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Author Topic: Describe how these machines stored data?  (Read 6536 times)

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turbomen

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    Describe how these machines stored data?
    « on: May 19, 2010, 12:50:51 AM »
    Dear ALL,

    The first generation of computers is considered to be those vacuum tube and plug board machines in use between 1945 and 1955.  Could you tell me how these machines stored data?  How were they programmed and what OS's were in use?

    Cheers,


    Quantos



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    Re: Describe how these machines stored data?
    « Reply #1 on: May 19, 2010, 07:53:30 AM »
    We will not do your homework for you, use google.
    Evil is an exact science.

    patio

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    Re: Describe how these machines stored data?
    « Reply #2 on: May 19, 2010, 07:10:04 PM »
    Those machines did alot of Homework though...
    " Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

    Quantos



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    Re: Describe how these machines stored data?
    « Reply #3 on: May 19, 2010, 08:26:46 PM »
    Yeah, I'll bet they did eh :)
    Evil is an exact science.

    BC_Programmer


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    Re: Describe how these machines stored data?
    « Reply #4 on: May 20, 2010, 03:43:53 AM »
    I hear the laptop edition created several paraplegics.
    I was trying to dereference Null Pointers before it was cool.

    frankken2



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      Re: Describe how these machines stored data?
      « Reply #5 on: May 20, 2010, 05:14:38 AM »
      I'm new to vacuum tubes and have accumulated a few dozen that are sitting in a cardboard box wrapped in packing material.

      I'd rather put them into some sort of display case, maybe like the shallow, foam backed glass cases I have seen to display collectible coins or arrowheads, with labels. Seems like it would make an interesting conversation piece. At least to me, a budding tubophile.

      patio

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      Re: Describe how these machines stored data?
      « Reply #6 on: May 20, 2010, 05:18:45 AM »
      Build a guitar amp...
      " Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

      reddevilggg



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      Re: Describe how these machines stored data?
      « Reply #7 on: May 20, 2010, 05:30:59 AM »

      They stored data by being really, i mean really, clever. Does that help!!
      11 cheers for binary !

      rthompson80819



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      Re: Describe how these machines stored data?
      « Reply #8 on: May 20, 2010, 06:47:15 PM »
      Build a guitar amp...

      Other than keeping a few old antique TVs working, that's about the only modern use for tubes that I know of.

      Dead Reckon

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      Re: Describe how these machines stored data?
      « Reply #9 on: May 20, 2010, 07:45:53 PM »
      You kidding me? You can still get High Fidelity tube amplifiers, Audio Research makes 'em, a friend of mine has an Audio Research tube preamplifier, model SP-6c, and a digital amp Audio Research model D-40 tied together, sweet stereo, albeit power hungry. The digital amp is more power hungry due to it's insane power supply, you can look up the details. The company is still around to this day. They are not extremely powerful, if you want power, you're best bet is a newer digital amp at the cost of sound quality or a pair of really good amplified speakers, or, a really powerful amp hooked to the preamp outputs. I myself have a golden piece of the early digital era, a Pioneer SA-8800 made in 1979. It needs some work and I need to get a good pair of mackie studio monitors for it, but it is absolutely awesome.

      Oh, and for the record, you CAN still buy tubes. They are made in, wait for it... Not China... Not Taiwan... Not the US of A... Nope, none of those... They are made in Russia, because, in Russia, many people who are poor still use ancient soviet tube technology. 

      Geek-9pm


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      Re: Describe how these machines stored data?
      « Reply #10 on: May 20, 2010, 11:25:43 PM »
      CH has already done your homework.
      http://www.computerhope.com/history/194060.htm

      Quote
      ENIAC
      Short for Electronic Numerical Integrator And Calculator, the ENIAC was invented by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly at the University of Pennsylvania and began construction in 1943 and was not completed until 1946. It occupied about 1,800 square feet and used about 18,000 vacuum tubes, weighing almost 50 tons. While not completed until the end of the World War II, the ENIAC was created to help with the war efforts against German forces. To the right [above] is a public-domain U.S. Army Photo of the EDVAC, from K. Kempf. and the History of Computing.

      reddevilggg



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      Re: Describe how these machines stored data?
      « Reply #11 on: May 21, 2010, 04:58:47 AM »
      @ Geek-9pm.

      I know this is a computer forum and people are here to help one another, but this is obviously 'homework' or at least falls under 'research'. If someone has a specific problem with something, then they need help, but doing someones research for them is NEVER going to help them. He obviously has access to a PC yet expects forum members to do the work. Can't you tell by the previous posts that even the more 'higher ranking' members of this forum are not willing - and have even stated - they're not helping. As you have proved, there are answers actually ON THIS SITE. If he made the same effort that you had he would have found this information himself, easily.

      Helping with problems is help, doing someones research demeans the word 'research' !!
      11 cheers for binary !

      Geek-9pm


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      Re: Describe how these machines stored data?
      « Reply #12 on: May 21, 2010, 12:44:53 PM »
      Quote
      As you have proved, there are answers actually ON THIS SITE. If he made the same effort that you had he would have found this information himself, easily.
      You are right. I ill work on that.

      rthompson80819



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      Re: Describe how these machines stored data?
      « Reply #13 on: May 21, 2010, 07:16:34 PM »
      The OP was definitely a homework assignment, but aren't we here to share information?

      reddevilggg



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      Re: Describe how these machines stored data?
      « Reply #14 on: May 22, 2010, 03:31:59 PM »

      The OP was definitely a homework assignment, but aren't we here to share information?

      Refer to my last post!  ::)
      11 cheers for binary !