A very unsual request to run a small program on a pdp made before 1970

[hugoestr]

Hi, there!

This is a very strange request. I am participating in a charity scavenger hunt. The challenge is to solve a simple math problem by writing a computer program. The tricky part is that it must run on a computer built before 1970, and we cannot use emulators.

i was wondering if anyone here has a working pdp computer from before the 1970s that could run the program.

If no one has one of these machines, would you know where I could find someone who would be able to run it?

Thanks in advance.

P.S. The focus of this forum is so cool

 

[Al Kossow]

Hi, there!

This is a very strange request. I am participating in a charity scavenger hunt. The challenge is to solve a simple math problem by writing a computer program. The tricky part is that it must run on a computer built before 1970, and we cannot use emulators.

i was wondering if anyone here has a working pdp computer from before the 1970s that could run the program.

If no one has one of these machines, would you know where I could find someone who would be able to run it?

Thanks in advance.

P.S. The focus of this forum is so cool

you could ask the living computer musuem if they would run your program on their pdp-7

 

[hugoestr]

Thanks! I didn't know that this existed.

 

[EvanK]

Hugoestr,

We (the group which operates this forum) have an up-and-running DEC PDP-8, circa 1965, at our museum in New Jersey. Please provide us with details of the request and we'll see about running the program. (Due to the computer's value, we cannot have visitors just show up and expect to use it.)

You can reach me via private message on this forum or directly through email: evan@vcfed.org.

 

[EvanK]

I've been informed by the people who organize the scavenger hunt that the request is more specific than the OP described. It specifically calls for a pre-1970s supercomputer which is a very different from a minicomputer. So, even if we had time (their deadline is this Saturday), our Straight-8 wouldn't fit the bill, being a minicomputer. Just saying.

 

[AK6DN]

Well, a pre-1970s supercomputer really narrows the list ...

[B]  Period      Supercomputer            Peak speed[/B]
1943-1944   Colossus                 5000 characters per second
1945-1950   Manchester Mark I        500 instructions per seco
1950-1955   MIT Whirlwind            20 KIPS (CRT) 40 KIPS (Core)
1956-1958   IBM 704                  40 KIPS 12 kiloflops
1958-1959   IBM 709                  40 KIPS 12 kiloflops
1959-1960   IBM 7090                 210 kiloflops
1960-1961   LARC                     500 kiloflops (2 CPUs)	
1961-1964   IBM 7030 "Stretch"       1.2 MIPS ~600 kiloflops
1965-1969   CDC 6600                 10 MIPS 3 megaflops
1969-1975   CDC 7600                 36 megaflops

Don't know of ANY of these that exist in a running state ...

Original chart: https://mason.gmu.edu/~tbell5/page2.html

Just for yuks what are the other unobtanium items on the scavenger list ?

 

[krebizfan]

Are any CDC 6600s operational? I'm pretty sure that none of the other supercomputers from the desired period are still functional. Though should not a charity scavenger hunt focus on sending money to the charity not the local electric utility.

 

[EvanK]

Well, a pre-1970s supercomputer really narrows the list ...

[B]  Period      Supercomputer            Peak speed[/B]
1943-1944   Colossus                 5000 characters per second
1945-1950   Manchester Mark I        500 instructions per seco
1950-1955   MIT Whirlwind            20 KIPS (CRT) 40 KIPS (Core)
1956-1958   IBM 704                  40 KIPS 12 kiloflops
1958-1959   IBM 709                  40 KIPS 12 kiloflops
1959-1960   IBM 7090                 210 kiloflops
1960-1961   LARC                     500 kiloflops (2 CPUs)	
1961-1964   IBM 7030 "Stretch"       1.2 MIPS ~600 kiloflops
1965-1969   CDC 6600                 10 MIPS 3 megaflops
1969-1975   CDC 7600                 36 megaflops

Don't know of ANY of these that exist in a running state ...

Original chart: https://mason.gmu.edu/~tbell5/page2.html

Just for yuks what are the other unobtanium items on the scavenger list ?

The chart is flawed. Who's the say which machines were "supercomputers" in the 1950s-1960s before the term existed?

BTW, ENIAC did 5,000 calculations per second in 1945. Nothing else was close.

 

[commodorejohn]

This post has all the hallmarks of a stealth request being posted by a time traveller from a near-apocalypse future. Next item on the list is an IBM 5100.

 

[Chuck(G)]

First printed use of "supercomputer" was 1966. I don't recall the 6600 being called that much before that time. So any large machine not in production use between 1966-1969 wouldn't qualify. I don't think a 6400 or 6500 would qualify either. So a 7600 or 6600. I can't imagine either being extant today, given that they were second-generation (discrete transistor) systems that require fairly special installations (400Hz 3-phase power, chilled water supply, etc.) and were laborious to maintain. The follow-on CYBER 70 series were 1970s systems.

What else? IBM 7950 and 7030 ("Stretch") wouldn't be extant today, certainly. The Goodyear STARAN wasn't until 1972 and the Burroughs BSP and the TI ASC were much later. The CDC STAR was early 70s.

You got me--and I was there.

Al K would know of the current state of these things. Ed Thielen's list would perhaps yield more candidates.

 

[Al Kossow]

Al K would know of the current state of these things.

LCM's 6500 is the only machine that would probably qualify. I suspect they're going to get hammered with requests.

 

[Chuck(G)]

Was the 6500 ever referred to as a "supercomputer"? IIRC, that tag only applied to the 6600, 6700 and 7600.

 

[Agent Orange]

Was not WOPR (War Operation Plan Response) 1983 a supercomputer? :mrgreen:

 

[pearce_jj]

BTW, ENIAC did 5,000 calculations per second in 1945. Nothing else was close.

Obviously colossus was better though, being British

 

[Erik]

Same scavenger hunt has a more obtainable quest: To have an animated version of the host mascot on an old home PC. Specifically: "Create a program to display an animation of a GISHWHES mascot using a TRS-80, Apple II, Commodore PET, or Commodore 64. You may not use an emulator. You must use the actual hardware, and the video must show the graphics playing on the screen of the computer in question."

This by Saturday, the opening day of VCF West XI.

Does anyone want to be a hero to these folks?

BTW, the mascot looks like a kangaroo with a seal's head as seen atop the page at: http://www.gishwhes.com/

Good luck!

 

[Kelseypow]

Same scavenger hunt has a more obtainable quest: To have an animated version of the host mascot on an old home PC. Specifically: "Create a program to display an animation of a GISHWHES mascot using a TRS-80, Apple II, Commodore PET, or Commodore 64. You may not use an emulator. You must use the actual hardware, and the video must show the graphics playing on the screen of the computer in question."

This by Saturday, the opening day of VCF West XI.

Does anyone want to be a hero to these folks?

BTW, the mascot looks like a kangaroo with a seal's head as seen atop the page at: http://www.gishwhes.com/

Good luck!

Hello! I put out the request to Erik for this item (my team is also looking for the initial request in this thread, but that one is very doubtful). If you believe you might be able to help me, please contact me at kelseypow@gmail.com as soon as possible. Thank you!!

 

[ErrUmm]

Hello! I have also been in contact with Erik who kindly directed me to this forum. I am also looking for a hero to help my Gishwhes team create an animation of our Slangaroo. If anyone would kindly help my email is Williams41744@gmail.com