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List of transistorized computers
List article

This is a list of transistorized computers, which were digital computers that used discrete transistors as their primary logic elements. Discrete transistors were a feature of logic design for computers from about 1960, when reliable transistors became economically available, until monolithic integrated circuits displaced them in the 1970s. The list is organized by operational date or delivery year to customers. Computers announced, but never completed, are not included. Some very early "transistor" computers may still have included vacuum tubes in the power supply or for auxiliary functions.

1950s

1953

1954

  • Bell Labs TRADIC for U.S. Air Force

1955

  • Harwell CADET demonstrated February 1955, one-off scientific computer

1956

1957

  • Burroughs SM-65 Atlas ICBM Guidance Computer MOD1, AN/GSQ-33 (no relation to Manchester ATLAS)
  • Ramo-Wooldridge (TRW) RW-30 airborne computer56
  • Univac TRANSTEC,7 for US Navy
  • Univac ATHENA, US Air Force missile guidance (ground control)
  • IBM 608 transistor calculator (its development was preceded by the prototyping of an experimental all-transistor version of the 604 demonstrated in October 1954), announced 1955, first shipped December 1957
  • DRTE Computer, Canadian experimental system delivered 1957, added parallel math unit and other improvements in 1960.8
  • ETL Mark IV computer, upgraded to the ETL Mark IV A in 1958, a transistor-based computer built at the Japanese government's ElectroTechnical Laboratory, inspired almost every Japanese computer company.9101112

1958

1959

1960s

1960

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

See also

Notes

References

  1. Fransman, Martin (1993-02-25). The Market and Beyond: Cooperation and Competition in Information Technology. Cambridge University Press. pp. 19–20. ISBN 9780521435253. 9780521435253

  2. Early Computers, Information Processing Society of Japan http://museum.ipsj.or.jp/en/computer/dawn/index.html

  3. 【Electrotechnical Laboratory】 ETL Mark III Transistor-Based Computer, Information Processing Society of Japan http://museum.ipsj.or.jp/en/computer/dawn/0011.html

  4. Early Computers: Brief History, Information Processing Society of Japan http://museum.ipsj.or.jp/en/computer/dawn/history.html

  5. Grabbe, E. M. (February 7, 1957), "The Ramo- Wooldridge Corporation" (PDF), SOME RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN DIGITAL CONTROL SYSTEMS, Instrumentation and Control in the Process Industries Conference, Chicago, p. 5{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/trw/papers/Grabbe_Some_Recent_Developments_in_Digital_Control_systems_Feb57.pdf

  6. "RW-30 advertisement". The Michigan Technic. LXXVI (4). UM Libraries: 61. January 1958. https://books.google.com/books?id=DxkkAAAAMAAJ&q=RW-30+computer&pg=PA61

  7. Boslaugh, David L. (2003). When Computers Went to Sea: The Digitization of the United States Navy. John Wiley & Sons. p. 113. ISBN 9780471472209. 9780471472209

  8. "The DRTE Computer". friendsofcrc.ca. Retrieved 2017-12-28. http://friendsofcrc.ca/Projects/DRTEComputer/TheDRTEComputer-p3.html

  9. Sigeru Takahashi (April–June 1986). "Early Transistor Computers in Japan". Annals of the History of Computing. 8 (2): 144–154. doi:10.1109/MAHC.1986.10039. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/4640406

  10. Katsuhiko Noda (June 27, 1966). "Success story: Japanese originals" (PDF). Electronics. 39 (13): 93. https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Electronics/60s/66/Electronics-1966-06-27.pdf

  11. "ETL Mark IV" https://www.ithistory.org/db/hardware/electrotechnical-laboratory/etl-mark-iv-0

  12. "ETL Mark IV A". https://www.ithistory.org/db/hardware/electrotechnical-laboratory/etl-mark-iv

  13. Saul Rosen (June 1991). PHILCO: Some Recollections of the PHILCO TRANSAC S-2000 (Computer Science Technical Reports / Purdue e-Pubs). Purdue University. Here: page 2 /wiki/Saul_Rosen

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  16. "COMPUTERS AND CENTERS, OVERSEAS: 10. Siemens & Halske AG, Siemens 2002, Munich, Germany". Digital Computer Newsletter. 12 (1): 19–20. January 1960. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/AD0694659

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  18. Weik, Martin H. (March 1961). "RW-300". A Third Survey of Domestic Electronic Digital Computing Systems. Ballistic Research Laboratories Report No. 1115. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/BRL61-r.html#RW-300

  19. Isaac L. Auerbach (January 1961). "European Information Technology - A Report on the Industry and the State-of-the-Art" (PDF). Proceedings of the IRE. 49 (1): 347. http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/auerbach/European_EDP_Jan61.pdf

  20. "REFERENCE INFORMATION: A Survey of European Digital Computers, Part 2" (PDF). Computers and Automation. 9 (3): 28–29. March 1960. http://www.bitsavers.org/magazines/Computers_And_Automation/196003.pdf

  21. "COMPUTERS AND CENTERS, OVERSEAS: 1. Standard Elektrik Lorenz AG, ER 56, Stuttgart, Germany". Digital Computer Newsletter. 12 (2): 13–14. April 1960. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/AD0694660

  22. Foulkes, Ron (Summer 2008). "Computers at Metrovick : the MV 950 & AEI 1010". Resurrection: The Bulletin of the Computer Conservation Society (43). ISSN 0958-7403. http://www.computerconservationsociety.org/resurrection/res43.htm#f

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  24. "Control Data Corporation". Computing History. The Minnesota Computing History Project. 15 July 2018. https://mncomputinghistory.com/control-data-corporation/

  25. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 44. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  26. Beck, Robert Mark (30 December 1960). PB-250 - A High Speed Serial General Purpose Computer Using Magnetostrictive Delay Line Storage. 1960 Fall Joint Computer Conference. p. 284. doi:10.1109/afips.1960.58. The first production computer was delivered in October 1960. /wiki/Doi_(identifier)

  27. "PB-250". The Retro-Computing Society of RI, Inc. http://www.rcsri.org/collection/pb-250/

  28. Weik, Martin H. (March 1961). "PACKARD BELL 250". A Third Survey of Domestic Electronic Digital Computing Systems. Ballistic Research Laboratories Report No. 1115. http://www.ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/BRL61-p.html#PACKARD-BELL-250

  29. Programming manual for TRICE and other material on DDA's 2nd edition | 102664334 | Computer History Museum. Packard Bell Electronics. Packard Bell Computer. 3 May 1960. http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102664334

  30. Weik, Martin H. (March 1961). "TRICE". A Third Survey of Domestic Electronic Digital Computing Systems. Ballistic Research Laboratories Report No. 1115. http://www.ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/BRL61-t.html#TRICE

  31. "Packard Bell Computer | Selling the Computer Revolution | Computer History Museum". www.computerhistory.org. http://www.computerhistory.org/brochures/m-p/packard-bell-computer/

  32. "ACROSS THE EDITOR'S DESK: New Firms, Divisions, and Mergers - ON-CALL DATA VANS FOR HIRE" (PDF). Computers and Automation. XI (7): 28. July 1962. http://www.bitsavers.org/magazines/Computers_And_Automation/196207.pdf

  33. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 12. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  34. "Control Data Corporation Collection - Historical Timeline". Charles Babbage Institute. http://www.cbi.umn.edu/collections/cdc/histtimeline.html

  35. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 12. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  36. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 32. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  37. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 44. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  38. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 44. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  39. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 54. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  40. "AN/UYK-1 - A "Stored Logic" Multiple Purpose Computer" (PDF). Ramo-Woolridge. 1961-04-21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-30. Retrieved 2011-10-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20110930122620/http://www.dvq.com/docs/misc/an_uyk-1.pdf

  41. Isaac L. Auerbach (January 1961). "European Information Technology - A Report on the Industry and the State-of-the-Art" (PDF). Proceedings of the IRE. 49 (1): 347. http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/auerbach/European_EDP_Jan61.pdf

  42. James P. Anderson; Samuel A. Hoffman; Joseph Shifman; Robert J. Williams (1962), D825 - a multiple-computer system for command & control, Proceedings of the Fall Joint Computer Conference, Spartan, pp. 86–96, doi:10.1109/AFIPS.1962.41 /wiki/Doi_(identifier)

  43. "advertisement" (PDF). Datamation. Vol. 8, no. 11. FRANK D. THOMPSON. Nov 1962. pp. 12–14. http://bitsavers.org/magazines/Datamation/196211.pdf

  44. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 26. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  45. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 44. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  46. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 44. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  47. Weik, Martin H. (March 1961). "RW 400". A Third Survey of Domestic Electronic Digital Computing Systems. Ballistic Research Laboratories Report No. 1115. http://www.ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/BRL61-r.html#RW-400

  48. Helfinstein, Bert (1961-02-01). "Programming Manual AN/FSQ-27 (RW-400)" (PDF) (second ed.). Ramo-Woolridge. http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/trw/rw-400/AN-FSQ-27_RW-400_Programming_Man_Feb61.pdf

  49. "RW-400 Notes" (PDF). http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/trw/rw-400/RW-400_Notes.pdf

  50. Culler, Glen; Huff, Robert (1962), "Managing Requirements Knowledge, International Workshop on", Solution of Non-Linear Integral Equations Using on-Line Computer Control, Proceedings of the Spring Joint Computer Conference, San Francisco, pp. 129–138, doi:10.1109/AFIPS.1962.26{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) /wiki/Doi_(identifier)

  51. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 32. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  52. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 32. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  53. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 32. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  54. "News Briefs in Datamation 1st 601 is on the air at NJ Bell" (PDF), Datamation, vol. 9, no. 6, GARDNER F. LANDON, p. 52 http://bitsavers.org/magazines/Datamation/196306.pdf

  55. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 62. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  56. "COMPUTERS AND CENTERS, OVERSEAS: 2. Siemens and Halske A.G., 2002 and 3003 Computing Systems, Munich, Germany". Digital Computer Newsletter. 16 (2): 10–14. Apr 1964. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/AD0694640

  57. "The Air Force comptroller". October 1967. Retrieved September 6, 2020. the 1604B was a three year old second generation computer [in 1967] https://books.google.com/books?id=0xoSTNZ10q0C&q=CDC+%221604B%22+computer&pg=RA2-PA32

  58. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 46. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  59. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 26. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  60. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 26. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  61. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 26. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  62. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 30. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  63. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 30. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  64. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 62. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  65. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 12. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  66. trw :: BR-133 Brochure May64. May 1964. https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_trwBR133Br_2262389

  67. "AN/UYK-3 General Purpose Computer". http://www.jproc.ca/rrp/uyk3.html

  68. "Record of Revisions". Reference Manual Control Data 1604-Computer (PDF). CDC. http://bitsavers.org/pdf/cdc/1604/60016700F_1604-C_Reference_Nov67.pdf

  69. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 26. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  70. Jones, Douglas W. "The PDP-8". THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA Department of Computer Science. Retrieved May 30, 2018. http://homepage.divms.uiowa.edu/~jones/pdp8/models/#PDP8S

  71. Davis, E.M.; et al. (April 1964). "Solid Logic Technology: Versatile, High-Performance Microelectronics". IBM Journal of Research and Development. 8 (2): 102–114. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.87.4832. doi:10.1147/rd.82.0102. A new microelectronics technique called Solid Logic Technology, or SLT, is utilized in the new family of IBM/360 computers. This new technology provides a hybrid, integrated circuit module which combines discrete, glass-encapsulated silicon transistors and diodes with stencil-screened land patterns and precision passive components. /wiki/CiteSeerX_(identifier)

  72. Davis, E.M.; et al. (April 1964). "Solid Logic Technology: Versatile, High-Performance Microelectronics". IBM Journal of Research and Development. 8 (2): 102–114. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.87.4832. doi:10.1147/rd.82.0102. A new microelectronics technique called Solid Logic Technology, or SLT, is utilized in the new family of IBM/360 computers. This new technology provides a hybrid, integrated circuit module which combines discrete, glass-encapsulated silicon transistors and diodes with stencil-screened land patterns and precision passive components. /wiki/CiteSeerX_(identifier)

  73. "Electronic Digital Computer Ural-11 (Урал-11)". http://www.computer-museum.ru/english/ural_11.php

  74. "Electronic Digital Computer Ural-14 (Урал-14)". http://www.computer-museum.ru/english/ural_14.php

  75. "Electronic Digital Computer Ural-16 (Урал-16)". http://www.computer-museum.ru/english/ural_16.php

  76. "BI-TRAN SIX ad". Computers and Automation. March 1965. https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_computersA_9556582/page/n9?q=%22This+computer+does+absolutely+nothing%22

  77. "COMPUTER SCHEMATICS: 4. Bi-Tran Six". Amateur Computer Society Newsletter (1): 4. Aug 1966. http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102654910

  78. "AnyCPU - View topic - Early trainer computers from 1965 and 1972". www.anycpu.org. http://www.anycpu.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=542

  79. "FABRI-TEK INTRODUCES NEW CONTROL KEYBOARD CONSOLE FOR BI-TRAN SIX COMPUTER". Computers and Automation: 61. October 1968. https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_computersA_9801715

  80. "Imgur BI-TRAN SIX image galleries". Imgur. https://imgur.com/search?q=%22BI-TRAN+SIX%22

  81. Georghiou, Luke; Evans, Janet; Ray, Tim; Metcalfe, J. Stanley; Gibbons, Michael (1986-03-10). "PART II CASE-STUDIES: 9. Ferranti: Monolithic Microcircuits". Post-Innovation Performance: Technological Development and Competition. Springer. pp. 146–156. ISBN 9781349074556. 9781349074556

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  83. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 24. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  84. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 30. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  85. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 30. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  86. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 30. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  87. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 62. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  88. Used for training and research purposes.

  89. Revised in 1969 as Cellatron 8205.

  90. "Computer D4A". www.robotrontechnik.de (in German). Retrieved 2018-11-05. http://www.robotrontechnik.de/html/computer/d4a.htm

  91. "Rechenautomaten mit Trommelspeicher" [Calculating machines with drum memory]. www.fv-tsd.de (in German). http://www.fv-tsd.de/index.php?id=42

  92. Robotron Erzeugnislisten (in German). p. 5. https://archive.org/stream/RobotronErzeugnislisten/ErzeugnisseRobotron#page/n3/mode/2up/search/d4a

  93. "Mercedes Büromaschinen-Werke in Zella-Mehlis – Rechenschieber.org" [Mercedes office machines in Zella-Mehlis – Rechenschieber.org]. www.rechenschieber.org (in German). 2009. pp. 22–28. http://www.rechenschieber.org/2009/04/mercedes-bueromaschinen-werke-in-zella-mehlis/

  94. "Das Leben und Wirken von Prof. N. J. Lehmann" [The life and work of prof. N. J. Lehmann]. www.math.tu-dresden.de (in German). pp. 15–19. http://www.math.tu-dresden.de/wir/staff/ludwig/ludwig.html#B

  95. "Computer Characteristics Quarterly" (PDF). Adams Associates. 1967. p. 32. http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/AdamsReport1967Q1-2.pdf

  96. U.S. Government Research & Development Reports. National Technical Information Service. 1971. p. 102. https://books.google.com/books?id=Pm8Z44D8xTkC&q=%22M-54%22&pg=PA102