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Interdata
Minicomputer company

Interdata, Inc., was a computer company, founded in 1966 by a former Electronic Associates engineer, Daniel Sinnott, and was based in Oceanport, New Jersey. The company produced a line of 16- and 32-bit minicomputers that were loosely based on the IBM 360 instruction set architecture but at a cheaper price. In 1974, it produced one of the first 32-bit minicomputers, the Interdata 7/32. The company then used the parallel processing approach, which uses more than one computer processor simultaneously to perform work on a problem. This helped in making real-time computing a reality.

Some real-time applications Interdata computers were used for included: Core Protection Calculator, used in some later Combustion Engineering designed nuclear power plants; lottery systems manufactured by GTech; the NexRad weather radar system. Many companies used them for internal high speed laboratory data capture, such as United Technologies Research Center in East Hartford, Connecticut wind tunnel, General Electric R&D in Schenectady, New York, and Perkin-Elmer in Connecticut (which later acquired Interdata).

The operating system for the 16-bit computers was called OS/16, and for the 32-bit computers OS/32. The assembly language could generate series independent object code. Later, as with Gould, SEL, Modcomp and other real time competitors, they offered a 32-bit time sharing system called MTM (Multi Terminal Monitor).

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Acquisitions

In 1973, Interdata was purchased by Perkin-Elmer Corporation,5 a Connecticut-based producer of scientific instruments for $63.6 million.6 Interdata was already making $19 million in annual sales but this merger made Perkin-Elmer's annual sales rise to over $200 million.7 Interdata then became the basis for Perkin-Elmer's Data Systems Group.8 In 1985, the computing division of Perkin-Elmer was spun off as Concurrent Computer Corporation.9

List of products

  • Interdata Model 1 – 197010
  • Interdata Model 3 – 19671112
  • Interdata 4 (autoload, floating point)
  • Interdata 5 (list processing, microcoded automatic I/O channel)
  • Interdata 70 (1971), 74 (1973), 80 (1971), 85 (Writable Control Store, 1973)13
  • Interdata 50, 55 (Communications systems)
  • Interdata 5/16, 6/16, 7/16 (1974)14
  • Interdata 8/16, 8/16e (double precision floating point, extended memory)
  • Interdata RD-800 and RD-850 – 197515
  • Interdata 7/32 – 197416
  • Interdata 8/32 – 197517
  • Perkin-Elmer 3205, 3210, 3220, 3230, 3240, 3250, 3280

A simulator is available: http://simh.trailing-edge.com/interdata.html

References

  1. "Interdata Reference Manual 29-004R02 – Computing History". www.computinghistory.org.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2016. http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/28934/Interdata-Reference-Manual-29-004R02/ ↩

  2. "About Concurrent – Concurrent". Concurrent.com. Retrieved 27 July 2016. https://www.concurrent.com/about/about-concurrent/ ↩

  3. "Concurrent Computer Corporation – FREE Concurrent Computer Corporation information | Encyclopedia.com: Find Concurrent Computer Corporation research". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 27 July 2016. http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3445200037.html ↩

  4. "Parallel Processing". Enclicopedia.com. Retrieved 17 January 2024. https://www.encyclopedia.com/science-and-technology/computers-and-electrical-engineering/computers-and-computing/parallel-processing ↩

  5. Enterprise, I. D. G. (1990-12-10). Computerworld. IDG Enterprise. Retrieved 27 July 2016. https://books.google.com/books?id=xADOH_NYfZoC&q=concurrent+computer+corporation+history+and+interdata&pg=PA103 ↩

  6. "Concurrent Computer Corporation – FREE Concurrent Computer Corporation information | Encyclopedia.com: Find Concurrent Computer Corporation research". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 27 July 2016. http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3445200037.html ↩

  7. "Concurrent Computer Corporation – FREE Concurrent Computer Corporation information | Encyclopedia.com: Find Concurrent Computer Corporation research". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 27 July 2016. http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3445200037.html ↩

  8. Trew, Arthur; Wilson, Greg (2012-12-06). Past, Present, Parallel: A Survey of Available Parallel Computer Systems. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 9781447118428. Retrieved 27 July 2016. 9781447118428 ↩

  9. "Concurrent Computer Corporation". www.new-npac.org. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20220331121428/http://www.new-npac.org/projects/cdroms/cewes-1999-06-vol1/nhse/hpccsurvey/orgs/concurrent/concurrent.html ↩

  10. Auerbach Guide to Minicomputers 1975. Auerbach. 1975. p. 5 (12). https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_auerbachAumputers1975_31095575 ↩

  11. "Interdata Model 2, 3 and 4". Computers and Automation. 16 (12): 3 (ad), 31 (Model 2), 36 (Model 4), 71 (Model 3). Dec 1967. https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_computersA_11280381 ↩

  12. "Across the Editor's Desk: LOW-COST COMPUTER FOR ENGINEERING AND LAB RESEARCH". Computers and Automation. 16 (9): 45. Sep 1967. https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_computersA_7896122 ↩

  13. Auerbach Guide to Minicomputers 1975. Auerbach. 1975. p. 5 (12). https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_auerbachAumputers1975_31095575 ↩

  14. Auerbach Guide to Minicomputers 1975. Auerbach. 1975. p. 5 (12). https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_auerbachAumputers1975_31095575 ↩

  15. Auerbach Guide to Minicomputers 1975. Auerbach. 1975. p. 5 (12). https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_auerbachAumputers1975_31095575 ↩

  16. Auerbach Guide to Minicomputers 1975. Auerbach. 1975. p. 5 (12). https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_auerbachAumputers1975_31095575 ↩

  17. Auerbach Guide to Minicomputers 1975. Auerbach. 1975. p. 5 (12). https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_auerbachAumputers1975_31095575 ↩