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Cyhist Apr 3 1997 J
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Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 22:30:54 PST
Reply-To: "CYHIST Community Memory: Discussion list on the History of
Cyberspace" <CYHIST@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU> Sender: "CYHIST Community Memory: Discussion list on the History of
Cyberspace" <CYHIST@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU> From: David Wise <david_wise@PHOENIX.COM>
Subject: Re: 1620 (Operating vintage computers as a hobby)
______________________________________________________________________
Community Memory: Discussion List on the History of Cyberspace ______________________________________________________________________
This started as a private reply to George Seymour <seymour@nosc.mil>, but as it took shape I
decided to blast it out.
I did a web search on "1620" and found about 150 references. It seems like half the school computer departments started out with a 1620. They were so widespread and popular I forgot momentarily that there are lots of people who have never heard of them. I would be one if I hadn't stumbled over one.
I don't have a scanner to show you pictures of my baby, but there's a web site (a Greek museum) with a beautiful 1620 exhibit. The URL is
http://uranus.ee.auth.gr/TMTh/exhibit.htm
Their exhibit has
Front, L to R:
A 1311 disk drive (2 MB. You could only add these to later serial number 1620s.)
A long-carriage model B console typewriter on its own stand. I have this instead of the built-in one in the...
1620 cpu. BTW they have a Model II because the typewriter is a Selectric not a Model B.
an 026 offline card punch/duplicator
A 1443 line printer.
Rear, L to R:
A 1621 PT reader (the 1624 punch is inside, in the bottom) A 1623 core memory expansion cabinet. I don't know what's on top or jammed up next to it on the R.
A 407 Tabulator (I think. If so, it's great for offline listing of card decks)
A 1622 Card reader/punch
The only thing they don't have is a Friden Flexowriter (the 026 of paper tape).
Of all that great array, I have a 1620 Model I cpu (looks same except for typewriter),
a detached long-carriage typewriter, and a 1621 PT reader with its attendant
1624 PT punch. I wish I had more, but then again I'd have no place to put it!
The PT reader goes at 150 chars per second, so it takes (20000/150/60) or just over 2 minutes to load a tape that would fill memory. The punch goes at 15cps,
the typewriter at 10. Meaning, you might as well go have lunch.
There was a thread mentioning that IBM added a wire bail on the model B typewriter to keep people
from getting punched in the groin if it did a CRLF as they walked by (of course the Selectric was safe in
that respect). Well, the long-carriage version punches even harder. Ask me how I know 8-*
Regards,
Dave Wise (david_wise@phoenix.com)
______________________________________________________________________
Reply-To: "CYHIST Community Memory: Discussion list on the History of
Cyberspace" <CYHIST@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU> Sender: "CYHIST Community Memory: Discussion list on the History of
Cyberspace" <CYHIST@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU> From: David Wise <david_wise@PHOENIX.COM>
Subject: Re: 1620 (Operating vintage computers as a hobby)
______________________________________________________________________
Community Memory: Discussion List on the History of Cyberspace ______________________________________________________________________
This started as a private reply to George Seymour <seymour@nosc.mil>, but as it took shape I
decided to blast it out.
I did a web search on "1620" and found about 150 references. It seems like half the school computer departments started out with a 1620. They were so widespread and popular I forgot momentarily that there are lots of people who have never heard of them. I would be one if I hadn't stumbled over one.
I don't have a scanner to show you pictures of my baby, but there's a web site (a Greek museum) with a beautiful 1620 exhibit. The URL is
http://uranus.ee.auth.gr/TMTh/exhibit.htm
Their exhibit has
Front, L to R:
A 1311 disk drive (2 MB. You could only add these to later serial number 1620s.)
A long-carriage model B console typewriter on its own stand. I have this instead of the built-in one in the...
1620 cpu. BTW they have a Model II because the typewriter is a Selectric not a Model B.
an 026 offline card punch/duplicator
A 1443 line printer.
Rear, L to R:
A 1621 PT reader (the 1624 punch is inside, in the bottom) A 1623 core memory expansion cabinet. I don't know what's on top or jammed up next to it on the R.
A 407 Tabulator (I think. If so, it's great for offline listing of card decks)
A 1622 Card reader/punch
The only thing they don't have is a Friden Flexowriter (the 026 of paper tape).
Of all that great array, I have a 1620 Model I cpu (looks same except for typewriter),
a detached long-carriage typewriter, and a 1621 PT reader with its attendant
1624 PT punch. I wish I had more, but then again I'd have no place to put it!
The PT reader goes at 150 chars per second, so it takes (20000/150/60) or just over 2 minutes to load a tape that would fill memory. The punch goes at 15cps,
the typewriter at 10. Meaning, you might as well go have lunch.
There was a thread mentioning that IBM added a wire bail on the model B typewriter to keep people
from getting punched in the groin if it did a CRLF as they walked by (of course the Selectric was safe in
that respect). Well, the long-carriage version punches even harder. Ask me how I know 8-*
Regards,
Dave Wise (david_wise@phoenix.com)
______________________________________________________________________
