Emulators of Classic Computers

From: Tom Jennings <tomj_at_wps.com>
Date: Tue Jan 20 01:38:56 2004

On Sun, 2004-01-18 at 18:32, ben franchuk wrote:

But with TUBE computers you just fix the broken part.:)
> That is the major difference between IC's and the earlier
> generations of computers. That is part of the reason
> real classic computers have a better chance of sticking
> around, as you can still make parts like core memory
> for a modest amount of $ compared to anything with a IC
> in it.


Actually there's a interesting lesson in here, in that in the tube days
the components -- though manifold and balky -- were common, cheap,
easily substituted, and maint problems are largely the sheer number of
tiny, stupid parts. Any given part is easily re-fabricated, but sheesh
there's so damn many of them.

I have a new design (yes you read right) for a tube computer, probably
75 envelopes, on my website. 20 bits, serial arith, drum memory but I
later realized that switched-capacitor (aka DRAM) was actually
historically acceptable since one was made (NBS "test" computer; the
diodes were too expensive in 1952 but it was basically just a DRAM).

Somehow, I can't find the money to make it. But I'm serious enough,
there's an assembler and simulator there (wps.com/projects).
Received on Tue Jan 20 2004 - 01:38:56 GMT