Originally Posted by
Paul Jones
Marv,
I know what you mean about computers with limited memory. My first computer I used was an IBM 1401 using the IBM 80 column punched card. We used FORTRAN IV and required at least 12000-character memory and four tape drives for spooling. We finally installed a CDC 6400 mainframe and programming was so much easier despite still having core memories. We replaced it with an IBM 370 and eventually upgraded the OS to virtual memory capability, then installing IBM 3033, IBM 3081, IBM 3090 with internal vector processors, and eventually Cray supercomputers (more like over-priced refrigeration units). All the computers used FORTRAN because all the equations involved matrices and complex numbers so we let the compiler keep track the imaginary number arithmetic. Now everything is massively parallel and virtually unlimited computer capacity. Along the way, I even built and 8-bit 8085 than ran a FORTRAN compiler and actually did real work.
Regards, Paul
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