the use of |
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72 | a mini-FORTRAN (FORmula TRANslator).<br> |
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73 | |
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74 | Although BULL was quite inventive concerning software their hardware |
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75 | was quite outdated. The boards used in this machine are the same as |
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76 | those in the earlier GAMMA 10 (based on Germanium transistors). At the |
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77 | same time other companies like UNIVAC or IBM already employed |
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78 | integrated circuits (DTL, Diode-Transistor-Logic) for their machines.<br> |
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79 | </p> |
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80 | <br><br> |
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81 | September 2013: <b id="ge-55">Success! The machine is up and running!</b><br> |
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82 | After a substantial amount of time spent for debugging, the machine is now |
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83 | fully operational again. More the 30 (!!) defective transistors and diodes had to |
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84 | be traced down and replaced to achieve this. These parts failed silently |
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85 | during the 33 years in storage. We can now proudly state that this is the |
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86 | only surviving Gamma 55 on earth which is still running. If you are |
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87 | interested in details concerning the architecture and programming of the |
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88 | machine, have a look here (in German only): <a href="http://www.technikum29.de/download/Manuals-Bull%20GE55/"> BULL Gamma 55 manuals </a> </p> |
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89 | |
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90 | <div class="box left"> |
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91 | <a class="popup" href="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/leser617.jpg"> |
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92 | <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/leser617.jpg" alt="Card-Reader" width="402" height="249" /></a> |
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93 | <div class="bildtext"> |
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94 | <p>Card-Reader <a class="popup" href="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/leser617.jpg">(enlarge picture)</a><br> </p> |
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95 | </div></div> |
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96 | The card reader of the GE55 can be seen on the left of the pictures (without |
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97 | its cover. It is interesting to see that Bull solved every problem for which |
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98 | as (practical) mechanical solution exists in a mechanical way (as compared to |
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99 | our times where microcontrollers are abundant even in applications which |
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100 | might be implemented more easily with a mechanical approach). The card is |
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101 | coupled to a punched tape which generates the clock signal for reading the |
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102 | card's columns. Although this part can wear out easily, it is nevertheless an |
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103 | ingenious solution.<br> |
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104 | Also visible is the projection display: 10 digits and two |
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105 | additional symbols are displayed by an array of incandescent lamps with |
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106 | associated lenses. This is the main way of communicating with the machine |
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107 | like today's video terminals. |
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108 | The picture below shows the read-only-memory containing 1024 words. A very |
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109 | heavy contraption but very maintainable. (Both pictures can be enlarged by |
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110 | clicking on them.) |
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111 | |
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112 | |
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113 | <div class="box right"> |
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114 | <a class="popup" href="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/ge55-rom.jpg"> |
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115 | <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/ge55-rom.jpg" alt="Read-only-memory" width="399" height="259" /> </a> |
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116 | <div class="bildtext"> |
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117 | <p>Right: Read-only-memory removed from the machine. |
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118 | <a class="popup" href="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/ge55-rom.jpg">(enlarge picture)</a><br></p> |
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119 | </div> |
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120 | </div> |
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121 | |
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122 | <div class="cols"> |
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123 | <div class="leftcol"> |
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124 | <p class="small">Contemporary document: In the following you find some quotations from |
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125 | the system description published in 1967/1968:<br> |
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126 | <blockquote><p class="small">"After intensive market research, BULL GENERAL ELECTRIC developed a |
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127 | versatile computer system: Its internal structure resembles that of |
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128 | modern computers. Furthermore it is a data processing system that |
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129 | allows direct input via keyboard. It is a real data processing system |
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130 | because it can grow with your needs and its memory capacity (internal |
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131 | as well as external) can be extended.<br> |
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132 | |
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133 | Construction: The central processing unit (CPU) of the GE-55 supports |
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134 | four channels; three of which are normal speed channels for slow |
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135 | input/output devices and one high speed channel used by external |
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136 | memory units or a fast line printer...<br> |
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137 | ....the cycle time is 7.9 us. Characters are represented by their |
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138 | respective ISO-code. The core memory is used as data and program |
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139 | memory. A since byte, comprised of 8 data bits and one parity bit, |
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140 | stores a single alphabetical character or up to two numerical |
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141 | digits... |
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142 | </div> |
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143 | <div class="rightcol"><blockquote><p class="small"> |
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144 | |
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145 | Instructions are analyzed and executed under control of a |
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146 | read-only-memory with a capacity of 1024 word of 36 bits each... This |
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147 | memory contains micro programs for control, supervision and execution |
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148 | as well as arithmetic and character conversion tables.<br> |
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149 | |
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150 | Software: The programming system is mainly comprised of the following |
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151 | parts: Symbolic languages that facilitate the actual programming task |
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152 | and an assembler for translating assembler programs to machine |
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153 | language... |
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154 | "</div> |
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155 | </blockquote></p></div> |
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156 | <div class="clear"> </div><br> |
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