The First Generation Computer
Monday, May 31, 2004 by Jafo | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
CSIRAC was the fifth 'First Generation' Computer ever built...and is significant in that it is the only one still in existence anywhere in the world.
http://www.cs.mu.oz.au/csirac/
A 'first generation' computer is one which utilizes Vacuum tubes...they were pre-solid state [transistors].
This one ran at 0.001 Mhz which makes it about three billion times slower than a modern desktop....the RAM was approx 1.2k.....but it all had to start somewhere....
Check out the link for a bit of a history lesson...
When I saw CSIRAC at the Melbourne Museum last year there was a young kid beside me who muttered 'where's the monitor?'.....[he was about 7 years old]....
On the site there's some quicktime audio...dating back to '51....and an Emulator [though I haven't worked out what it's actually 'doing']....
Reply #2 Monday, May 31, 2004 9:16 PM
Hmmmm... I wonder how long will it take to render a Bryce glass sphere over a plain of water?
Reply #3 Tuesday, June 1, 2004 11:23 AM
Reply #4 Tuesday, June 1, 2004 1:03 PM
.... Hey, do you think they have the original Pong game too?!?!?!
Reply #5 Tuesday, June 1, 2004 1:29 PM
Reply #6 Tuesday, June 1, 2004 1:31 PM
| heh apoc, three billion times longer then it takes you to do one now |
No, it'd be longer than that...The quantity and quality of the ram back then would surely slow it down considerably more...
Reply #8 Tuesday, June 1, 2004 4:15 PM
Reply #9 Tuesday, June 1, 2004 4:55 PM
Reply #10 Tuesday, June 1, 2004 4:59 PM
Reply #11 Tuesday, June 1, 2004 5:10 PM
Reply #15 Tuesday, June 1, 2004 7:40 PM
Reply #16 Tuesday, June 1, 2004 7:42 PM
Reply #18 Tuesday, June 1, 2004 7:51 PM
but I don't get a headache from readin the screen ...coolest thing I could do on that old bugger was make 'Eat at Joes' flash on the screen......the teletype (ticker tape) was in the other room cuz it made so much noise Manoman those were the days!!!
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Reply #1 Monday, May 31, 2004 9:16 PM