computer-history
Latest stories covering computer-history, with summaries and links to related coverage.
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Parametron: 50s Japanese computer that uses neither transistors nor vacuum tubes
research
112 min read
The Parametron, invented by Eiichi Goto in 1954, is a logic element that utilizes ferrite cores and parametric oscillation. It was used in the PC-1, Japan's first university-built stored-program computer, which became the fastest computer in Japan in 1958, significantly influencing the country's early computer development and scientific research.
We Are the Last People Who Know How It Works
opinion
4 min read
In the 1990s, playing a computer game often required understanding the underlying computer system, including editing files like autoexec.bat. Users sometimes created boot disks specifically configured to launch a single game.
The rise and fall of IBM's 4 Pi aerospace computers: an illustrated history
news
49 min read
IBM's 4 Pi aerospace computers were integral to the Space Shuttle's first flight on April 12, 1981, managing critical systems below the crew deck. A fifth computer was available as a backup in case of a catastrophic failure of the primary systems.