Talk:List of vacuum-tube computers

Add category
I worked thru this list and added "Category:Vacuum tube computers" to all entries except in a few cases where the computer line also included transistorized systems and those which already had "Category:IBM vacuum tube computers". I also added "see also" pointing to this list. Peter Flass (talk) 13:29, 12 January 2013 (UTC)
 * AVIDAC (Argonne National Laboratory) was used by E. Fermi in 1951 for calculating orbits in the accelerator that he was designing. (Jalexbnbl (talk) 23:08, 9 December 2013 (UTC))
 * ORACLE (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) was in operation in September 1953 (personal observation). Jalexbnbl (talk) 23:15, 9 December 2013 (UTC)

Some Errors
The Colossus was not programmable, and the Pilot ACE was not designed by Turing. Jfgrcar (talk) 21:44, 6 April 2013 (UTC)

Re: Colossus and programmability

Wikipedia page states that Colossus was "the world's first electronic digital computer that was at all programmable". and mentions:

"It compared two data streams, counting a statistic based on a programmable Boolean function."

and

"Both models were programmable using switches and plug panels in a way the Robinsons had not been."

Colossus machines were indeed programmable - but only hardware programmable in very limited ways.

They were dedicated code-breaking machines built for a specific job and were in no way either general purpose or software programmable computers in the way of post-war machines such as the Manchester Mark 1, Cambridge EDSAC, and others.

109.148.255.185 (talk) 22:37, 27 June 2013 (UTC)

UNIVAC 1103A
Claim to be the first computer with interrupts in 1956 is contradicted by http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/events/EDSAC99/reminiscences/#EDSAC%201%20construction

Donald Willis (Research Assistant 1948-50 & 1952-55)

"Stan Gill wrote the subroutines which interrupted the processor when data arrived from the [tape] reading head"

UNIVAC 1103 page specifies HARDWARE interrupts, therefore amended "Notes" in line with this. 109.148.255.185 (talk) 22:31, 27 June 2013 (UTC)

BINAC
Given that it is unclear whether BINAC ever did any useful work for its end users, does it really deserve an entry in this page? --TedColes (talk) 21:28, 26 October 2013 (UTC)


 * I think it should be there. Bubba73 You talkin' to me? 23:47, 26 October 2013 (UTC)


 * The user got it to work once in a while.  Bubba73 You talkin' to me? 01:41, 22 December 2017 (UTC)

Should we include the 1948 IBM 604 electronic calculator
It could multiply and divide and the processing for each punched card was defined using a 20-60 step plugboard ? It used about 1200 valves and its in Category:IBM vacuum tube computers - Rod57 (talk) 07:27, 9 January 2016 (UTC)


 * It is hard to say - I'm pretty sure that it was very limited in the programming - couldn't run a general program. Bubba73 You talkin' to me? 02:53, 10 January 2016 (UTC)


 * Not sure what you mean by a 'general program' - Just noticed the 1952 Remington Rand 409 is in the list - also plugboard programmable - so can we define the list to say which of them belong ? - Rod57 (talk) 00:54, 15 January 2016 (UTC)


 * Interestingly: Univac says the 1004 could have its plugboard wired to load programs from cards. That may apply to other plugboard programmable machines. - Rod57 (talk) 00:54, 15 January 2016 (UTC)


 * It seems to me to be an automated calculator. It could read cards in, take those numbers and do some basic arithmetic operations and print the results out on a card, then go on to the next card. It looks like it could not store that result internally and did not have looping or branching.  However, if you want to include it, I won't object.  Bubba73 You talkin' to me? 01:39, 15 January 2016 (UTC)


 * And, yes, since the Remington Rand 409 is there, the 604 can be too - it seems very similar. Bubba73 You talkin' to me? 01:40, 15 January 2016 (UTC)


 * OTOH, the RR 409 could store a few hundred digits whereas it looks like the 604 could not. Bubba73 You talkin' to me? 01:44, 15 January 2016 (UTC)


 * IMO as long as a desktop calculator like Sumlock ANITA is in the list then IBM 603 should be added in as well - because unlike a basic calculator, IBM 603/604/605 series was actually programmable (through a plugboard). IBM 604/605 should probably be added as part of the IBM CPC system, of which production numbers are known. These tabulators/calculators are important in the history of computing because difficult numeric problems were solved with them. Richard Feynman used IBM tabulators/multiplicators for chain reaction simulations at Los Alamos during WW2. MagisterLudi (talk) 18:15, 13 January 2020 (UTC)

Should we add month to date
Many in same year so month can be significant - but is it month they first ran or month they were announced ? - Rod57 (talk) 12:02, 9 January 2016 (UTC)


 * I think the month is important. Bubba73 You talkin' to me? 02:53, 10 January 2016 (UTC)

BESM
May be add USSR computers (МЭСМ, BESM etc.)? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Gja822 (talk • contribs) 04:41, 23 April 2017 (UTC)


 * BESM-1 and BESM-2 are already in there. Bubba73 You talkin' to me? 04:46, 23 April 2017 (UTC)

BESK
According to the articles (Swedish and English Wikipedia) on BESK it was finished in 1953 (and taken out of operation in 1966)150.227.15.253 (talk) 11:12, 19 December 2017 (UTC)

CSIRAC
The article says "Oldest surviving first-generation electronic computer — unrestored and non-functional." ENIAC exists, but not all together. The Smithsonian has part of it (it was enough to operate), the Moore School has part of it, Aberdeen has a function table, and it is said that part of it is at (I think) the University of Michigan. Bubba73 You talkin' to me? 01:34, 22 December 2017 (UTC)
 * There's a difference in being "unrestored and non-functional" and being in parts. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 89.25.210.104 (talk) 11:55, 20 May 2018 (UTC)

JAINCOMP computers
--89.25.210.104 (talk) 14:31, 24 May 2018 (UTC)

MMIF 1957
Different members of the team had been in contact with Howard Aiken before and maintained contact during the project. Aiken came to visit the MMIF in Antwerp. The memory was of Harvard architecture. The author given in ref, cite book, quotes prof. Jean Meinguet in 2002 (himself part of the team in the 50’s) considering the computer to be comparable to a Harvard Mark IV. It had 5.000 vacuum tubes and 1.000 gas tubes; power 25kW. --Dominique Meeùs (talk) 07:16, 2 August 2019 (UTC)

ERA Atlas
There was only one of these right, before they went on to the 1101? Bubba73 You talkin' to me? 02:11, 12 September 2020 (UTC)


 * Well, the article mentions :machines". How many were there (the table doesn't say)?  Bubba73 You talkin' to me? 02:15, 12 September 2020 (UTC)

Datatron
Datatron also known as the Burroughs 205 after Burroughs acquired ElectroData in 1956. Approximately 120 systems built, per letter dated 1 February 1965 from Mike Mengel, VP of Product Planning, to Burroughs top management.

The actual number of systems is a little difficult to pin down, since some systems were refurbished and then resold, but system serial numbers ranged from 101 to at least 220. Pkimpel (talk) 17:15, 26 January 2021 (UTC)

Burroughs 220 [new]
Commercial/scientific successor to the Datatron/Burroughs 205. First delivery 1959. Approximately 120 systems built, per letter dated 1 February 1965 from Mike Mengel, VP of Product Planning, to Burroughs top management.

The actual number of systems is a little difficult to pin down, since some systems were refurbished and then resold. The number 50 was also cited by Brad Mackenzie in the transcription of the 1985 B5000 Conference oral history, page 8. Pkimpel (talk) 17:40, 26 January 2021 (UTC)

memory
I think it would be interesting to add another column (or more) to the table for more information - specifically how much memory and what technology it used. Bubba73 You talkin' to me? 23:49, 13 July 2021 (UTC)

Mass Produced
You have

UNIVAC I	1951	46	Mass-produced. 46 were made.

IBM 650	1954	~2000	The world's first mass-produced computer

Both of these can't be true. The UNIVAC I of 1951 was mass produced then the 650 of 1954 can't be. 76.88.55.202 (talk) 02:25, 10 December 2021 (UTC)


 * It is probably safer to say that the IBM 650 was the first one with more than 100 produced, or something like that. Bubba73 You talkin' to me? 02:45, 10 December 2021 (UTC)

Mainframes
Hi everyone. I've created a Mainframes template. Anyone can give a feedback on that? Would also appreciate much if someone helps me with linking. Thanks! AXO NOV (talk) ⚑ 18:40, 20 April 2022 (UTC)  AXO NOV  (talk) ⚑ 18:43, 20 April 2022 (UTC)