The First Generation Computer

from WinCustomize Forums

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']....

 

3,083 views 19 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I have the monitor from that system......
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Very interesting info. Kind of makes you realize how far we have come.
Hmmmm... I wonder how long will it take to render a Bryce glass sphere over a plain of water?

Sins of a Solar Empire II
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
heh apoc, three billion times longer then it takes you to do one now.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
.... Hey, do you think they have the original Pong game too?!?!?!
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Jafo.........always love your history lessons - you have given me quite a few in the past
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
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 from WinCustomize Forums Top
If I'm not mistaken, by the way, this was in those dark ages when they coded in machine language: pure sequences of bits, not even assembler yet.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
yep. honestly i don't believe you would be able to do any kind of graphical processing.. afterall, these machines coded for words and numbers - they were designed to break language encryptions.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thats true, but I stils say we should try to render that Bryce image and take the time
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
go ahead, maybe your ancestors can post the results in 3,000 years
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
DesignCaddy probably DID mean descendants....Spell checker
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well... I knew it had something to do with the time-space continium
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I wonder if the CRAY supercomputers are still being used to this day.
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
sigh....'continuum'....Spell checker
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I ran an old Sycor 2000 at work back in 74....Black screen...fluorescent green text...gigantic dinosaur of a printer....two tape drives...one was format the other was data...and a big black phone (watts line)....I guess I haven't really gotten used to these new fangled contraptions yet 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!!!
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
@ Jafo
[Message Edited]