Cyber205 was RE: Ebay horror ...

From: Douglas Quebbeman <dhquebbeman_at_theestopinalgroup.com>
Date: Tue Jun 12 10:43:36 2001

> Anybody want to say a word or two about 205's?
> My recollection was that it was the first Seymour Cray
> machine, probably about 20+ MIPS, probably fixed/short
> electrical path, and probably rectangular (pre circular)
> shape. Anything right?

It was *definitely* not the first Seymour Cray machine.

It's generally considered that the 6600 was architected
by Cray, with Jim Thornton doing much implemtation detail.
But Thornton tends to be put behind Cray in this effort,
and:

> Cray does acknowledge Thornton's authority and work on the 6600 in the
> forward to "Design of a Computer." And it's true that Thornton was
> the machine, and the design's, biggest booster both with the book and
> the numerous papers he authored.

I just read it last night, but can't find the reference;
but the Cyber 205 was the final evolution of the CDC 7600
machine. Its peripheral processors were true, individual
processors, as opposed to the 6600's single multi-threaded
PP (one processor with multiple contexts).

More when I can find it or point to it...

-dq
Received on Tue Jun 12 2001 - 10:43:36 BST